Wiltshire’s oldest and most successful family business, Hills Group, has appointed a new group chief executive and group chairman.

Mike Hill takes over from Alan Pardoe as group chief executive. With Alan moving to become group chairman, Mike’s father, Robert Hill, relinquishes that role after a quarter of a century.

The Hills Group is a multi-faceted business that makes a significant contribution to life across Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. Amongst its roles is that of waste disposal and recycling contractor to Wiltshire County Council, which means that it collects recyclables from approximately 150,000 homes and operates a network of 10 household recycling centres. With origins in brick making, it has been a part of the local scene and the economy for well over 100 years.

“It’s been an interesting 43 years,” said Robert Hill, who continues as a director. “As with any business of this age, there have been good times and bad and I have seen them all. But it has been very fulfilling to be a part of all the good things that have happened in recent years.”

He credited much of the success to Alan Pardoe, who joined 38 years ago as an assistant management accountant and progressed to become group chief executive in 1992. Since then, the company has consolidated and enhanced its position as an important regional aggregates producer, become a serious player in the waste management and recycling sector and successfully entered the house building market.

“I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to help transform the Hills business from an ailing family concern in the 70s to the strongly performing business that it is today,” Mr Pardoe said. “It has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience. It is particularly satisfying that, throughout this time, we have managed to remain a family business and maintain our individual identity and approach.”

Mike Hill joined the company in 1994 after completing a European business degree and worked in various roles in aggregates, waste and property before becoming Director and Company Secretary in 2003, when he also achieved a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Bath.

“It is a great honour to be given this responsibility, I see the business continuing to grow as we adapt to the fast-changing environments and markets in which we operate. But I am convinced this can be done while holding on to our unique personality and our values,” Mr Hill said.