Lawsons strengthens leadership team with two senior appointments

Lawsons Group has strengthened its executive leadership team with the promotion of Ciaran Morton to Group Commercial Director and the appointment of Steve Wakeman as Group Operations & Logistics Director.

The leadership changes are designed to bring the Group’s commercial and operational functions closer together, supporting faster decision-making, improved collaboration and a more consistent customer experience across Lawsons’ 35-branch network.

In his new role as Group Commercial Director, Morton will oversee the Group’s Category, Marketing and Ecommerce teams under a unified commercial strategy, bringing together product, digital and marketing functions to strengthen customer engagement and support future growth.

Wakeman joins Lawsons in the newly created role of Group Operations & Logistics Director. Bringing extensive experience across independent, national and private equity-backed builders’ merchants, he will lead the Group’s operations, logistics, transport and safety functions, with a focus on improving operational efficiency, consistency and customer service across the branch network.

The appointments form part of a wider evolution of Lawsons’ leadership structure, aligning commercial strategy more closely with operational delivery and enabling the business to respond more effectively to changing customer needs.

The changes follow a significant year for the independent merchant. Earlier this year, Lawsons transferred 51% of its ownership into an independent ethical trust, reinforcing its long-term commitment to employee ownership principles and safeguarding the company’s independence. The business also remains the only UK builders’ merchant to hold the Fair Tax Mark, recognising its commitment to responsible business practices.

Commenting on the appointments, CEO Allun Pittingale said: “Ciaran has made an outstanding contribution to Lawsons, and his expanded role reflects both the leadership he has shown and the ambition we have for our future. Steve joins us at an exciting time for the business, bringing a wealth of experience that will help us continue driving operational excellence and supporting our branches.

“These appointments are about building on Lawsons’ strengths while ensuring we’re well positioned for the future.”

Pittingale added that bringing commercial and operational functions closer together will help the business deliver a more consistent customer experience while supporting its long-term growth strategy.

Both appointments took effect on 3 August 2026.