Board succession update

RNS Number : 5867F

Watkin Jones plc

19 July 2021

 

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: [phone]
Phil Byrom, Chief Financial Officer	www.watkinjonesplc.com
Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser & Joint Corporate Broker)		Tel: [phone]
Mike Bell / Ed Allsopp		www.peelhunt.com
Jefferies Hoare Govett (Joint Corporate Broker)		Tel: [phone]
Max Jones / Will Soutar		www.jefferies.com

Media enquiries:

Buchanan
Henry Harrison-Topham / Richard Oldworth Jamie Hooper / Steph Watson	Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]	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

 

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