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MG HeadhuntingBuilding Products
Retained Executive SearchBuilding Products & Construction

Board Directors, Managing Director & Specialist Appointments within Building Products and Construction

MG Headhunting is a UK retained executive search firm specialising in Building Products and Construction. We recruit Managing Directors, Commercial Directors, Operations Directors. Finance Directors and other board-level C-suite leaders, along with specialist positions for manufacturers, distributors, contractors and private-equity-backed businesses

Zero Transactional Recruitment
100% Partner Execution
Deep Sector Specialism
Operating under strict Data Protection protocols.
Mark Goldsmith - Lead Search Partner
Mark Goldsmith
Managing Director & Lead Search Partner

Expert in building leadership teams for Building Products and Construction clients across the UK. Full breadth of functions placed, from Operations Directors, Managing Directors, Finance Directors, Commercial Directors, Sales Directors and technical specialists, along for teams underneath. Thrives in securing key personnel that generalist recruiters fail to reach and candidates who are not actively looking. Full range of product and service sectors worked, from fenestration, heavyside, lightside, HVAC, to repair & maintenance and construction consultancies.

07570 740490LinkedIn
300+
Executive Placements
20+ Yrs
Sector Tenure
Sector Specialism

Core Practice Experience

Specialised search focused exclusively on executive roles across manufacturing, distribution, and contracting in the Building Products & Construction ecosystem.

Managing Directors & C-Suite

General Management & Executive Leadership

Retained search for full P&L owners, responsible for driving EBITDA improvements, navigating private equity ownership, organisational restructuring, and scale-up manufacturing.

Executive Appointments:
Managing DirectorChief Strategy OfficerChief Operating OfficerDivisional ManagerGeneral Manager
Market CoverageHVAC, Fenestration, Sustainable Products, Construction Consultancy

Commercial & Sales Directors

Specification & Trade Distribution

High-performing commercial leaders experienced with architectural specification, main contractor & local authority frameworks, builders merchant distribution networks and housebuilders.

Executive Appointments:
Chief Commercial OfficerCommercial DirectorSales Director UK & IrelandHead of SpecificationNational Sales Manager
Market CoverageTimber Systems & Offsite, Insulation & Drylining, Perimeter Security

Operations & Supply Chain

Manufacturing Excellence & Multi-Site Logistics

Engineering-led leaders with deep understandings of modern manufacturing techniques, operational excellence, capital expenditure, and driving resilient supply chains.

Executive Appointments:
Chief Operating OfficerOperations DirectorPlant / Site DirectorSupply Chain DirectorLogistics DirectorHead of Continuous Improvement
Market CoveragePrecast Concrete, Glass & Glazing, Adhesives, Street Furniture, Window & Doors

Finance & Corporate Development

CFOs & Finance Specialists

Strategically minded leaders capable of driving long-term direction across M&A activitity, private equity value-creation plans, governance & reporting, and digital evolution.

Executive Appointments:
Chief Financial OfficerFinance DirectorFinancial Controller
Market CoverageFenestration, Cycle Infrastructure, Security Products, Multi-Utility Contractor

Technical & R&D

Building Safety & Product Engineering

Crucial appointments safeguarding technical integrity, regulatory compliance & certification, product innovation and quality & performance.

Executive Appointments:
Technical DirectorResearch & Development DirectorHead of Product DevelopmentChief EngineerHead of Certification & StandardsHead of Quality
Market CoverageInsulation, Accreditations Services , Fire Protection, Utilities

Human Resources

Owners of the Company's People Plan

Leaders who align the personnel priorities with the overall business strategy, to include transformation, organisation design, learning & development, succession planning, engagement & cultural improvement, and governance.

Executive Appointments:
Human Resource DirectorPeople & Culture DirectorHead of Human Resources
Market CoveragePlumbing & Heating, Glazing, Timber
The MGH Difference

Engineered Executive Search vs Recruitment Clichés

Why CEOs, Private Equity investors, and Boards choose MG Headhunting over generic recruitment agencies.

Exclusively Retained Rigour

Dedicated Mandates Over Transactional Volume

We do not run high-volume contingent CV races. Every search is a fully retained partnership where we commit our full operational capacity until the ideal executive is placed and integrated.

MGH StandardExhaustive 100% market sweep of passive talent with verified track records.
Industry NormSpeed-focused CV spamming of active job seekers already in circulation.

