Refreshing and Strengthening Board Independence

RNS Number : 0487D

VPC Specialty Lending Invest. PLC

23 October 2020

 

23 October 2020

VPC Specialty Lending Investments PLC (the "Company")

Refreshing and strengthening the independence of the Board

The Board has now undertaken a review of the skills mix, size, and diversity required of the Directors for the next phase of the Company's development and growth.

The Board will be recruiting two new Independent Directors, one of whom will have financial acumen and be well seasoned in the investment trust market, and for whom the search is already in progress. Given that the Chairman is currently the sole qualified accountant on the Board, the Board also wishes to recruit a qualified accountant, ideally with investment trust experience, to be the Chair for the Audit and Valuations Committee ("AVC Chair"). This search will commence once the previous one concludes. Clive Peggram, the existing AVC Chair, will continue to be a Director. The Board is using an independent search consultancy to source candidates and expects to be able to announce the first appointment within 4 weeks and the AVC Chair early in the new year.

As previously announced on 23 June 2020, Richard Levy will retire from the Board once the search for his replacement has been concluded.

Mr. Kevin Ingram, the Chairman, will oversee the refreshing of the Board's composition and succession process. He intends to retire from the Board at or before the AGM in June 2021.

Mr. Kevin Ingram has served on the Board since the IPO in 2015 and made a considerable contribution both as AVC Chair and subsequently as Chairman. Recently he has seen the Board and VSL through a period of significant challenges, including market turmoil and the continuation vote.

The Board is fortunate that Mr. Kevin Ingram is staying in post until a successor has been appointed and there is an appropriate handover period. The Board is very grateful for all that he has done and continues to do for the Company.

The search for a new Chairman will start in early 2021 and the Board will keep shareholders informed of its progress.

END OF THE ANOUNCEMENT

Enquiries

For further information, please contact:

Victory Park Capital Brendan Carroll (Senior Partner and Co-Founder) Gordon Watson (Partner)	via Jefferies or Winterflood (below) [e-mail]
Jefferies International Limited	Tel: [phone]
Stuart Klein Neil Winward
Gaudi le Roux
Winterflood Securities Limited	Tel: [phone]
Neil Morgan
Chris Mills
Link Company Matters Limited (Company Secretary)	Tel: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

About VPC Specialty Lending Investments PLC

VPC Specialty Lending Investments PLC (Company No. 9385218) is a UK listed investment trust focused on asset-backed lending to emerging and established businesses with the goal of building long-term, sustainable income generation. The Company identifies investment opportunities across various industries and geographies to offer shareholders access to a diversified portfolio of opportunistic credit investments originated by non-bank lenders with a focus on the rapidly developing technology-enabled lending sector.

Further information on VPC Specialty Lending Investments PLC is available at: http://vpcspecialtylending.com .

LEI: 549300UPEXC5DQB81P34

 

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