Board Changes

RNS Number : 4028V

Vianet Group PLC

15 January 2013

 



Press Release

15 January 2013

Vianet Group plc

("Vianet" or "the Group")

Board Changes

Vianet Group plc (AIM:VNET), the leading provider of real time monitoring systems and data management services for the leisure and forecourt services sectors, today announces a series of Board changes which position the Group for the next stage of its development across key markets.

James Newman will retire as Non-Executive Chairman, having over the past seven years successfully overseen the transition of Vianet from a one product, one market company to a business which has successfully penetrated a number of growing markets with a suite of innovative products for the real time monitoring of data.  

In turn, James Dickson, who has successfully led Vianet as its CEO since 2003, will move to the position of Executive Chairman. Stewart Darling, who has held the role of Chief Operating Officer since 2009, with primary responsibility for the core beer monitoring and vending operations, will become CEO. Stewart has made a significant contribution to Vianet's development to date and will be instrumental in executing the Group's growth strategies.

There will be a transition period until the year end on 31 March 2013, when these changes, which form part of the Group's succession planning, will come into effect.

The Group has begun a search for a new Non-Executive Director, in order to further enhance the knowledge and expertise of the Board as Vianet develops its businesses further across UK and international markets. 

Commenting on the announcement, James Dickson said:  "This series of Board changes reflects the transformation of Vianet and the strategic changes that we have successfully implemented to become a growing provider of data management across a number of sectors.  

The Board would also like to thank James Newman for his contribution to the business over the past seven years.  James' experience has been invaluable in guiding the business to this stage.   The right corporate structure is now in place for the next stage of the Group's development and these Board changes reflect this shift in focus to growth."

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Enquiries:

Vianet Group plc
James Dickson, Chief Executive	Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]	www.vianetplc.com

Cenkos Securities plc
Stephen Keys / Camilla Hume	Tel: [phone]
	www.cenkos.com

Media enquiries:

Abchurch Communications
Sarah Hollins / Joanne Shears [e-mail]	Tel: [phone] www.abchurch-group.com

About Vianet

Vianet Group is focused on the provision of real time monitoring systems and data management services for the UK's leisure and petrol forecourt sectors. Since its admission to AIM in 2006, the Group has grown both organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions to give the Group access to key vertical markets. The Group operates two divisions which comprise five key product groups:

LEISURE DIVISION

Beer Monitoring (BMS)	The Group's core product, BMS, is widely used by owners and operators within the UK licensed on-trade, especially the tenanted / leased pub sector. Flow meters connected to draught beer dispense lines send data via an on-site communication panel to a secure central database. Liquid volumes by fount, draught wine or post mix are tracked as they are served, thereby helping customers to maximise sales, service and quality as well as managing their costs. BMS is installed in over 18,000 pubs and manages data for more than one in three UK pubs.
iDraughtTM	A more recent and rapidly growing product offer is iDraughtTM, an extension of the Group's BMS, which scrutinises the quality of products running through beer lines in a bar; measuring volume, temperature, flow rate and liquid type (e.g. beer, cleaning fluid or water) at the point of dispense. iDraughtTM is the first system to provide effective measurement of true yields on draught products. Actual dispense volumes are compared with till transactions to identify shrinkage from products given away, pilferage and wastage. iDraughtTM measures the precise temperature of every pint as it is dispensed, the time taken to dispense each drink, and automatically identifies the liquid allowing customers to know exactly when lines are cleaned. Wherever they are, customers can stay in control through accessing their information on a secure web site.
Gaming  Machine Data Services	The acquisition of Coin Metrics in May 2007 was a strong strategic fit with Vianet's existing Machine Insite business which already provides gaming machine data management and consultancy services to operators within the pub, club and leisure markets. Customers benefit from state-of-the-art real-time data capture and reporting systems that deliver improved machine profitability and operational security.
VendExpertTM Vending  Telemetry	The Group's subsidiary Vianet Limited is a pan-European provider of telemetry solutions and data applications to the vending industry. It provides services for all vending management needs; from operations, sales, field services, national accounts to senior management.

FUEL SOLUTIONS DIVISION

UK Petrol Forecourt Fuel Asset Management Services

Vianet Fuel Solutions ("VFS"), supplies key management information and associated services to independent, multi branded owner, and supermarket petrol forecourt operators to ensure they have total visibility and control of their end-to-end business via a single web-based solution. VFS offers the only one stop shop offering for end-to-end fuel asset management  products and services, which allow customers to maximise ROI from fuel stocks and assets which store, control and issue fuels. Our wet stock analysis provides key management information to independent, multi branded owner, and supermarket petrol forecourt operators helping them to reduce loss of fuel and improve profitability. VFS is the UK market leader in fuel pump calibration, adjustment and legal verification, and also a leading provider of forecourt audit and compliance services. Our proprietary web-based contract management solutions for forecourt operations have been designed to significantly simplify management of multiple contractors for both reactive and preventive maintenance, as well as ensuring regulatory compliance in a sector where exemplary control measures are essential. In addition, VFS offers forecourt engineering and project management solutions to a number of forecourt operators. VFS is the UK distributor for OPW Fuel Management System's tank gauging solutions and also performs tank relining, liquefied petroleum gas and small forecourt service works.

Headquartered in Stockton-on-Tees, Vianet employs more than 270 people. 

For further information, please visit www.vianetplc.com

 

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