Supporting communities across North Wales

About Us

Watkin Property Ventures provides development finance to entrepreneurial property businesses. The company also invests in and develops its own properties across the UK.

We are a private, family-run business. For over nine generations, the Watkin Jones family has been engaged in all areas of real estate – from construction, development, and investment, to providing finance.

The Watkin Jones’ first family business was founded in Bangor in 1791. Starting out in carpentry, the business later moved into building and construction. Now known as Watkin Jones plc, the company was at the heart of the growth of the local area, even laying the first stone of the new Bangor University buildings. Watkin Jones moved into the residential sector in the 1920s, building private homes across north Wales, before expanding in the 1990s with a new homes division.

To learn more about Watkin Property Ventures, please visit Watkin Property Ventures.

As a company, we are proud to support many charitable projects and initiatives in our community and our commitment to making a difference is part of who we are.

From the beginning we have actively supported charities with a focus in particular on mental health and improving the wellbeing of young and vulnerable people.

Mark Watkin Jones

I’m Mark Watkin Jones. I was born in Bangor, raised in Llanfairfechan until I was 16 then my family moved to Bangor. I attended Ysgol Friars before going to University in Portsmouth, graduating in 1990 with a BSc (Hons) in Construction Management and starting my career at Watkin Jones, where I became CEO in 2000 before successfully floating the company on the London Stock Exchange in 2016 and exiting the business in December 2018. In 2019, I set up and was appointed CEO of Watkin Property Ventures; this role includes being chairperson of the WPV Community Fund.

During my career at Watkin Jones, I enjoyed working with and helping develop the careers of many from our local community, including those who came through our scholarship partnership with Coleg Menai (now Grŵp Llandrillo Menai). Many of those have had successful careers across north Wales and afield.

Tragically, in 2002, my brother, Matthew, lost his life to suicide, so I have first-hand experience of dealing with the challenges mental health illness can bring to families. I appreciate how fortunate I am, and I am passionate about supporting organisations whose primary focus is helping people within our community, especially in mental health awareness.

Susan Ashworth

My name is Susan Ashworth, and I’ve lived in Bangor most of my life. I attended Cae Top Primary School and Ysgol Friars before starting a hairdressing career that spanned over 30 years, where I owned hairdressing salons in Bangor and Menai Bridge.

I have always enjoyed working with young adults. Early on in my career, I gained a PGCE teaching qualification in further education, where I worked in Coleg Menai (now Grŵp Llandrillo Menai) teaching hairdressing, business studies, and customer service. I also owned and ran a successful boutique bed and breakfast and café, both in Bangor.

In my profession, I have come across all types of people from all backgrounds, and with years of experience working in the service industry, I understand first-hand the challenges people face. I know that behind many smiling faces, there can be an individual or a family suffering from the effects of mental health and other problems. Very often, they don’t know where or who to turn to. That’s why supporting local causes and organisations that aim to help people in our community is so important to me.