Design, construction and fit-out services: director disqualification

The CMA has secured the disqualification of 6 current and former directors whose companies breached competition law.

From:
Competition and Markets Authority
Published
10 May 2019
Last updated
23 December 2019 — See all updates
Case type:
Competition disqualification
Case state:
Closed
Market sector:
Building and construction
Opened:
9 May 2019

Leave to act applications

10 December 2019: Following the hearing of the applications of Mr Aki Stamatis and Mr Sion Davies to the court for permission to act as directors and take part in the management of certain companies on 12 November 2019, Mr Aki Stamatis and Mr Sion Davies have been granted permission to continue to act as directors, subject to strict conditions, in the particular circumstances of this case. The two disqualified directors may take part in the management of certain companies within the Fourfront Group during their term of disqualification but may not take on the directorship of any other company.

14 November 2019: Following the hearing of the applications of Mr Aki Stamatis and Mr Sion Davies to the court for permission to act as directors and take part in the management of a company on 12 November 2019 (see below update from 7 October 2019), Mr Aki Stamatis and Mr Sion Davies have been granted limited permission to continue to act as directors and take part in the management of certain companies within the Fourfront Group until the Court’s judgment is handed down. The permissions are subject to strict conditions set out in the Court’s order:

7 October 2019: Following an application to the court for permission to act as a director and take part in the management of a company, Mr Aki Stamatis and Mr Sion Davies have been granted limited permission to continue to act as directors and take part in the management of certain companies within the Fourfront Group until the court can hear their application on 12 November 2019. The permissions are subject to strict conditions set out in the order.

Director disqualification undertakings

29 July 2019: The Competition and Markets Authority accepted competition disqualification undertakings from Mr Clive Lucking, Mr Aki Stamatis and Mr Sion Davies.

Mr Clive Lucking is a former director of Area Sq. Limited, Cube Interior Solutions Limited, Fourfront Group Limited and Fourfront Holdings Limited. He was also the CEO of Fourfront Group from 2006 until May 2018. Mr Lucking has given a disqualification undertaking not to act as a director of any UK company for 4 years and 9 months.

Mr Aki Stamatis is a current director of Area Sq. Limited, Cube Interior Solutions Limited, Fourfront Group Limited and Fourfront Holdings Limited. He has also been Chairman of Fourfront Group since 2006. Mr Stamatis has given a disqualification undertaking not to act as a director of any UK company for a period of 2 years and 9 months.

Mr Sion Davies is a current director of Area Sq. Limited. Mr Davies has given a disqualification undertaking not to act as a director of any UK company for a period of 1 year and 6 months.

10 May 2019: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it has secured legally binding disqualification undertakings from Mr Robb Simms-Davies, Mr Trevor Hall and Mr Oliver Hammond. Mr Robb Simms-Davies is a former director of Bluu Solutions Ltd, Bluuco Ltd and Tetris Projects Ltd, each part of the Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) group of companies (Bluu Solutions Ltd and Bluuco Ltd were acquired by JLL in 2015). Mr Simms-Davies has given a disqualification undertaking not to act as a director of any UK company for 5 years.

Mr Trevor Hall is a former director of Cube Interior Solutions Ltd, part of the Fourfront group of companies. Mr Hall has given a disqualification undertaking not to act as a director of any UK company for 2 years and 6 months.

Mr Oliver Hammond is a former director of Area Sq. Ltd, also part of the Fourfront group of companies. Mr Hammond has given a disqualification undertaking not to act as a director of any UK company for 2 years.

The disqualification undertakings follow the CMA’s finding on 12 April 2019 that JLL and Fourfront, as well Loop, Coriolis, ThirdWay and Oakley, infringed Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 (the CA98) by engaging in a form of collusive tendering, known as “cover bidding”.

Under the Company Directors Disqualification Act, the CMA has the power to apply to the court to disqualify a director from holding company directorships or performing certain roles in relation to a company for a specified period, if a company of which he or she is a director has breached competition law. The Act also allows the CMA to accept a disqualification undertaking from a director instead of bringing proceedings, which has the same legal effect as a disqualification order.

Further details about the CMA’s CA98 investigation can be found on the design, construction and fit-out services case page.

Contacts

CMA press office

Email press@cma.gov.uk or call 020 3738 6460

Director of Litigation

Jessica.Radke@cma.gov.uk

Published 10 May 2019
Last updated 23 December 2019 + show all updates

  1. Order published.

  2. Court decision announced.

  3. Published: Director disqualification undertakings

  4. First published.

Contents