Under the leadership of Kelly Linnett, CEO, MV Kelly has continued to grow from its roots as a family-run business into one of the UK’s leading civil engineering and groundworks contractors, while still firmly holding onto the values on which it was founded.
Established in 1995 by father and son team, Vince and John Kelly, the Solihull-based company has expanded significantly over the past three decades, while retaining the family culture that remains central to how it operates today.
Now delivering residential and commercial groundworks across England and Wales, MV Kelly operates across infrastructure, highways, drainage, earthworks and wider civil engineering. With the recent addition of a site in Warrington in the North-West of England bringing the number of its regional offices up to eight, the company currently has more than 250 live projects across the country supported by around 370 directly employed staff. The aim has been to build a model that balances scale with strong local relationships, as Kelly Linnett outlines: “Our regional structure is really important. It allows us to stay close to our clients, while still benefiting from group governance and expertise to guide the business. As we grow and develop, we focus on creating further opportunities for our supply chain partners, while also supporting and strengthening local businesses in each region we operate. We place trusted people into new areas to lead them, building strong local teams and relationships that underpin our long-term success.”
Kelly’s own career mirrors the opportunities MV Kelly creates. Having spent 16 years at the company and becoming fully integrated into its culture and philosophy, she has progressed from her early career through to becoming Financial Director and then ultimately CEO, a role she took on two years ago.
“There’s been a great deal of hard work along the way and I’m incredibly determined, but I was also given the chance by MV Kelly to grow. That was key. Having the right environment to learn and develop has been absolutely crucial.”
Kelly’s appointment as Finance Director in 2017 was a particular turning point, with the role quickly expanding beyond a traditional FD remit. She soon took on responsibility for commercial operations, HR, IT, quality assurance and learning and development, gaining a deep understanding of how the business functions in the process.
“For me, the role went far beyond finance. It gave me exposure across the whole business, which has been invaluable. This breadth of experience was fantastic preparation for the step up to CEO. It’s definitely been the most challenging part of my career, but also one of the most rewarding.”
As well as being appreciated within the business, Kelly’s leadership has also been recognised at industry level, with her recent nomination for Construction Leader of the Year at the prestigious Construction News Awards. While she is proud of the recognition, her response is characteristically team focused.
“It’s very humbling. I didn’t put myself forward for the award and it genuinely isn’t about me. We’ve got a very strong leadership team, so if I was to win, it would be about all of us and our collective contribution.”
That emphasis on people runs through Kelly’s approach to leadership. “For me, leadership is about helping our staff achieve their potential and creating a culture where they can flourish. It’s about developing an environment where our employees can succeed, providing them with ownership and accountability. Of course, we’ve got to play our part by making sure we’ve got the right individuals in the right roles.”
That philosophy is further reflected in the leadership structure at MV Kelly, where around 30 directors help drive the business forward, a large proportion of which have progressed internally.
“The majority of our leadership team are homegrown, with many of our directors having come through the business, either from trainee or apprentice level. This is something we’re really proud of.”
Kelly is also focused on widening access into the industry, particularly for women. Despite making strong progress in recent years, construction remains a male-dominated industry, and she is determined to keep the momentum going and accelerate change.
“I’m enormously proud to be a female CEO in this sector. There’s definitely more diversity than there was, but there’s still work to do.”
MV Kelly has increased female representation at board level and ensured women are present across its offices and most departments. The next step is building a clearer pipeline of young talent coming into the sector, paving the way for future generations.
“We’re working with schools and universities and really pushing apprenticeships,” outlines Kelly. “It’s about showing that there’s a pathway, not just into office roles but onto site as well.”
Despite construction becoming more welcoming for women, the wider market, however, presents ongoing challenges, particularly within residential construction. In response, MV Kelly is focused on protecting margins, maintaining market share and making measured decisions. Even in the face of tough conditions, the business achieved around 30 per cent growth last year.
“For us, it’s about sustainable growth by focusing on long-term business health, rather than making irrational decisions. This is an approach that has served us well for over 30 years and will continue to do so.”
That long-term view is evident in MV Kelly’s commitment to training and development, with ongoing graduate and apprenticeship programmes. This entry-level talent is seen as critical for the future of the business.
Sustainability is another area where Kelly is striving to drive practical change. “We didn’t want ESG to be about appearance or just a box-ticking exercise. Instead, we want to make a real difference and make improvements wherever we can. It comes down to education, consistency and accountability, as well as making sure it’s driven from the top.”
One key example of this approach in action has been MV Kelly’s anti-idling campaign, targeted at reducing emissions across its fleet. The results have been significant, with major reductions in fuel usage and carbon output across both vans and heavy plant.
This approach has helped attract further award recognition for MV Kelly, with the company also nominated within the Carbon Reduction Champion category at the Construction News Awards, once again underlining its holistic approach and drive to improve in all areas of its activities.
This attention to detail has also shown itself operationally, with MV Kelly continuing to deliver major projects for leading developers including Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Redrow, Persimmon and St James Group. Having such an impressive roster of clients is only possible due to the quality the company continually provides.
“It’s not just about winning work, it’s also about providing high levels of consistency,” says Kelly. “If we don’t deliver on health and safety, quality and client expectations, we won’t have a business in the long term.”
In addition to delivering high quality projects, MV Kelly is just as committed to having a positive social impact. A recent 70-mile charity walk involving employees raised more than £300,000 for organisations, including Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Andy’s Man Club.
“It’s a huge part of who we are. It’s about creating a positive impact and bringing our people on that journey.”
Looking ahead, Kelly remains focused on sustaining growth while protecting the company’s culture. “In today’s market, the situation can change very quickly, so it’s about being flexible enough to adapt while also staying true to your values. Continually investing in our people is key to this.”
Kelly’s own journey through the ranks to CEO is testament to that approach and to the opportunities that MV Kelly continues to create within the marketplace. Continued growth therefore looks assured, as does further industry award recognition.