Outgoing chief executive Dave Jenkinson profits from controversial bonus scheme

Dave Jenkinson, the outgoing boss of Persimmon, made more than 拢3.4m last week after selling some of his shares in the firm. 

Jenkinson (pictured) sold 65,000 shares in the company at a price of 拢26.87 per share last Wednesday. The next day he sold another 64,307 shares at a price of 拢26.32 per share. 

Dave Jenkinson, chief executive, Persimmon

Dave Jenkinson, chief executive, Persimmon

He is left with 603,983 shares in the company, for which he will receive dividends amounting to 拢241,593 this year.

His decision to cash in some of his shares, awarded under Persimmon鈥檚 controversial bonus scheme which has seen directors receive tens of millions in remuneration, comes in the wake of the firm鈥檚 latest half year results revealing that pre-tax profit fell by almost 43% while revenue plunged by a third.

Jenkinson鈥檚 latest windfall comes just weeks after he made more than 拢3.5m from selling off some of his other shares in the company.

So far this year Jenkinson, who was awarded a pay rise in January and is in line for a 拢1m bonus, has made almost 拢7m from selling Persimmon shares.

His total total remuneration since 2017 amounts to more than 拢53m to date.

And the chief executive, who will step down later this year and is being replaced by former National Express chief executive Dean Finch, has shares currently worth more than 拢15m which he is yet to cash in. 

The scale of Jenkinson鈥檚 remuneration echoes that of former chief executive Jeff Fairburn, who was forced to leave the firm amid criticism of 拢75m he had been awarded under a long-term incentive plan. 

Jenkinson took over as chief executive at the start of last year and within months Persimmon was embroiled in a scandal over homes being built without proper fire protection.

A review of build quality, released at the end of 2019, revealed that missing or improperly fitted cavity barriers in timber-frame properties - a key fire protection measure - are a 鈥渟ystemic nationwide problem, which is a manifestation of poor culture coupled with the lack of a group build process.鈥

The review鈥檚 findings prompted the Financial Times to run an editorial accusing Persimmon of having 鈥渁 corporate culture driven by greed鈥.