Watkin Jones plc

 ('Watkin Jones' or the 'Company')

Board appointments

Watkin Jones plc (AIM:WJG) is pleased to announce the appointments to the Board of Alex Pease as executive director and Francis Salway as non-executive director, both with effect from 10 October 2022.

Alex Pease joined Watkin Jones in 2010 and was part of the team responsible for managing the flotation of the Company on the AIM market in 2016.  In his role as Chief Investment Officer, Alex is responsible for the Group's property acquisition, planning and divestment activities.  He is also a member of the Executive Committee. Prior to Watkin Jones, Alex worked within the Savills Residential Investment Team.

Francis Salway brings a wealth of property expertise to the Board.  He was Chief Executive of Land Securities plc, then the country's largest commercial property company, between 2004 and 2012, having joined the board in 2001.  Francis is currently a non-executive director of Cadogan Group Limited, which owns and manages the Cadogan Estate in Chelsea.  He is also a Visiting Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics.

Francis was chair of Town and Country Housing Association from 2012, and following its merger with Peabody Housing Association in 2019, became a non-executive director of that organisation until 2021. He was a non-executive director of NEXT plc from 2010 to 2021, latterly as Senior Independent Director, a past President of the British Property Federation and former Chair of the Transport for London Property Advisory Group.

On joining the Board, Francis will become a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees.

Alan Giddins, Chair of Watkin Jones, commented:

"I am delighted to welcome Alex and Francis to the Board of Watkin Jones.  Alex has a long tenure with the Company and as a key member of the executive team has helped to transform Watkin Jones from a family-owned business into a public company.  Francis has extensive board and property experience. Both will add considerable value to the Board."

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Disclosures required by Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies:

Alexander Thomas Pease, aged 43, holds or has previously held the following directorships in the last five years:

Francis William Salway, aged 65, holds or has previously held the following directorships in the last five years:

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 Alex Pease or Francis Salway.

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, student accommodation and affordable housing 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 46,000 student beds across 136 sites, making it a key player and leader in the UK purpose-built student accommodation market, and is increasingly expanding its operations into the build to rent sector.  In addition, Fresh, the Group's specialist accommodation management business, manages over 22,000 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's competitive advantage lies in its experienced management team and capital-light 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