Appointment of Chief Executive Officer

RNS Number : 8123R

Walker Greenbank PLC

05 March 2019

 

5 March 2019

WALKER GREENBANK PLC

("Walker Greenbank" or the "Company")

Appointment of Chief Executive Officer

Walker Greenbank PLC (AIM: WGB), the luxury interior furnishings group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Lisa Montague, a highly experienced luxury goods executive, as Chief Executive Officer, completing the re-shaping of the Board of Directors. Lisa will join the Company as an Executive Director on 11 March 2019 and become Chief Executive Officer on 10 April 2019.

Lisa has significant experience of leading and developing UK and international brand-based businesses with manufacturing and multi-channel distribution. Her early career was in sales and marketing in the fashion and textiles industry.

Lisa was chief operating officer of Mulberry Group plc, the AIM-quoted leather goods brand, from 2003 to 2009, having joined the business as brand director in 2000. Lisa left Mulberry to become chief executive officer of Madrid-based international fashion brand Loewe SA, where she worked for seven years. Loewe is part of the major luxury brands group LVMH, listed on the Euronext Paris exchange.  Most recently Lisa was chief executive officer of Aspinal of London Group Ltd, the multi-channel leather goods brand.

On 10 April 2019, when Lisa starts as Chief Executive Officer, Dame Dianne Thompson, currently a Non-Executive Director of the Company, will become Non-Executive Chairman and Christopher Rogers, currently Interim Executive Chairman, will return to his role as Non-Executive Director. On the same date Terry Stannard will step down from his role as a Non-Executive Director of the Company. The Board would like to thank Terry for his contribution to the development of the Company and his dedication as Chairman for nine years.

Christopher Rogers, Interim Executive Chairman of Walker Greenbank, said:

"Dianne and I are delighted to welcome Lisa Montague to Walker Greenbank as the Company's Chief Executive Officer. Lisa brings a huge amount of experience from luxury and aspirational brand-based businesses and has particular strengths in brand development, commercial strategy and international growth. This appointment, which follows our recent appointment of Dianne Thompson as Chairman, completes the re-shaping of the Board and secures the next stage in the development of the Company with the objective of delivering value for shareholders."

The following information is disclosed pursuant to Schedule Two paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies. Lisa Kimberley Montague (55 years of age) has been a director or partner of the following companies during the five years preceding the date of this announcement:

Current directorships	Past directorships
None	Aspinal of London Group Limited Aspinal of London Limited
	Loewe Hermanos (UK) Limited

There is no further information to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 17 or Schedule Two paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

For further information:

Walker Greenbank PLC	[phone]
Christopher Rogers, Interim Executive Chairman
Caroline Geary, Company Secretary
Investec Bank plc (Nominated Adviser and Broker)	[phone]
David Anderson / Alex Wright - Corporate Finance
Henry Reast / Richard Short - Corporate Broking
Buchanan	[phone]
Mark Court / Sophie Wills / Catriona Flint

Notes for editors:

About Walker Greenbank

Walker Greenbank PLC is a luxury interior furnishings company that designs, manufactures and markets wallpapers, fabrics and paints. In addition, the Company derives significant licensing income from the use of its designs on a wide range of interior products such as bed linen, rugs and tableware.

Walker Greenbank's brands include Sanderson, Morris & Co, Harlequin, Zoffany, Scion, Clarke & Clarke and Studio G.

The Company has a strong UK manufacturing base, comprising a wallpaper factory in Loughborough and a fabric printing factory in Lancaster. Both factories manufacture for the Company and for other wallpaper and fabric brands.  

Walker Greenbank employs more than 600 people and its products are sold in more than 85 countries worldwide. It has showrooms in London, New York, Chicago, Paris, Amsterdam, Moscow and Dubai along with a partnership showroom in Shenzhen, China.

Walker Greenbank trades on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol WGB.

For further information please visit: www.walkergreenbank.com     

 

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