Property services company Liberty Group has welcomed three new members to its Board of Directors.
Debbie Francis, an award-winning senior leader with 20 years’ experience in STEM industries including civil engineering, Jonathan Prew, who is currently Transformation Director at Achieve Together, and Paul Butterworth, Executive Director of Assets at Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, will take up their roles in June. Also joining the board is Liberty’s Group Managing Director, Ray Jones (pictured).
The new external members bring with them extensive experience of local government, business transformation, large scale infrastructure projects and oversight of large budgets.
Jones has been leading Liberty since joining the business in December 2018 and has seen business growth which has taken Liberty from a turnover of c£76m per annum to a projected £111m per annum in 2022-23, as well as overseeing transformational change in the business’ profitability and performance. He has enjoyed a varied career across transport, utilities, health, property and engineering sectors.
Liberty provides property services to more than 250,000 homes across the UK. It specialises in the full range of property services including reactive and planned maintenance across all technical disciplines, refurbishments, mechanical and electrical projects, construction and whole-home decarbonisation.
Ray Jones, Group Managing Director at Liberty said: “I am thrilled to be joining our Board of Directors and to be working alongside such accomplished and experienced business leaders.”
Martin Joyce, Chair of Liberty Group Investments added: “I am delighted to welcome Debbie, Jonathan, Paul and Ray to the Board of Liberty; their combined skills and experience will refresh and strengthen the Board taking the company forward as we look to support clients across a number of exciting growth opportunities within our sector.”
“Debbie is known as a pioneer and amongst other roles she has an impressive non-executive portfolio including chair of Lancashire LEP and trusteeship at Pave the Way charity. We are excited that Liberty will be benefitting from her expertise.
“Jonathan has brought forward a number of ‘UK first’ services in local government and has delivered £1bn of new business in his career. He will also be a huge asset to the board.
“Paul has in depth knowledge and understanding of our sector from his extensive career in social housing which will give Liberty new insight into the sector and our clients.
“At Liberty we are committed to good governance and fostering an inclusive culture, so we’re proud to be diversifying and renewing our board at such a pivotal time.”
The board changes come following a recent announcement that Liberty had been awarded contracts valued at £32m over the next 10 years, bringing the total of new business secured during 21-22 to £108m.
