Drivers Jonas North defies the downturn
THE Leeds office of commercial property consultant Drivers Jonas (DJ) has helped boost its Northern region turnover to a record £13.1m – a near 12% increase on 2007.
Drivers Jonas North, which includes the company’s Manchester office, has been credited with helping the wider business hit a record £95.6m UK turnover.
The Leeds office, which employs more than 20 people, saw its turnover rise after strengthening its position as a leading advisory service to the public sector, working with several public sector organisations across Yorkshire and the North East including York, Selby and Scarborough councils, the Mid-Yorkshire NHS Trust, Bradford URC and One North East.
It has continued to advise ASDA, and major investors in Leeds and Sheffield including Land Securities and British Land.
Nationally the firm, which is reporting its financial results as a limited liability partnership for the first time, recorded profits of £21m and holds £9m in cash reserves.
In continental Europe it has consolidated its cross border property and asset management business for funds based both in the UK and in Europe.
John Weir, partner and head of the Leeds office, said: “This has been a challenging year for the property industry in Yorkshire, as it has been across the UK. Development activity and confidence, particularly in the private sector, fell dramatically.
“Our Leeds office in particular is predominantly consultancy based and this has helped to insulate us against the sharp decline in transactional activities that have caused problems for more agency focused firms.”
