Hanson streamlines operations

Hanson has streamlined its board and operating structure to make building materials supplier "more responsive to market conditions".

Hanson Building Materials Europe (HBME) has ceased to exist and its chief executive, Simon Vivian, will step down from the main Hanson board at the end of this month. Former HBME business units will now report directly to the group head office.

Other changes include Patrick O'Shea in London will take on the leadership of Hanson's continental European and sea-dredged aggregates operations  in addition to his responsibility for Hanson Pacific.

Mike Ogden (UK Aggregates), David Szymanski (UK Building Products) and Leslie Cadzow (Australia) all report directly to Hanson plc chief executive Alan Murray.

Murray said: " While this announcement does not indicate any change in our overall  strategy, its does reinforce a continued focus on our core values of cost and margin control."