Anderson, who suddenly quit privately owned Shepherd in February, starts at Jarvis next week.
He will specialise in private finance initiative projects, where Jarvis is building up a portfolio worth several billion pounds, mainly in education.
Jarvis chief executive Paris Moayedi said Anderson’s job title will be director of commercial affairs, and that he expects him to join the Jarvis main board one day.
Moayedi said: “You can’t afford to have someone like David Anderson become available without using him.
“Unlike many other people in the PFI business, we seldom joint venture. We do all the construction, the design and the facilities management on our projects.
“This means the risk can be greater, and we need someone like David to provide overarching expertise.” Moayedi said Anderson would also be monitoring Jarvis’ rail business, which has grown rapidly.
In addition, he will be in charge of commercial affairs at Jarvis’ much smaller traditional contracting business, which the firm scaled down after it withdrew from open tendering.
Anderson said: “Jarvis is going in exactly the direction all contractors should be – diversifying away from cut-throat tendering.
“Most companies are just moving the deckchairs around on the Titanic, though. Jarvis has the muscle to get out of tendered work and provide a cradle-to-grave service that gives it income over 20 or 30 years.” Anderson said his experience of bidding for the Dartford & Gravesham and Norfolk & Norwich PFI hospitals while working at Wimpey will stand him in good stead at Jarvis.
He also worked on Shepherd’s proposed PFI hospital in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, which has yet to reach financial close.
Industry sources believe a disagreement with Shepherd over this project prompted his departure, but Anderson declined to comment.
Moayedi said he had been formally introduced to Anderson by Barry Lucas, managing director of Jarvis Projects, and Andrew Gay, head of Streamline, Jarvis’ road maintenance arm.
