Last checked at 19 Jul 2021 07:00
For immediate release | 19 July 2021 |
Watkin Jones plc
('Watkin Jones' or the 'Group')
Board succession update
On 14 April 2021, Watkin Jones plc (AIM:WJG) announced that as part of its long term Board succession planning, Grenville Turner had given notice of his intention to retire as Chair during 2021 and that Phil Byrom, Chief Financial Officer, had also given notice of his intention to retire in 2022. Following an active recruitment process, the Board is pleased to announce the appointments of a new Chair-designate and CFO-designate.
Appointment of non-executive director and Chair-designate
Alan Giddins is appointed as non-executive director and Chair-designate with immediate effect. It is intended that Grenville will step down from the Board in October 2021 and that Alan will take over as Chair, having allowed time for an orderly handover.
Alan is currently Chair of Hill & Smith Holdings PLC, the FTSE 250 international group creating sustainable infrastructure and safe transport solutions, having joined in October 2017 as the Senior Independent Director, before assuming the role of Chair in October 2019. Alan is also a non-executive director and investment committee member of Big Society Capital Limited, the UK's largest social impact-led investor.
Alan brings a wealth of board, investment and ESG experience, having been Managing Partner and Global Head of Private Equity at 3i Group plc ('3i'), and sat on the boards of a number of 3i's largest private equity investments. Prior to joining 3i in 2005, Alan spent 13 years in investment banking advising a broad range of quoted companies. He qualified as a chartered accountant and has a degree in economics.
Appointment of Chief Financial Officer-designate
Sarah Sergeant is appointed to the Board as Chief Financial Officer-designate with effect from 6 October 2021. Phil Byrom will step down from the Board, and Sarah step up to CFO after a suitable handover period.
Sarah is currently the Chief Financial Officer of the UK & Ireland region at Compass Group PLC, the FTSE 30 food and support services company. She has held a number of senior finance and operational roles over her 13-year tenure at Compass, including Group Financial Controller, M&A Director, and CFO of the Asia Pacific region, based in Singapore. Sarah brings considerable financial, strategic and operational experience from across the commercial spectrum. She is a chartered accountant.
Grenville Turner, Chair, commented on the Board appointments: "We are delighted to welcome Alan and Sarah to the Board. Alan brings considerable expertise particularly in guiding companies through the execution of their growth strategies and Sarah brings significant financial and operational experience working in complex businesses. Their experience will be invaluable to Watkin Jones as we continue to grow the business."
For further information:
Watkin Jones plc | ||
Grenville Turner, Non-Executive Chair Richard Simpson, Chief Executive Officer | Tel: +44 (0) 20 3617 4453 | |
Phil Byrom, Chief Financial Officer | www.watkinjonesplc.com | |
Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser & Joint Corporate Broker) |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7418 8900 | |
Mike Bell / Ed Allsopp | www.peelhunt.com | |
Jefferies Hoare Govett (Joint Corporate Broker) |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7029 8000 | |
Max Jones / Will Soutar
| www.jefferies.com | |
Media enquiries:
Buchanan | |
Henry Harrison-Topham / Richard Oldworth Jamie Hooper / Steph Watson |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000 |
watkinjones@buchanan.uk.com | www.buchanan.uk.com |
Disclosures required by Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies:
Alan Clifford Bence Giddins, aged 55, holds or has previously held the following directorships and partnerships in the last five years:
Current appointments | Appointments held within the last five years |
Big Society Capital Limited | 3i Investments plc |
