Julian Crane
Group Managing Director
I’m extremely proud to oversee the daily operations of our M&E services business, driving real change within the construction industry.
By the time I finished my electrical apprenticeship in the 1980s, I had already witnessed plenty in our sector that had left me feeling “I can do that better”. Not only was I inspired to set up a business, but more so, I wanted to create a building services company that was different. A place where quality genuinely mattered and setting new industry standards became commonplace.
As a leader, I am a firm believer in accountability through being present and setting an example. Since founding the company in 1993, VBS has gone from strength to strength because of a clear vision to be better. By adopting better systems and processes, by using better quality materials and by nurturing better, stronger relationships with our people and our clients, better outcomes have followed.
My mantra is “never say never” and being brave enough to take on the challenges, like our first project as a full M&E contractor at High Holborn in London. This set us apart from our competitors and was critical to our evolution as a business, helping us advance from a small-scale electrical services contractor to the successful Tier 2 building services contracting business that I am extremely proud to manage today.
Seeing how much our VBS family has grown makes me incredibly proud, everyone knows they are integral to our success, whatever role they play. Instilling that value into individuals and encouraging accountability, empowers us to always give the best to our projects and to our business.
To keep myself grounded after work, I enjoy playing golf, watching football, and attending live music venues. A personal ambition is to see our team deliver a large-scale entertainment centre and one of my favourite bands playing there!
JulianCrane@vbs-ltd.co.ukCharlie Crane
Operations Director
It’s been a huge journey for me since joining the company as an electrical apprentice in 2008, hard work, long hours, challenging, fulfilling and a constant learning curve to this day, and with zero ‘silver spoon’ treatment - in fact the opposite!
I have loved working my way through the business from an electrician to foreman, site manager to project manager, head of estimating and now, Operations Director. This has given me a complete and wide-ranging understanding of VBS and the multi-faceted building services company it is today, plus a real appreciation of what our project teams deal with on a day-to-day basis.
I am especially proud of the trust our clients have in us, knowing that we will deliver the best quality work possible, whilst resolving challenges quickly and professionally. I know this has been the key to our success and given us the scope to grow from an electrical services provider into a full-scale M&E contractor.
Early in my career, I heard the phrase “You’re only as good as your last job”, it has always stayed with me and driven me to go out of my way to ensure the best results every time. Our team always puts the project first, it’s our strongest USP - and something I know our clients value over everything else.
Outside of work, I have 2 young sons who keep us busy, enjoy trying to master golf and love football, although these days it’s just watching. I remain a faithful Sutton United fan, after playing for them years ago.
Dave Clark
Construction Director
My role involves making sure we’re all aligned on each project and working towards our team objectives every day.
I started with VBS as an apprentice, working with Julian on small-scale electrical contracts and I’ve worked my way up through the business to be a senior leader at VBS.
At VBS, everyone is encouraged and empowered to take full responsibility for delivering excellence on their part of a project. This level of care is reflected in the high standards we’re well known for and is one of the reasons our clients repeatedly put their trust in us.
We have a fantastic culture at VBS and how we deal with the challenges is what shapes us. Staying honest with one another and our clients, keeping lines of communication open, which makes solutions easier to find, no matter how challenging a project becomes.
The fact that we’ve won several repeat contracts from happy clients speaks volumes about how we treat people in the industry. We do more than provide a great end-product within the right timelines, we ensure our clients and team stay happy - through our honest, open-book approach.
Despite living on the fringe of the city, I enjoy long walks, fishing and shooting to wind down at the weekend.
Sean Elliott
Group Commercial Manager
I have worked in the Construction industry for over 20 years starting out as an apprentice, a qualified electrician to Surveyor and for many years now, a Commercial Manager.
I joined the Group having been impressed by the family ethos, staff loyalty and long-established business presence. I am now surrounded by a lot of skilled, knowledgeable people whose strengths support the businesses across all the challenges that arise. It’s great to be part of such of strong team.
In brief, my role as Group Commercial Manager involves overseeing the financial management of a wide range of projects, carrying out monthly valuations of work in progress, including the forecasting of cash flow, final costs and sales. I also provide advice to project staff on commercial and contractual matters.
On a more personal level, I am a big sports fan, despite supporting QPR! I play golf as much as I can, although since having my daughter, probably not so often these days.
George Cawley
Senior M&E Project Manager
I manage the large-scale, multi-storey projects here at VBS, including overseeing our site teams, the development of project programmes, the procurement of equipment and materials, liaising with statutory authorities and managing subcontractors and supply chain members.
