Watkin Jones plc Board succession update (5867F)

TIDMWJG

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                             Tel: [phone] 
 Richard Simpson, Chief Executive Officer 
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     Pan European Buyouts 2004-06 
  2006-08 LP                         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         Compass Group Finance No.2 Limited 
  Limited (The) 
 Bateman Healthcare Services           Compass Group Finance No.4 Limited 
  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           Compass Group Trustees Limited 
  Services Limited 
 Carlton Catering Partnership          Compass Healthcare Group Limited 
  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          Compass Pension Trustees Limited 
  Futures) 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           Eurest Support Services (Cyprus) 
  Limited                               International Limited 
 Compass Catering Services Limited     Gogmore 
 Compass Cleaning Services Limited     Meritglen Limited 
 Compass Contract Services (U.K.)      New Famous Foods Limited 
  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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July 19, 2021 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)