Briggs & Forrester names Duncan Benedetti as next chief executive

By Priya Raman

Briggs & Forrester has named Duncan Benedetti as its next group chief executive, effective 1 January 2027. Paul Burton steps down from the role at the start of next year but remains group chairman. The handover process has already begun.

The timing is deliberate. The Northampton-based building services contractor — an M&E specialist (mechanical and electrical engineering) — enters its 80th year as the leadership change takes effect. Burton stays close to the business through the chairmanship.

Benedetti brings 20 years at the £240m turnover group. He currently heads its Living business and already sits on the group board. The promotion moves an insider into the top job, not an external hire.

Burton endorsed the appointment directly. He said: "Duncan has been an integral part of the business for 20 years, consistently demonstrating strong leadership and delivering outstanding results. I am confident he will lead the Group to continued success as we enter our next chapter."

What changes at Living?

Benedetti's elevation triggers a second promotion inside the group. Matthew Orme, currently operations director at Living, takes over as managing director of that business. One succession becomes two in a single move.

The handover between Burton and Benedetti starts immediately, ahead of both appointments formally taking effect in January. That gives the pair a transition runway measured in months, not weeks — unusual in a sector where CEO exits often land abruptly.

What does this change for the contractor?

In the short term, very little operationally. Burton retains the chairmanship, Benedetti keeps board membership, and the leadership chain stays internal. Clients and supply partners face continuity, not disruption. The real test arrives after January 2027, when Benedetti must prove the Living division's growth record can scale to a £240m group in its ninth decade.

The move signals the firm's planning horizon: an 80-year-old contractor choosing its next decade's leadership more than a year in advance.