Appointment of Group Chief Executive Officer

Team17 Group PLC

06 June 2023

 

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR"), and is disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of MAR. 

6 June 2023

Team17 Group plc

("Team17", the "Group" or the "Company")

Appointment of Group Chief Executive Officer

Team17 Group plc, a global games label, creative partner, developer and publisher of independent ("indie") premium video games, educational entertainment apps for children, and working simulation games, is pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Bell as Chief Executive Officer. Steve will join the Board on 4 September 2023 as Group Chief Executive Officer Designate, formally assuming the role of Group Chief Executive Officer from 1 January 2024.

Debbie Bestwick MBE will continue in the role of Group Chief Executive Officer until 31 December 2023, working closely with Steve in the initial months of his appointment to ensure a smooth transition and hand over and as previously announced, will then join the Board as a Non-Executive Director on 1 January 2024.

Steve joins from Iris Worldwide Holdings Limited ("Iris"), a global integrated marketing agency specialising in brand and digital marketing strategy, which he co-founded in 1999. Steve has amassed extensive digital marketing expertise, having held senior leadership roles since co-founding Iris in 1999, including the role of Global Group Chief Executive since 2021. Managing over 1000 employees in 14 offices around the world, Steve has overseen Iris' work with some of the biggest, most creatively driven and technologically advanced global brands and has been instrumental in developing and delivering Iris' commercial and M&A strategies.   

Prior to co-founding Iris, Steve worked for the advertising and retail agency Arc Worldwide, spending over five years working across a number of high-profile integrated accounts.

Chris Bell, Non-Executive Group Chair, commented: 

"We are delighted to have attracted a candidate of Steve's calibre to Team17. Having worked with some of the world's leading brands, Steve brings a wealth of commercial and digital marketing experience to Team17, and we look forward to leveraging this expertise as Team17 moves forward to its next stage of growth."

Debbie Bestwick MBE, Group Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"As a Board, we have run a rigorous process to find a new Group Chief Executive and we are delighted to announce Steve as my successor. Steve's experience as a co-founder of a people-centric business means he understands the importance of our vibrant and inclusive company culture which remains the cornerstone of everything we do across the Group. I look forward to working with Steve through the handover process, and to supporting him and the broader team thereafter in my role as a Non-Executive Director."

Steve Bell, Group Chief Executive Officer Designate, said:

"I am thrilled to be joining Team17. The Company has an incredible track record and I'm excited to help build on the Group's strong foundations to continue its impressive growth trajectory. I look forward to working closely with the Board, Mark (CFO), Michael, Julia, Tim and Emmet - the Group's divisional CEO's and their broader teams to bring even more compelling games and apps to players, alongside driving further momentum by supporting the Group's successful organic and acquisitive growth strategy."

Additional information on Steve Bell

Stephen ("Steve") Alan Bell, aged 50, holds or has held in the past five years the following directorships or partnerships:

Current	Past  (5 years)
Lingfield College	Iris Partners LLP
Iris Digital Limited*	Pricing Solutions (UK) Limited
Iris Ventures 1 Limited*	Iris Worldwide San Diego Inc.
Iris Ventures (Worldwide) Limited*
Iris Nation Worldwide Limited*
Iris Worldwide Holdings Limited*
Founder Partners Limited*
Iris London Limited*
Iris Promotional Marketing Ltd*
Holdings BR185 Limited*
Iris Amsterdam B.V.*
Iris Germany GmbH*
Iris Americas Inc.*
Iris USA Inc.*
Pepper NA Inc.*
Iris Atlanta Inc.*

* will terminate on 30 June 2023

Save as disclosed above, Mr Bell has confirmed that there is no further information required to be disclosed pursuant to Schedule 2, paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

Enquiries:

Team17 Group plc Debbie Bestwick MBE, Chief Executive Officer Mark Crawford, Chief Financial Officer	via Vigo Consulting
Houlihan Lokey (Nominated Adviser) Adrian Reed / Tim Richardson	[phone]
Berenberg (Broker) Ben Wright / Toby Flaux / Marie Moy / Alix Mecklenburg-Solodkoff	[phone]
Vigo Consulting (Financial Public Relations) Jeremy Garcia / Fiona Hetherington / Kate Kilgallen [e-mail]	[phone]

About Team17

Team17 Group plc is a global provider of games entertainment to a broad audience. The Group now includes a games entertainment label and creative partner for indie developers, a leading developer and publisher of educational apps targeting children under the age of eight, and a leading working simulation games developer and publisher.

 Visit www.team17groupplc.com/  for more info.

 

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