Bringing over two decades of experience to her new role from private consultancy to house building, Nicola has held senior titles at BDP and housebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel, and has been instrumental in delivering a number of key projects across Scotland and England. Examples include Inverness College, Union Square Aberdeen and housing developments at Sandringham Gate in Newton Mearns, Buchanan Views in Killearn and Milton Under Wychwood, Oxfordshire.

Susan has amassed experience in Scotland and Northern Ireland with private consultancies and subsequently with housebuilders including Stewart Milne, Mactaggart & Mickel and Cala Homes. She further developed her skills while working freelance as a consultant for PLCs and small independent developers.

Together, they will be responsible for the full Cruden Group portfolio, with Nicola leading an inter-disciplinary team of professionals including engineers, architects, building services and more. Nicola is responsible for several functions from driving planning, obtaining technical consents and co-ordinating technical packages to enable efficient site starts, through to on-site support and sales meetings.

Another part of Nicola’s role, supported by Susan, will be to drive the future design evolution of the Cruden product, enhancing the company’s brand identity. This will include standardisation of house types, while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to specific site environments. Ultimately, this will drive efficiencies as Cruden continues to grow.

Speaking on her appointment, Nicola said: “In a few short months, I’ve already been impressed by the culture of Cruden and the collaborative working environment. Getting exposure to all facets of the industry and being able to tap into the wealth of knowledge that we already have here at Cruden is a great opportunity.

“It’s fantastic to be part of such a passionate and skilled team where I also have the autonomy to influence and shape the strategic direction when it comes to my team and product design. Cruden is already committed to incorporating new technologies and creating quality living spaces which I aim to elevate further through my process-driven approach for sustainable, community-enhancing developments.”

Susan added: “The concept of working collaboratively towards a shared goal and feeling valued as an employee is incredibly important to me. Cruden embodies this ethos, with robust processes and foundations in place for future growth. It’s great to be working with Nicola again especially with the diverse Cruden portfolio. Sustainable material sourcing and creating thoughtful, practical and welcoming spaces both inside and outside the home inspire our designs and reflect Cruden’s values.”

Fraser Lynes, managing director of Cruden Homes, said: “It’s an exciting period of growth for Cruden and both Nicola and Susan joining the team is one step closer to our long-term vision. These talented women are highly skilled and process-driven which is already positively influencing the business. The future looks bright as we continue to provide much-needed homes in Scotland, and ones that each homeowner is proud to live in.”