Non-Executive Director Resignation

RNS Number : 9064F

Unite Group PLC

02 August 2016

 

Press release 2 August 2016

THE UNITE GROUP PLC

('Unite Students', 'Unite', the 'Group', or the 'Company')

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESIGNATION

The Unite Group plc, the UK's largest provider of student accommodation, announces that Patrick Dempsey OBE has decided to resign from his position as a Non-Executive Director of the Company with effect from 31 August 2016. Patrick is exploring investment opportunities in the broader hospitality sector which, in the future, could potentially conflict with his position on the Board of Directors of the Company.

Phil White, Chairman of Unite, commented:

"On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Patrick for his valued contributions and support to the Group and we wish him well as he explores these new opportunities."

Patrick Dempsey added:

"It is with regret that I resign from the Board. I have enjoyed using my hotel sector experience to support the ongoing expansion and development of Unite and its brand.  As I began to explore new investment opportunities in the hospitality sector, I realised that these could potentially conflict with my position as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Unite and thus decided it was best to resign from the Unite Board."

The Company does not intend to replace Patrick Dempsey's position and will continue with a Board of eight directors, comprising a non-executive chairman, three executive directors and four non-executive directors.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Unite Students Joe Lister, Chief Financial Officer Felicity Cowie, Senior Public & Corporate Communications Manager	Tel: [phone]
Bell Pottinger Victoria Geoghegan Nick Lambert Elizabeth Snow	Tel: [phone]

Notes to editors:

About Unite Students

Unite Students is the UK's leading manager and developer of student accommodation. Unite provides a home for over 46,000 students in 138 purpose-built properties across 28 of the UK's strongest university towns and cities. The Group works in partnership with more than 60 higher education institutions as well as letting rooms directly to students.

Our culturally diverse customers are at the heart of Unite's business and we aim to provide a home for students which supports their academic and personal success. Unite's properties provide students with high-quality, well-located, safe accommodation that is close to university campuses, transport and local amenities. The rent includes a study bedroom, all bills, insurance, 24-hour security, fortnightly kitchen cleans and high-speed Wi-Fi throughout our properties.

Founded in 1991 in Bristol, The Unite Group plc is a FTSE250 company listed on the London Stock Exchange, employing over 1,250 people. We are pursuing a sustainable growth strategy designed to make the most of the resilient nature of the student accommodation sector. Our aim is to maintain the strongest brand in the sector and operate the highest quality portfolio through consistent investment in and improvement to the operating platform, highly selective development activity, asset management initiatives and portfolio recycling.

In addition to Unite's wholly owned properties, we are also invested in and operate a small number of specialist funds and joint ventures with institutional investment partners, the largest of which is the £2 billion Unite UK Student Accommodation Fund (USAF).

The Group's charitable trust, the Unite Foundation, provides free student accommodation and a generous annual scholarship to around 150 young people in the UK who aspire to a degree but face the most challenging circumstances.

For more information you can visit Unite's corporate website www.unite-group.co.uk, the student site www.unite-students.com or the Unite Foundation www.unitefoundation.co.uk.

 

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