Three JLL-owned fit-out companies have been found to have broken competition laws “at least once” by the Competition and Markets Authority.
Bluu Solutions, Bluuco and Tetris Projects were found to have breached competition law, alongside Fourfront, Loop, Coriolis, ThirdWay and Oakley.
Each company was found to have participated in “cover bidding” in competitive tenders, colluding on the prices they would bid for contracts.
JLL has escaped having to pay a fine for the breaches as it brought the conduct to the attention of the CMA itself, while the other firms are required to pay fines of more than £7m.
As a result of the CMA findings, three former directors from across the businesses have been disqualified.
Robb Simms-Davies, a former director of Bluu Solutions, Bluuco and Tetris Projects, has been disqualified for five years, while Trevor Hall, a former director of Cube Interior Solutions, has been disqualified for 2.5 years and Oliver James Hammond, a former director of Area Sq, has been disqualified for two years.
Cube Interior Solutions and Area Sq are part of the Fourfront group of companies.
All three men were directors of their respective companies at the time of the illegal cartel activity and contributed to a number of the competition law breaches.
Simms-Davies contributed to 12 breaches affecting contracts with a total value of more than £13.5m. Hall and Hammond each contributed to two breaches affecting contracts valued at more than £4.3m and £1.2m respectively.
The disqualifications mean the three men are not allowed to act as directors or be involved in the management of any UK company.
The CMA said: “It is important that company directors understand that they have a personal responsibility for ensuring that their companies comply with competition law. Failure to do so puts in question their fitness to be a director of a company.”
A JLL spokesman said: “Shortly following JLL’s acquisition of the Bluu fit-out business in 2015, we discovered conduct which was incompatible with JLL’s values. We took prompt and proactive action internally and externally to remedy matters. The Bluu business was subsequently integrated within our Tétris business, and strong, new management has been in place since 2017. Our robust response underlines JLL’s commitment to integrity and the highest standards of ethical behaviour.”
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