Quality is essential in our industry and it’s something the whole team at VBS takes very seriously. Our accountability and commitment to our projects is what sets us apart from the competition.
As most people operating in construction will testify, it’s a stressful environment, driven by tight deadlines and constant pressure to remain on, or under budget. From our smaller projects, through to the largest and most complex of our contracts, I’m constantly proud of the team’s commitment to achieving those targets, producing quality work, and ensuring the all-important attention to detail.
The strong team ethos is felt throughout the business, not only during the projects we work on, but I feel 100% supported by my peers at VBS.
I’m a big football fan, watch regularly and play for the VBS team. I also can’t resist ‘taking the job home with me’ and enjoy a bit of DIY to wind down at the weekend!
Peter Dovey
Senior Technical Services Manager
I joined VBS having known Julian for 20 years, at times even contracting for his team. I bring the mechanical element to our business and as a mechanical services expert, my responsibility is establishing our reputation as a full-service, large-scale M&E provider and growing this area of the business.
I am motivated by the variety of my role – my day can involve everything from overseeing mechanical install design, site inspections to supporting our talented project managers, the VBS team is at its best when we’re working together to solve a client challenge.
There is a strong sense of ‘team’ within our culture, one I had not experienced before VBS. It’s imperative to our success, and everyone is driven by an unwavering work ethic and commitment to the project.
You never stop learning in this industry and we’re always exploring new processes or innovations in our field. As a leadership team, we encourage the staff to develop in any way they choose, regardless of what their initial training or apprenticeship has taught them.
I live with my family in Kent, which is a long commute to the VBS head office, but it’s well worth it to work with such a committed team. Come the weekend, I enjoy the beautiful countryside and coastal walks on my doorstep.
Louise Nightingale
Group Financial Controller
A qualified Chartered Accountant with over 10 years of experience from both practice and commercial environments. My role in brief, is to oversee the Finance Team and be accountable for the efficient running of the Groups’ projects and business activity.
Michael Quartermaine
Senior M&E Project Manager
I play an integral role in managing all the large-scale M&E contracts our team delivers to clients in London and the southern counties.
I consider myself a true product of VBS and immensely proud of it.
I started at grass roots level within VBS as an Electrical Apprentice at 16, never saying no and always willing to take on responsibilities above my grade and quickly became a working Foreman and then a Site Supervisor.
I worked hard to prove myself on every project, gaining experience with every jump up the VBS ladder. This turned out to be much more than a job, it was a real opportunity to become a part of something special and since that first day as an apprentice, I have never looked back.
What sets VBS apart is our honesty, with one another and with our clients. If we’re facing issues on a project, we work together quickly to find a resolution. Clients appreciate our open-book approach to facing challenges as they arise, it earns us their trust as they know we will deliver on time every time.
The soundest piece of advice I received was to “always be my own worst critic”. It ensures that polished finish our leadership team expects us all to deliver, keeping me on point and accountable throughout every project from beginning to end.
During the Princes Arcade full M&E refurb in 2017, we pushed ourselves to the limit, worked tirelessly, confronted every challenge successfully and completed a top-quality job; the development owners were extremely appreciative and still contact us with new business to this day – a real demonstration of our commitment to clients.
Our close-knit team is like a family, we have genuine loyalty, support for each other, and share the same dedication towards building strong relationships and ensuring all our projects are completed to the highest standards.
When I leave work behind for the weekend, you’ll find me enjoying my time off with my Family and Friends!
Join the team
VBS Ltd is proud to have a low staff turnover levels. Our company is committed to investing into people and this is how we sustain long-term relationships with our employees and our supply chain.
We ensure all operatives are provided with the correct training to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. Our training also prepares staff for future change. Our company firmly believes that the development of staff and suppliers is critical in achieving long-term business success.
We encourage learning and development at every level of our company. VBS Ltd provide training opportunities for all members of staff in order to meet the personal improvement goals that attract and retain outstanding individuals.
Our company participates in apprenticeship schemes, enabling us to give younger people an opportunity to gain core skills that stay with them for the rest of their lives. Apprenticeship schemes are an investment into the future of our business.
VBS Ltd furthers staff development by actively encouraging participation in social activities organised by the company. These activities help individuals to find a desirable balance between their working environment and their home lives.
Current vacancies
There are currently no specific vacancies but if you have the skills and experience that could be a good fit for our team, please contact: hr@vbs-ltd.co.uk.