Buyouts C&C 2010A LP | Boketto Holdco Limited |
Growth C&C 2010 LP | Buyouts CCC 08-10 A LP |
Hill & Smith Holdings PLC | Harper Topco Limited |
Pan European Buyouts Co-invest 2006-08 LP | Pan European Buyouts 2004-06 LP |
PE 2013-16 DBD LP | |
PE 2013-16 Pool LP | |
PE 2016-19 Co-invest LP | |
PE 2016-19 DBD LP | |
PE 2016-19 Pool LP | |
The Tennis & Rackets Association Limited |
Sarah Jane Sergeant (nee Chapman), aged 48, holds or has previously held the following directorships in the last five years:
Current appointments | Appointments held within the last five years |
14Forty Limited | Audrey (London) Limited |
3 Gates Services Limited | Audrey Investments Limited |
A.C.M.S. Limited | Bateman Services Limited |
Bateman Catering Limited | Compass Group Finance No. 3 Limited |
Bateman Catering Organization Limited (The) | Compass Group Finance No.2 Limited |
Bateman Healthcare Services Limited | Compass Group Finance No.4 Limited |
Baxter and Platts Limited | Compass Group Finance No.5 Limited |
Bromwich Catering Limited | Compass Group North America Investments Limited |
Business Clean Limited | Compass Group North America Investments No.2 |
Capitol Catering Management Services Limited | Compass Group Trustees Limited |
Carlton Catering Partnership Limited | Compass Healthcare Group Limited |
Castle Independent Limited | Compass Hospitality Group Holdings Limited |
Cataforce Limited | Compass Hospitality Group Limited |
Caterexchange Limited | Compass Hotels Chertsey |
Caterskill Group Limited | Compass Nominee Company Number Fourteen Limited |
Caterskill Management Limited | Compass Overseas Holdings Limited |
CCG (UK) Limited | Compass Overseas Holdings No.2 Limited |
Chalk Catering Limited | Compass Overseas Services Limited |
Chartwells Hounslow (Feeding Futures) Limited | Compass Pension Trustees Limited |
Chartwells Limited | Compass Quest Limited |
Circadia Limited | Compass Scottish Site Services Limited |
Cleaning Support Services Limited | Compass Site Services Limited |
Coffee Partners Limited | Compass UK Pension Trustee Co Limited |
Compass Accounting Services Limited | Eurest Support Services (Cyprus) International Limited |
Compass Catering Services Limited | Gogmore |
Compass Cleaning Services Limited | Meritglen Limited |
Compass Contract Services (U.K.) Limited | New Famous Foods Limited |
Compass Contract Services Limited | Nextonline Limited |
Compass Contracts UK Limited | Riversdell |
Compass Experience Limited | Sevita (UK) Limited |
Compass Food Services Limited | |
Compass Group Medical Benefits Limited | |
Compass Group Procurement Limited | |
Compass Group, UK and Ireland Limited | |
Compass Mobile Catering Limited | |
Compass Office Cleaning Services Limited | |
Compass Offshore Catering Limited | |
Compass Payroll Services Limited | |
Compass Planning and Design Limited | |
Compass Purchasing Limited | |
Compass Restaurant Properties Limited | |
Compass Road Services Limited | |
Compass Secretaries Limited | |
Compass Security Limited | |
Compass Security OldCo Group Limited | |
Compass Security OldCo Holdings Limited | |
Compass Security OldCo Investments Limited | |
Compass Services (Midlands) Limited | |
Compass Services (U.K.) Limited | |
Compass Services for Hospitals Limited | |
Compass Services Group Limited | |
Compass Services Limited | |
Compass Services Trading Limited | |
Compass Services, UK and Ireland Limited | |
Compass Staff Services Limited | |
Cookie Jar Limited | |
Crbs Resourcing Limited | |
Crn 1990 (Four) Limited | |
Customised Contract Catering Limited | |
Cygnet Foods Holdings Limited | |
Cygnet Foods Limited | |
Dine Contract Catering Limited | |
Dre Developments Limited | |
Eat Dot Limited | |
Eaton Catering Limited | |
Eaton Wine Bars Limited | |
Eurest Airport Services Limited | |
Eurest Defence Support Services Limited | |
Eurest Offshore Support Services Limited | |
Eurest Prison Support Services Limited | |
Eurest UK Limited | |
Everson Hewett Limited | |