Direct Partner Accountability

Zero Junior Consultant Delegation

In traditional search firms, senior partners win the mandate and hand execution to junior researchers. At MGH, Mark Goldsmith personally maps the market, conducts candidate interviews, and leads board negotiations.

MGH StandardDirect peer-to-peer discussions between C-suite candidates and a seasoned search leader.
Industry NormJunior recruiters failing to understand technical nuances and boardroom dynamics.

Architectural Blueprint Process

Systematic 5-Stage Assessment Protocol

Every candidate undergoes structured competency evaluation, cultural calibration, referencing against previous board peers, and deep commercial validation before presentation.

MGH StandardDetailed 360° candidate briefing dossiers with verified metrics and leadership impact.
Industry NormUnvetted CV forwards relying on superficial candidate self-declarations.

Restricted Covenant Discretion

Strict Confidentiality & PE Alignment

We safeguard corporate strategy, sensitive leadership transitions, and competitive positioning under strict non-disclosure, ensuring your brand equity is protected at every touchpoint.

MGH StandardDiscrete approach protocol protecting strategic market intentions and executive reputations.
Industry NormPublic job board advertisements exposing sensitive company restructuring.
The retained assurance

100% Commitment to Mandate Completion

Unlike transactional agents who drop searches when difficult, MG Headhunting guarantees persistence until the exact candidate profile is secured. This involves upfront and ongoing consultation with stakeholders on any barriers or limiations to the search.

Candidate quality
Targeted approach to top 5% performers who are not on job boards; whether these come from direct competitors, the indirect market, or from bringing best practice in from elsewhere.
Replacement guarantee
Full six month candidate replacement warranty on executive placements.
Search Methodology

The 5-Stage Search Blueprint

A disciplined, milestone-driven framework designed to identify, attract, and secure top-tier executive leadership without disruption.

01Week 1
CALIBRATION

Briefing & Strategic Consulting

In person and comprehensive discovery with the client's stakeholders: - Current performance and desired result of this investment - The gap in skillset / aptitude required - Cultural alignment - Compensation structure with alignment to market conditions - The client's story - what are the USPs & why should people join - What the client needs to do to secure top talent (if of benefit, advise on how to get the best out of interviewing - Agree approach to the research & headhunt (products, markets, companies, confidentiality)

Deliverable:
Role Specification & Search Strategy Dossier
02Weeks 2–3
MAPPING

Deep Market Mapping & Intelligence

Exhaustive research of agreed market(s) and product(s) and / or services. Individuals performing the required function are identified. If the role is not confidential, an anomalised advert can be placed, together with MGH reaching out to their own network. To achieve this, a range of tools are used, but importantly MGHs own judgement ensures categories are exhausted. Volume of this work is shared with the stakeholders.

Deliverable:
Longlist Market Map, together with individual contact details
03Weeks 3–4
ASSESSMENT

Confidential Approach & Evaluation

Direct partner-led outreach to the pre-qualified candidates. In-depth competency interviews, commercial track-record verification, and leadership style assessment. Ongoing feedback on market conditions, together with any barriers limiting the headhunt. Fully feedback to client on MGHs interviews, with rankings.

Deliverable:
Calibrated Shortlist & Detailed Candidate Profiles
04Weeks 5-6
PRESENTATION

Board Presentation & Negotiation

Structured client-candidate interviews. If of benefit, Mark Goldsmith will attend second interviews to guide stakeholders in gaining the optimum outcome. References taken by MGH and remuneration negotiations chaired by Mark.

Deliverable:
Offer Structuring, preferred candidate secured
05Months 1–12
INTEGRATION

Executive Onboarding & 12M Assurance

Active onboarding support during resignation/notice periods. Prior to starting, Mark and client review process and sharing of market intelligence / perception. 30/60/90-day progress check-ins with client and appointee, backed by a six month placement warranty.

Deliverable:
Review & Placement Assurance
Market Intelligence

Executive Case Studies & Market Insights

A sample of previous assignments managed by Mark Goldsmith, along with articles co-written by thought-leaders from within the Building Product & Construction landscape.

