Celebrating 10 Years of Chief Executive, David Dickson at Miller Knight

This month, we are proud to celebrate a significant milestone for our Chief Executive, David Dickson, who marks a decade at Miller Knight.

In joint celebration of Miller Knight operating for 15 years, it feels especially fitting to reflect on the defining moments that have shaped both David’s leadership and the direction of the business.

With a strong background in project management and quantity surveying, David joined the business in 2016 as Commercial Manager. Later that year, he stepped into the role of Chief Executive, bringing with him a clear vision to grow Miller Knight and champion the vital importance of the work the company delivers.

Originally operating as a specialist sub-contractor, Miller Knight supported a variety of Tier 1 contractors, including construction giants, Willmot Dixon, Winvic, Galliford Try but to name a few, by providing specialist intumescent coating and passive fire protection services on a range of new build projects across the UK.

However, just one year later, the tragic events at Grenfell Tower changed the construction landscape forever. The tragedy brought national attention to building safety and exposed critical failings in fire protection across the UK.

In the wake of Grenfell, new legislation and regulatory scrutiny placed fire remediation works at the forefront of the industry, resulting in a demand for competent, compliant specialist contractors. It was at this moment that the works Miller Knight were delivering were recognised as imperative and resulted in a rapid rise in project opportunities.

As works continued to accelerate, David faced yet another major challenge: the global coronavirus pandemic. Projects were paused, payment delays became widespread, and hundreds of construction companies across the UK faced administration.

Through a programme-driven mindset, careful financial management and the rapid adaption of working practices to suit the ‘new normal’, Miller Knight not only remained operational but stable during an unprecedented period of uncertainty.

Since 2017, the company continued to rapidly grow resulting in taking the step from specialist sub-contractor to principal contractor, developing a loyal client base, including Bellway Homes, Redrow, NHBC, Fairview New Homes and others resulting in a transformational commercial result with turnover growing from less than £1m to over £40m in ten years.

Alongside this, the team has continued to expand starting with just 4 team members back in 2016 to now more than 250 employees nationally, including strengthening the leadership team with the appointment of key board members, including Managing Director Matthew Flower, Construction Director Jim Hardie, Finance Director Julianne Corden, Pre-Construction Director Alex Slater, and Regeneration Director Chris Flint, further solidifying Miller Knight’s capabilities.

2025 was a powerful reflection of Miller Knight’s growing influence, as we celebrated a multitude of award recognitions, including being named Fastest Growth Business in the East Midlands, being shortlisted for Construction Company of the Year by the Construction News, the completion of the flagship £17.5m fire remediation project at The Gateway, Lincoln, and hosting the Building Safety Forum: London, featuring Dame Judith Hackitt.

David’s journey over the past ten years demonstrates not only professional dedication but continued hands-on leadership. He remains an active and visible presence within the business, guiding strategy and remaining closely connected to projects, the team, and clients.

Chief Executive at Miller Knight, David Dickson commented on his ten year anniversary: “It definitely doesn’t feel like 10 years ago that we started on this journey… It’s gone so fast!

We try and just take every day as it comes and deal with the challenges as they present themselves, and as result you don’t really get an opportunity to stop, reflect and look back on what we’ve achieved as a business.

It’s been a real roller coaster of both highs and lows at times, but I’ve been really lucky to have the support of such a strong team, and without our Chief Operating Officer, Jeremy Warman and our Business Development Director, Wayne Woodland, we definitely wouldn’t be where we are today – so a lot of credit goes to them.

“I’d like to think we are still only at the early stages of our journey as a business, and I’m sure we have many more exciting years to come!”

From taking on a business that was small specialist subcontractor with only 4 members of staff , to becoming an award winning industry recognised £40m turnover national contractor with now over 250 employees is truly revolutionary.

Congratulations David – here’s to ten more years and beyond!