Ex-LE chief Kinsey heads Wimpey homes retail arm

George Wimpey, the home construction company, has appointed Jon Kinsey, the former group managing director of London Electricity (LE) Group retail, as managing director of a new division responsible for rolling out Wimpey retail stores. He will report to the chief executive, Peter Johnson.

Kinsey, who left LE last year following a complex management restructure (MW September 26, 2002), will oversee the launch of the retail outlets in the first quarter of next year.

The out-of-town George Wimpey retail stores will sell bathrooms, kitchens, floors and furniture direct to customers.

The house building company also has plans to launch financial services and home maintenance services through this new division.

Kinsey says: “It will be all about customer experience and looking at personal needs after the sale of homes. I’m very excited to be involved with another start-up operation.”

Kinsey is a former British Gas marketing boss and was Camelot’s marketing director during the launch of the National Lottery. George Wimpey owns the Alfred McAlpine construction brand, which sells about 3,000 homes a year, as well as Laing Homes, which sells about 1,290 homes a year.