View All Intelligence
Cost of using an executive search firm
Insights
4 min read•November 2026

The lowest cost to your next senior leadership hire should be the recruiter’s fee

Boards often focus on the difference between filling a position via their network, a traditional recruiter’s fee and an executive search fee. However, the cost of a failed Managing Director, or director appointment can be many times greater than the upfront saving. This article highlights that specialist executive search broadens access to passive candidates, reduces hiring risk and should be judged against the business impact of securing the right leader, rather than the recruitment fee alone.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • Where available, Mark has sourced facts from external sources. This article is as objective as possible.
  • Executive appointments should be viewed as strategic business decisions rather than recruitment transactions
MGH Research Desk
Read briefing
Boardroom for Article
Executive Search
4 min read•September 2026

When using Contingency Recruitment over a Retained Headhunter makes more sense

This article outlines when contingency recruitment is more appropriate than a retained executive search, despite Mark's background in retained headhunting. Contingency works best when commitment is low, speed is essential, or the role is a tactical gap‑fill rather than a strategic hire. Conversely, retained search is the superior choice for roles that shape long‑term business direction, require rigorous market insight, and demand close collaboration between client and headhunter.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • Contingency recruitment is more suitable when a business is not fully committed to hiring, needs a quick sweep of the market, or is simply plugging a short‑term gap.
  • Retained search is the better option when the role is strategic, requires deep market understanding, or demands ongoing collaboration between client and headhunter throughout the process.
MGH Research Desk
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Window Manufacturing
Insights
2 min read•September 2026

Fenestration Leadership Headhunts Delivered by Mark Goldsmith

Throughout the two decades of managing and delivering executive level headhunts within Building Products, MG Headhunting's founder, Mark Goldsmith, has successfully led a high number within the window and door market. This has included building full leaderhip teams within the same manufacturer. This article outlines three seperate clients that Mark has done this with.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • Key board level appointments Mark Goldsmith has managed within fenestration
  • Initially mandated on a singular role, multiple examples when the client has returned to partner with Mark
MGH Research Desk
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Insights
Insights
4 min read•October 2026

Shaping the Sector: Alistair Higgins, CEO of Allgood and Executive Committee Member at the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers

Reflecting on both industry reform and leadership, Alistair Higgins stresses that organisations should treat compliance and product verification as strategic opportunities rather than regulatory burdens. He also highlights the importance of building cultures rooted in integrity, transparency, and people development, believing that businesses which invest early in talent and uphold uncompromising standards are best positioned to thrive in a changing construction landscape

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • Alistair Higgins, CEO of Allgood, shares his views on industry reform, specification management, talent development, and leadership
  • He emphasises that compliance, transparency, and product verification are no longer optional. Initiatives such as the CCPI and forthcoming product reform legislation will separate responsible manufacturers from those unwilling to meet higher standards
MGH Research Desk
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Me
Introduction to me
2 min read•September 2026

Mark Goldsmith – behind the scenes

Within Building Products and Construction, building personal and personable relationships are imperative. Let me introduce you to me and why I do what I do.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • What makes Mark Goldsmith tick and why he loves the industries he serves
MGH Research Desk
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Window Manufacturing
Case Studies
3 min read•September 2026

Commercial Director, Building Products - When the Brief Demands bringing Best Practice from other Industries

The manufacturer needed a Commercial Director capable of unifying sales, marketing, product management, installer programmes, and commercial strategy under one leader. By widening the search beyond building products and focusing on capability rather than job title, 111 candidates were identified and refined down to one standout hire — a leader from a foreign sector with the exact blend of value‑proposition expertise, commercial leadership, and cultural fit required to drive the UK business toward its five year strategy.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • The role demanded a rare blend of sales leadership, marketing direction, product strategy, commercial governance and strategy
  • By expanding the search beyond building products, the talent pool widened significantly, enabling a more precise match to the capability blend required
MGH Research Desk
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Chief Operating Officer - Construction Consultancy Must Professionalise for Scale & Exit
Case Studies
3 min read•September 2026

Chief Operating Officer - Construction Consultancy Must Professionalise for Scale & Exit

The consultancy needed a COO to professionalise its director‑led structure, embed governance, and create operational consistency across multiple service lines. By focusing on leaders experienced in scaling professional‑services organisations, the search surfaced candidates capable of introducing structured reporting, clarifying responsibilities, and aligning behaviours.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • The consultancy’s director‑led model had reached its ceiling; scaling required a COO who could introduce governance, structure, and behavioural alignment.
  • The leadership team’s tactical bias and varied behavioural styles meant the COO needed to unify ways of working without disrupting culture
MGH Research Desk
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Contractor
Case Studies
3 min read•September 2026

