Jones Bros FD scoops top award25th Nov 2016

Rob James, finance director at leading civil engineering firm Jones Bros, has won a prestigious industry award.

Rob, 33, was named Regional Finance Director for North Wales in the Finance Director Awards 2016 held at Liverpool’s Hilton Hotel.

The awards celebrate the achievements of leading individuals and businesses within the North Wales, Cheshire and Liverpool City region.

Rob, who was nominated by awards sponsor Grant Thornton, said: “I feel very honoured to have been nominated for the award and to have won it.

“The award reflects the efforts of the entire team, with the finance team itself, support functions and the delivery teams who have all worked very hard and embraced the changes experienced as part of a growing business.”

Rob joined Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK three years ago after nine years at Deloitte where he worked in corporate finance and restructuring services. During his time at Deloitte he also spent a year on secondment with Barclays Business Support team.

Since joining Jones Bros he has helped to steer the family firm through significant growth and expansion, as well as relocation to new, high profile premises.

Rob has focused on improving the quality and cost efficiency of operations. This includes upgrading the company’s IT, finance and HR systems, leading investment in key roles, along with improvements to training and staff development.

“As Jones Bros has grown, it has become very important to have an infrastructure that delivers a professional, high quality service befitting of the size of the company and its growing reputation,” he said.

“Coming from a corporate background, I have been able to blend the very best of what I have learned from the corporate world with the needs of an ever growing family-run company.

“Our aim is to ensure that the qualities Jones Bros’ is renowned for on the ground, on sites across the UK, is reflected in all other areas of our business.”

Rob says future plans include looking at ways of making better use of technology in civil engineering, reducing the company’s environmental impact even further and identifying further opportunities for investment in the plant fleet.

He is also focused on an on-going programme of improvements to financial, payroll and plant systems. “This will enable us to capture improved data that helps us to make informed decisions about the future direction of the business,” he said.

Now in their sixth year, the Finance Director Awards, founded by Simon Massey, managing director of Accountable Recruitment, celebrate the brightest and best financial directors across the private and public sectors.

Founded in the 1950s and employing almost 350 people, Jones Bros has grown rapidly in the last decade.  It is currently working on contracts in various sectors including the construction of waste management facilities, highways, flood and marine defence and renewable energy projects around the UK.