The sound of silence – six months on – no apology or comment from companies linked to rapist Jones

Six months after the jailing of Lawrence Jones, his former company and its private equity shareholders are still silent about the former owner of UK Fast and the culture he bequeathed them.

At the sentencing hearing on 1 December 2023 HHJ Sarah Johnston, before passing a 15 year sentence, said that the successful technology tycoon presided over a culture that silenced and intimidated women who worked there.

“You created a workplace which was tainted by your attitude towards women,” she said.

But victims of Jones, including those who left under duress, have said they are “appalled” at how little the behaviour and legacy of Jones has been recognised, and expressed disappointment that neither ANS or private equity backer Inflexion have issued a public apology.

On three separate occasions since Jones was jailed, TheBusinessDesk.com has sought to speak to the senior leadership team at ANS about the transition from the Jones era to now, and to offer them the opportunity to clarify the legal status of women employed by UK Fast and other Jones-owned businesses, who were forced to sign non-disclosure agreements by Jones and people acting for him.

Firstly, after the trial, the company refused to comment and we were told it was “too soon” to expect a response.

Secondly, at the beginning of April on International Women’s Day, ANS ran a series of posts outlining the activities within the company.

In a LinkedIn post the company said: “Happy International Women’s Day from all of us at ANS! 🌟”

“This year, we’re celebrating the theme of ‘Inspire Inclusion’. We recognise the barriers women, especially from underrepresented groups, face on their journey to leadership. At ANS, we champion inclusion because diverse perspectives drive better decision-making and innovation.”

“Let’s empower and uplift women everywhere!”

“Stay tuned for more on #IWD2024 throughout March! 💪”

Again, ANS was invited by TheBusinessDesk.com to reflect on the journey it had been on in the very building where Jones presided over a culture of sexism and intimidation.

The response then was that the company may be willing to explain in more detail a complex legal position, and we were urged to “hold off”. Two months passed and no offer was made.

Finally, this week as we arrive at the sixth month anniversary of Jones’ conviction and his sentencing, the company was approached for a third time.

Though we have questions that reflect the seriousness and the anger of victims we have spoken to since the trial, we have offered to approach any meeting with ANS executives in good faith and would seek to describe how a serious business, backed by a heavyweight private equity investor of the status of Inflexion, has changed.

Yet, despite a productive working relationship with Inflexion, the one line response to a series of detailed questions was: “thanks for reaching out, but we will not be commenting.”

In response to a request for comment, an adviser to ANS who has sought to set up a meeting, said: “they don’t want to provide comment.”

Lawrence Jones and his wife Gail resigned as directors of UK Fast on 11 May 2020, following serious allegations made in the Financial Times about his behaviour made in November 2019.

At the time the board also commissioned law firm Squire Patton Boggs to lead an enquiry into the culture of the business. 

The contents of that report remain a closely-guarded secret known only to a very few people. It has never been made public, nor have its recommendations been acknowledged.

In June 2021 Inflexion acquired ANS and in October 2021 the two businesses, ANS and UK Fast, merged and operated with a combined strategy and operational board from January 2022. ANS majority shareholder Scott Fletcher exited the business.

At the time it was said “a new brand for the combined business [is] being announced in due course.”

The UK Fast brand and name has now been comprehensively ditched, despite it being the largest of the two merged businesses.

However, the Twitter account has simply changed its name to “ANS Group” and historic tweets featuring “our CEO Lawrence Jones” are still visible, as are others reflecting a very different tone and culture, including one featuring three staff members dressed as Barbie, from May 2016.

It could be argued the issues raised by Jones’ behaviour, including the attack on a member of staff, for which he was successfully prosecuted, relate to a different business. 

But the ultimate “topco” of the business is ANS Group Holdings Limited, previously known as Project Mountain Holdco Limited, a company set up by Inflexion for the purposes of acquiring the businesses. 

While other significant entities within the group include ANS Academy Limited, which was previously known as UK Fast.

Of the 10 current directors holding positions in the business,  two predate the merger, Carl Wormald representing Inflexion, and lawyer Nicola Frost, company secretary, who is described on the company website as having “re-joined the business in August 2020 as General Counsel, having previously worked for the business as Head of Legal from 2015 to 2019.”

The business is still based at 1 Archway, occupying a significant presence on one of the main gateway roads into Manchester city centre. It is understood, though not confirmed by ANS, that the site is still owned by Lawrence and Gail Jones.

Other members of their close inner circle have also left the business, including former managing director Jonathan Bowers, who has been a constant presence at the side of Lawrence and Gail Jones, including in court at the sentencing hearing. 

There has undoubtedly been a wholesale change in the leadership and management of the business. 

So it seems all the more surprising that no-one will acknowledge what went before and seek to explain the measures that have been taken to make ANS a safe place to work.

Nor is it clear why the business can’t acknowledge that abuse took place.

In the aftermath of the trial TheBusinessDesk.com described the case as Manchester’s MeToo moment, likening it to the dark presence Harvey Weinstein had over the entertainment industry.

That was probably overstating things. After an initial flurry, interest has died down. 

Following his conviction, Manchester Metropolitan University stripped Jones of his honorary Doctorate. But there is no word from the Forfeiture Committee, which takes honours away and has to be agreed by the King, as to whether his MBE will be withdrawn.  They tend not to make an announcement, and have only done so on a small number of occasions, including for Cyril Smith and Jimmy Savile.

By comparison, after a judge found Manchester City Football Club was not responsible for the actions of former coach Barry Bennell in 2022, the club still said it was “accepted by all parties that the abuse had taken place”.

In a statement after the ruling, the club said: “Manchester City has both personally and publicly apologised without reservation for the unimaginable suffering that each survivor experienced as the result of abuse they suffered.

“The club reiterates this apology today to the survivors and to the multiple family members and friends affected by the traumatic events, the ramifications of which are felt by so many to the present day and will continue to be felt for a long time to come.”

The sale to Inflexion left Jones a very wealthy man, albeit one incarcerated for his very serious crimes. However his assets, and charitable foundation, remain.

But that is a different story for another day.