Operations Director, Construction - To Stabilise the Flagship, TUPE Heavy Contract

The construction provider needed an Operations Director capable of stabilising a multimillion‑pound council contract, leading over 200 staff and managing £20m of activity. With more than half the workforce TUPE‑transferred, the search focused on leaders from adjacent sectors managing large public‑sector contracts. The appointed candidate brought the operational authority and diplomatic leadership required to reset behaviours, strengthen delivery, and protect the client’s reputation with the council.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • The contract’s complexity — £20m of delivery and a 200‑strong workforce — demanded a leader with both operational authority and political sensitivity
  • TUPE‑transferred teams and difficult inherited managers meant cultural fit and behavioural leadership were as critical as technical capability
MGH Research Desk
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Head of Water – A Utility Contractor looking to Branch out
Case Studies
2 min read•September 2026

Head of Water – A Utility Contractor looking to Branch out

The contractor needed a Head of Water who could build a NAV‑accredited operation from the ground up — a role requiring regulatory authority, operational depth, and credibility with OFWAT. With only a handful of NAV operators in existence and senior water‑authority leaders typically long‑serving and risk‑averse, the talent pool was shallow. Through detailed market mapping, 47 individuals were identified, leading to one exceptional candidate being appointed to drive the investor’s growth plan.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • The contractor’s growth ambitions hinged on securing NAV accreditation, yet the blend of regulatory authority, operational leadership, and OFWAT‑facing credibility existed in an exceptionally narrow talent pool.
  • Senior leaders within water authorities were risk‑averse and well‑benefited, while NAV operators were too few and lean — making this one of the most constrained searches imaginable.
MGH Research Desk
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Commercial Director - One building products role, two job descriptions
Case Studies
3 min read•September 2026

Commercial Director - One building products role, two job descriptions

The manufacturer had grown steadily but was now being outpaced by four competitors, exposing the limitations of relying on a capable Sales Manager to run the entire commercial function. They needed a leader who could shape pricing strategy, manage merchants & specifiers, direct product strategy, and bring marketing back in‑house. With the search needing to remain confidential and the talent blend difficult to find locally, the brief was refocused around capability rather than job title.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • The business had outgrown the capability of a long‑serving Sales Manager, and rising competitive pressure meant they urgently needed a Commercial Director
  • The blend of strategic sales, commercial leadership, and marketing expertise was rare in the West Midlands market, requiring a sensitive and carefully reframed search
MGH Research Desk
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Regional Sales Manager – When the Talent Pool is too Shallow in Building Products
Case Studies
2 min read•September 2026

Regional Sales Manager – When the Talent Pool is too Shallow in Building Products

The manufacturer urgently needed a Regional Sales Manager to open a new UK territory, but the initial retained headhunter had produced no viable candidates and competitors were already capitalising on the delay. The technical authority required to win over main contractors meant the obvious talent pool was too shallow, and confidentiality limited direct approaches. Mark Goldsmith advised steering toward adjacent structural product backgrounds, expanding the candidate pool significantly.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • Technical credibility with main contractors made the natural talent pool extremely narrow, and confidentiality further restricted who could be approached.
  • By widening the search to adjacent structural product backgrounds, the realistic candidate pool multiplied
MGH Research Desk
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Managing Director
Case Studies
3 min read•September 2026

Operational-led Managing Director – the epitome of a needle in haystack headhunt within Building Products

Following the departure of a commercial MD, the European parent Group uncovered an urgent need for an operationally‑led Managing Director with engineering roots and deep fenestration sector knowledge to reverse three years of losses. With only 27 viable candidates nationwide, the assignment demanded a precise, insight‑driven headhunt. Three candidates progressed to client stage.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • Critical leadership gap: the European board needed an MD capable of leading the board while driving operational performance across multiple sites
  • A highly restrictive brief meant only 27 suitable individuals existed nationally, requiring a strategic expansion of the search beyond the region.
MGH Research Desk
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Local Authority Building
Case Studies
3 min read•September 2026

Sales Director – When the obvious hire isn’t available for a Building Products SME

Sadly, budget ruled out attracting a readymade Sales Director from a larger manufacturer. Although the Managing Director wanted to bring in someone from the same product background, the research phase proved we were hunting in a shallow regional talent pool. However, working together, we ensured the optimium conclusion was achieved.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • Based on turnover, complexity of the role, or prospects, attracting the ideal candidate isn't always an option. Here's how you can ensure success
  • Working with a retained headhunter that genuinely understands to nuances of the Building Product market makes the difference
MGH Research Desk
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Finance Director
Case Studies
3 min read•September 2026

