Board Changes

RNS Number : 0041V

Portmeirion Group PLC

04 August 2020

 

4 August 2020

Portmeirion Group PLC

(the "Group")

Board Changes

Portmeirion, the designer, manufacturer and worldwide distributor of high quality homewares under the Portmeirion, Spode, Royal Worcester, Pimpernel, Wax Lyrical and Nambé brands, announces the following changes to its Board of Directors.

Having served the Group for over 20 years, Lawrence Bryan, currently non-executive director and previously Chief Executive Officer until September 2019, will retire from the Board with immediate effect. Phil Atherton, Group Sales and Marketing Director, has informed the Board of his decision to leave the business and steps down from the Board with immediate effect.

Simultaneously, the Group is delighted to announce that Jacqui (Jacqueline) Gale and Bill (William) Robedee will join the Board. Jacqui will join with immediate effect whilst Bill's appointment remains subject to customary Nomad checks. Both Jacqui and Bill are currently key members of the Group's senior commercial leadership team. Jacqui Gale, currently Managing Director of Wax Lyrical, the Group's home fragrance division, is appointed Chief Commercial Officer and will drive the Group's brand strategies and growth plans for the UK and ROW markets. Bill Robedee, who has done an excellent job in the past 12 months integrating our two US businesses, joins the Board as President of North America.

At the same time Clare Askem has been appointed as a non-executive director with immediate effect. Clare brings a wealth of experience in business change and digital transformation, which is a key part of the Group's strategy. Clare has previously held executive roles at Sainsbury PLC (including being the Managing Director of Habitat), Home Retail Group and Dixons PLC.

Commenting on the Board changes, Dick Steele, Chairman said:

"These changes are part of our refocus and support our ongoing growth strategy and I'm delighted to welcome Jacqui, Bill and Clare to the Board.   Clare joins us with an enviable retail and digital background and I am confident she will provide the right balance of challenge and independence.

Sadly we say farewell to Lawrence and Phil. They have both contributed hugely to the success of Portmeirion, Phil over the last seven years and Lawrence over a quarter of a century. I thank them for their work as colleagues and for their friendship."
 

Please refer to Annex 1 for all further disclosure relating to Rule 17 or paragraph (g) of Schedule 2 of the AIM Rules for Companies.

Notes: This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014.

ENQUIRIES:

Portmeirion Group PLC:
Mike Raybould Chief Executive	[phone]	[e-mail]
David Sproston Group Finance Director	[phone]	[e-mail]
Hudson Sandler:
Dan de Belder Nick Moore	[phone]	[e-mail] [e-mail]
Panmure Gordon:
(Nominated Adviser and Broker)	[phone]
Freddy Crossley / Joanna Langley		Corporate Finance
James Stearns		Corporate Broking

N+1 Singer:
(Joint broker)	[phone]
Peter Steel / Ben Farrow		Corporate Finance
Rachel Hayes		Corporate Broking

Annex 1

Clare Victoria Askem (née Evans) , 51, is, or has been in the previous five years, a director of the following companies:

Current directorships	Previous directorships
Studio Retail Group PLC	Habitat Retail Limited

Jacqueline Mary Gale ( née McNeill) , 57, is, or has been in the previous five years, a director of the following companies:

Current directorships	Previous directorships
JG International Ltd	With Kids
Colony Gift Corporation Limited Lighthouse Holdings Limited Wax Lyrical Limited Colony Deutschland GmbH	AAH Realisations Limited AAL Realisations Limited

Jacqui Gale was a Director of AAL Realisations Limited from June 2015 until March 2017; the company was placed into administration in March 2017 and subsequently a creditors' voluntary liquidation in February 2018. The deficiency as regards creditors was approximately £0.8 million.

There are no other disclosures required in relation to Rule 17 or paragraph (g) of Schedule 2 of the AIM Rules for Companies.

 

END

 

 

BOAPJMMTMTIMTJM