Jon Wardle to head up builder鈥檚 South Division
The former boss of collapsed contractor Claritas has found a new job as managing director of JRL Group鈥檚 South division.
Jon Wardle announced the move just weeks after his former firm sank owing suppliers and HMRC more than 拢9m.
He said on LinkedIn: 鈥淚 am excited to announce that I have joined the JRL Group as MD - South.
鈥淚 look forward to working with my new colleagues, customers, consultants, supply chain and supporting the continued growth of our Integrated Construction Solutions model.鈥�
Claritas, which in its last set of published accounts had a turnover of 拢50m in the year to March 2022, had 110 staff and 16 live projects when it went under in June.
Liquidator Begbies Traynor said last month the amount owed to creditors was around 拢9.4m with HMRC owed 拢1.8m. A logistics firm is owed 拢668,000, an M&E firm is missing 拢500,000 while a scaffolding business is owed 拢300,000.
Bam is understood to be taking over the firm鈥檚 拢20m refurbishment of an office block near Moorgate.
In a previous LinkedIn post following the collapse, Wardle, who has started at JRL, said he was 鈥渢ruly sorry鈥� for the impact on projects, people and businesses.
鈥淭he challenge of cash flowing and managing the losses associated with the inflationary pressures of these uncertain times was just too great,鈥� he said.
He added: 鈥淐onstruction is what I know, what I am passionate about and I hope that I am afforded the opportunity to continue my personal journey in this great industry, and I look forward to working with and or talking about it with you for years to come.鈥�
JRL Group鈥檚 most recent accounts revealed profit fell by more than 50% to the lowest level in eight years in 2022.
It posted a pre-tax profit of 拢13.3m for the 2022 calendar year, just under half the 拢26.8m reported in 2021, despite sharply rising revenue.
The firm said turnover grew by 25% to 拢761m, its highest ever. But the pre-tax profit figure was its lowest since it reported a 拢3.9m return in 2015, and the first time since that year it has fallen below a 2% pre-tax margin.
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