Finance Director – driving financial rigour back to Group

The European parent Group discovered that the UK manufacturer’s financial reporting, stock analysis, and margin control had become inaccurate and inconsistent, leaving the business operating in the red and at risk of further redundancies. With fewer than 40 viable candidates regionally, the brief demanded a Finance Director with manufacturing expertise and proven experience reporting into an international Group. After a targeted headhunt and six interviews, three were recommended for first stage

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • The UK manufacturer’s financial reporting had become unreliable, leaving the Group unable to make informed decisions
  • A highly constrained talent pool meant only a small number of regional manufacturing Finance Directors were available
MGH Research Desk
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Boardroom for Article
Executive Search
4 min read•September 2026

What's the advantages to using a Retained headhunter over a Contingency agency?

Boards often trip up when deciding which type of recruitment model to use before going to market with a leadership vancancy. With experience on both sides, Mark Goldsmith explores the key differences and what a client can expect from both.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • 'Fee on placement only' has its place but, unless you understand how a contingency agency works, it rarely creates the value of a retained alternative
  • Contingency recruiters frequently manage high volumes of assignments. They drop any that are proving hard to fill
Mark Goldsmith
Founder
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PiGs Editor
Insights
4 min read•October 2026

Shaping the Sector: Insights from George Lewis, Editor of People in Glazing Society

Few have spoken with so many leaders from within fenestration as PiGs Editor, George Lewis. In this interview he reflects on a sector built on relationships, unusually open collaboration, and leaders who remain resilient, focused, and willing to adapt. From embracing digitisation and AI to preparing for Future Homes Standard, he sees an industry that succeeds when it stops undervaluing itself and starts showcasing the breadth of careers it offers.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • He points towards competitors routinely help one another, sharing advice and contacts in a way rarely seen in other industries.
  • The best leaders refuse to take no for an answer, learn on the job, and build teams that complement their limitations. Their success is rooted in a willingness to evolve with the industry.
MGH Research Desk
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SME
Insights
4 min read•October 2026

The Mistakes SMEs Make Before Going to Market with a Senior Hire in Building Products

SMEs often hire reactively. Boards jump into what will stabilise the business or fix an immediate issue.  They also focus too heavily on product or market exposure. Learn how Mark guides firms and enables them to gain maximum return from exploring the market for fresh talent. 

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • SMEs hire far more effectively when they define the long‑term success criteria of a senior role rather than reacting to short‑term pain
  • Overvaluing sector experience and failing to separate non‑negotiables from “nice‑to‑haves” shrinks the talent pool and leads to poor hiring decisions
MGH Research Desk
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Factory
Case Studies
4 min read•October 2026

A Four-Year Transformation: Operations & Supply Chain Director - Building Products Manufacturer

The brief set involved a rare blend of strategic transformation and hands‑on operational leadership, supply chain review and overhaul, modernising systems, stabilising service performance and driving lean capability across the workforce. Over four years, this hire has reinforced the company’s long‑term growth trajectory and removed the structural constraints that had previously held back performance.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • Delivered a four‑year transformation that has strengthened the company’s operational backbone, lifted service levels to 98–99%, and enabled the Managing Director’s five‑year growth plan.
  • Materially improved performance, protected margin, de-risked supply chain partners, and reshaped the end‑to‑end operation across sites
MGH Research Desk
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Finance Director, headhunt, building products, construction, executive search
Insights
4 min read•October 2026

What Building Product MDs should expect from their next Finance Director

Finance Directors in building products & construction have evolved from back‑office number‑keepers to strategic partners who shape commercial, operational and financial direction. The most effective leaders now bring strong communication, data mastery, pricing rigour, working‑capital control and the ability to modernise systems; often coming from sectors like FMCG or automotive.

Key Strategic Takeaways:
  • Businesses replacing long‑serving incumbents increasingly need FDs who can build processes, challenge assumptions, and provide objective, fact‑based guidance that strengthens resilience and profitability.
  • The strongest FDs are those who transform data, systems, cash discipline and cross‑functional collaboration to drive resilience, profitability and operational clarity.
MGH Research Desk
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