Griffin began his career 20 years ago as a Wates commercial trainee and four years ago left to work in the development sector.

He now returns to help to drive strategy and bolster Wates’ commercial function across all areas of the business.

His experience spans multiple strategic sectors including private residential, education, commercial, refurbishment and heritage builds.

At board level, Griffin will play a vital role in leading Wates’ commercial function as a business and driving output on some of its largest schemes, including gigafactory Envision in Sunderland, and work on the Parliamentary Northern Estate Programme.

Paul Chandler, executive managing director at Wates Construction Group, said: “Investing in a strong commercial function is essential for us to continue delivering the best possible service to our clients, regardless of the economic headwinds currently impacting the construction industry.”

Griffin said: “My focus will be on enhancing our commercial offers in the marketplace, particularly around new building technologies, as well as supporting the succession planning for the next generation of young, diverse talent.”