GEOFF Ball, of one of Britain’s most respected professionals in the house building industry, is to be made President of the House Builders Federation.
New President At The House Builders Federation
GEOFF Ball, of one of Britains most respected professionals in the house building industry, is to be made President of the House Builders Federation.
Geoff, Executive Chairman of CALA Homes, will replace current President Bill Gair who for two years guided the industry through times in which it faced major challenges and responded to them positively and with considerable success.
The changeover will take place on March 27.
Geoff becomes President at a time when the industry is in a robust position. Demand for new homes is buoyant and the market forecasts continued and sustainable growth. Despite this, the industry will have to continue working hard to address its most pressing concerns including the continuing under-supply of new homes. It also needs to stress its pivotal role in ensuring the future economic and social wellbeing of the nation.
In respect of achieving these goals, Geoff is well placed.
Born in 1943 and educated at Cotham Grammar School in Bristol, Geoff was articled to local accountancy firm Grace Derbyshire and Todd where he qualified as a chartered accountant in 1966. In 1973 he joined the board of Greencoat Properties Ltd. As Managing Director he successfully guided the company through the property crash of 1974.
That same year he acquired on behalf of Greencoat a controlling interest in CALA and moved to Edinburgh to become full time managing director. Since then the firm grew from having a market capitalisation of 0.4million to well over 50million today. He was appointed Executive Chairman in 1986.
The company has four house building subsidiaries operating in central Scotland, the South East of England, Yorkshire and the Midlands. The companys focus on design and quality has won it many awards.
Geoff has non-executive directorships with the Standard Life Assurance Company, Scottish Mortgage and Trust plc and the RMD Group plc. Chairman of the Board of Governors of George Watsons College from 1989 1994, Geoff was nominated as the Clydesdale Bank Young Business Personality of Year in 1983.
He lives in Edinburgh with his wife Mary, a former music teacher. They have four grown up children