Executive chair appointment at Cardo Group

Jane Nelson, Co-Founder of Cardo Group, a leading provider of building maintenance and improvement services to social housing providers and public bodies, has been appointed into the new role of Executive Chair as the company enters its next phase of growth.

Nelson will focus on the Group’s long-term strategy and governance, guiding the board in its delivery of Cardo’s overarching priorities.

Nelson co-founded the Cardo Group in 2023 alongside CEO Liam Bevan. Working with their growing leadership team, they have been the architects of Cardo’s development into a business with more than 1,600 employees across the UK and Ireland and projecting annual revenues of £400 million for 2026/27.

Amongst a select group of pioneering women to hold a Chair role within the UK and Ireland’s major maintenance and construction firms, Nelson remains a rare example of a female leader in the sector who began her career on the tools.

Nelson began her career as an apprentice painter and decorator in local authority housing. She spent seven years working on the tools in the London Borough of Hackney before rising through the ranks of the sector to become a Managing Director and Chair at Kier Group’s southern building maintenance business and two large Joint Venture Companies, and an Executive Director at Mears Group.

Distinguished by her commitment to culture-led growth and the adoption of innovative service delivery, Nelson’s work continues to be recognised for her leadership, including an Inspirational Leader award and a Lifetime Achievement award at the Women in Construction Awards. She has also served on the boards of a local authority’s Arm’s Length Management organisation and a Housing Association, as well as acting as a charity trustee, including for the Construction Youth Trust.

Liam Bevan, CEO of Cardo Group, said: “Jane has been instrumental in executing our growth plans, while establishing the core values that underpin our operations today. Her knowledge of the sector and commitment to high standards have been crucial in developing and shaping the business and she brings an impressive track record of commercial success to her new role.

“Jane is renowned for bringing innovative solutions to some of the sector’s trickiest problems, including her current focus on how maintenance contractors can support social housing providers to meet their consumer standards obligations. I am delighted that the business – and our partners – will continue to benefit from her experience, perspective and sector-insight.

“To support us in this transition, we have further strengthened our leadership team with the appointment of new Managing and Operational Directors across our regions and nationally. We have also invested heavily in our support services, ensuring our day-to-day delivery continues to be led by senior experts who are close to our clients and residents, while providing our frontline teams with the robust infrastructure they need to succeed.”

Jane Nelson, Executive Chair, said: “I’m incredibly proud of everyone at Cardo and the organisation we’ve built together, under Liam’s leadership. 

“We’ve worked hard to create a business with strong values and a clear commitment to delivering high-quality, locally based services for our partners and communities and our sustainable approach to growth is serving us well.

“I’m pleased to be able to bring my years of hands-on experience to this new role, which gives me the opportunity to provide support at a strategic governance level as we take the business into its next stage, ensuring we stay agile as our clients’ needs evolve.”