Jones handed over to Adrian O鈥橦ickey in January

Phil Jones

Long-standing Ridge senior partner Phil Jones has retired after 37 years at the firm, with 17 spent leading the company.

.

Jones joined Ridge as a graduate quantity surveyor in 1978, when the firm employed just 30 people. As senior partner from 1998, he oversaw a period of expansion that saw the firm grow from 100 staff to 435-strong, with a turnover of more than 拢35m last year.

Jones also oversaw several acquisitions, including five in the past ten years, the most recent of which was the acquisition of engineer Upton McGougan last year.

Jones said: 鈥淲hen I joined Ridge you knew every staff member鈥檚 name and there was a real family atmosphere. These days the business is too big to know everyone鈥檚 name but I鈥檓 pleased to say that the ethos is the same.

鈥淲e remain a less corporate and more caring business. I鈥檓 really looking forward to watching how Ridge develops in the future.鈥