Facilities Management Catering Limited | |
Fads Catering Limited | |
Fairfield Catering Company Limited | |
Feedr Limited | |
Fingerprint Managed Services Limited | |
Foodbuy Europe Limited | |
Funpark Caterers Limited | |
Goodfellows Catering Management Services Limited | |
Gruppo Events Limited | |
Hallmark Catering Management Limited | |
Hamard Catering Management Services Limited | |
Hamard Group Limited | |
Henry Higgins Limited | |
Hospital Hygiene Services Limited | |
ICM Five Star Limited | |
Integrated Cleaning Management Limited | |
Integrated Cleaning Management Support Services Limited | |
Keith Prowse Limited | |
Kennedy Brookes Finance Limited | |
Knott Hotels Company Of London | |
Langston Scott Limited | |
Leisure Support Services Limited | |
Leith's Limited | |
Letheby & Christopher Limited | |
Lough Erne Holiday Village Limited | |
Meal Service Company Limited | |
Milburns Catering Contracts Limited | |
Milburns Limited | |
Milburns Restaurants Limited | |
National Catering Limited | |
National Leisure Catering Limited | |
NLC (Holdings) Limited | |
NLC (Wembley) Limited | |
P & C Morris (Catering) Limited | |
P & C Morris Catering Group Limited | |
Payne & Gunter Limited | |
Pdm Training and Compliance Services Limited | |
Pennine Services Limited | |
Peter Parfitt Leisure Overseas Travel Limited | |
Peter Parfitt Sport Limited | |
PPP Infrastructure Management Limited | |
Prideoak Limited | |
QCL Limited | |
Quaglino's Limited | |
Reliable Refreshments Limited | |
Rhine Four Limited | |
Roux Fine Dining Limited | |
Scolarest Limited | |
Security Office Cleaners Limited | |
Selkirk House (CVH) Limited | |
Selkirk House (FP) Limited | |
Selkirk House (GHPL) Limited | |
Selkirk House (GTP) Limited | |
Selkirk House (Wbrk) Limited | |
Shaw Catering Company Limited | |
Ski Class Limited | |
Solutions On Systems Ltd | |
Springboard UK Limited | |
Summit Catering Limited | |
Sunway Contract Services Limited | |
Sutcliffe Catering Midlands Limited | |
Sutcliffe Catering South East Limited | |
Sycamore Newco Limited | |
The Charleston Trust (Bloomsbury In Sussex) | |
The Compass Group Foundation | |
The Cuisine Centre Limited | |
The Excelsior Insurance Company Limited | |
The Springboard Charity | |
THF Oil Limited | |
Tunco (1999) 103 Limited | |
Vendepac Holdings Limited | |
Waseley (CVI) Limited | |
Waseley (CVS) Limited | |
Waseley Fifteen Limited | |
Waseley Nominees Limited | |
Wembley Sports Arena Limited | |
Wheeler's Restaurants Limited | |
Woodin & Johns Limited | |
There is no other information that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Schedule 2 paragraph (g) or Rule 17 of the AIM Rules for Companies in respect of Alan Giddins or Sarah Sergeant.
Notes to Editors
Watkin Jones is the UK's leading developer and manager of residential for rent, with a focus on the build to rent and student accommodation sectors. The Group has strong relationships with institutional investors, and a reputation for successful, on-time-delivery of high quality developments. Since 1999, Watkin Jones has delivered 43,000 student beds across 130 sites, making it a key player and leader in the UK purpose-built student accommodation market. In addition, Fresh, the Group's specialist accommodation management business, manages over 20,000 student beds and build to rent apartments on behalf of its institutional clients. Watkin Jones has also been responsible for over 80 residential developments, ranging from starter homes to executive housing and apartments. The Group is increasingly expanding its operations into the build to rent sector.
The Group's competitive advantage lies in its experienced management team and business model, which enables it to offer an end-to-end solution for investors, delivered entirely in-house with minimal reliance on third parties, across the entire life cycle of an asset.
Watkin Jones was admitted to trading on AIM in March 2016 with the ticker WJG.L. For additional information please visit www.watkinjonesplc.com