Alan Charles Lovell (born 19 November 1953) is a British businessman, formerly chief executive of the British construction company

Costain Costain is a surname of English, Scottish and Manx origin. When originating in Scotland and northern Ireland the surname is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic ''Mac Austain'', meaning "son of ''Austin''". The English surname is a reduced form of '' ...

, and currently chairman of

Interserve Interserve is a British construction and support services business based in Reading, Berkshire, which went into administration in 2019 and which is expected to be wound up in 2024. At that time, the group generated revenue of £2.2 billion and h ...

Early life

Lovell is the son of a farmer, and was educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of ...

, followed by a degree in classics from the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

Career

He trained as an accountant with

PricewaterhouseCoopers PricewaterhouseCoopers is an international professional services brand of firms, operating as partnerships under the PwC brand. It is the second-largest professional services network in the world and is considered one of the Big Four accounti ...

from 1976 to 1980, where he was seconded to the City merchant bank

Kleinwort Benson Kleinwort Benson was a leading investment bank that offered a wide range of financial services from offices throughout the United Kingdom and Channel Islands. Two families, the Kleinworts and the Bensons, founded two different merchant banks in ...

, and then worked for the electronics company

Plessey The Plessey Company plc was a British electronics, defence and telecommunications company. It originated in 1917, growing and diversifying into electronics. It expanded after World War II by acquisition of companies and formed overseas compani ...

from 1980 to 1989. In 1989, Lovell joined Conder Group as finance director, rising to CEO, when it collapsed in September 1992. He was finance director of

from 1992 to 1995, and its CEO from 1995 to 1997, after which he was FD and CEO of

Dunlop Slazenger Dunlop Slazenger was a sports equipment manufacturing company formed by now-defunct BTR plc by consolidating the various sports brands acquired as part their take-over of Dunlop Holdings in 1985. The company is most recognised for its involvement ...

, and then CEO of

Jarvis plc Jarvis may refer to: People * Jarvis (name), both as a surname and given name * Järvis, an Estonian surname Places * 3353 Jarvis, an asteroid named after Gregory Jarvis * Jarvis, Missouri, a community in the United States * Jarvis, Ontario ...

. In July 2006, he was appointed as CEO of

Infinis Infinis Energy is a British renewable energy group headquartered in Northampton. Infinis produces electricity from captured landfill and mineral methane. Infinis claims to have a net negative carbon emissions footprint. History The company was o ...

, which then claimed to be the UK's largest independent solely renewable power company. In November 2017, Lovell joined Carillion as a non-executive director, and was described as a "veteran turnaround specialist", a "turnaround expert" and a "company doctor". Carillion went into liquidation in January 2018. In July 2019, Lovell was appointed chairman of the financially troubled

group. Lovell is chairman of Safestyle plc and the Association of Lloyd's Members. He is a non-executive director and senior independent director of

SIG plc SIG plc is a British-based international supplier of insulation, roofing, commercial interiors and specialist construction products. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange. History The company was founded by Ernest Adsetts in 1957 Sheffiel ...

. Lovell is a deputy lieutenant of

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...

, chairman of the

Mary Rose Trust The Mary Rose Trust is a limited charitable trust based in Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. Its primary aims are to preserve, display and spread knowledge about the 16th century warship ''Mary Rose'' which sank in the Solent on 19 July 1545 ...

, chairman of the board of governors of Winchester University and a trustee of

Winchester Cathedral The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,Historic England. "Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1095509)". ''National Heritage List for England''. Retrieved 8 September 2014. Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, commonly known as Winches ...

Personal life

He is married to Virginia, daughter of the former House of Commons speaker

Bernard Weatherill Bruce Bernard Weatherill, Baron Weatherill, (25 November 1920 – 6 May 2007) was a British Conservative Party politician. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons between 1983 and 1992. Family He was the son of Bernard Bruce Weatherill ...

, and they have two daughters. Lovell has a longstanding interest in tennis, real tennis and rackets from his schooldays, and was head of the UK's real tennis association in Britain for 13 years.

References

Living people 1953 births Deputy Lieutenants in England Alumni of the University of Oxford People educated at Winchester College British chief executives Carillion people {{UK-business-bio-stub