Results Date / Board Changes
FDM Group PLC
29 January 2008
For immediate release 29 January 2008
FDM Group plc
("FDM" or the "Company")
Trading update, notice of results and board changes
Trading update and notice of results
The Board of FDM (LSE: FDMG) announces that it will be releasing its preliminary
results for the year ended 31 December 2007 on 11 March 2008. There will be an
analyst's meeting at 9:30 a.m. at the offices of Noble & Company Limited at 120
Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1AR. Any analysts wishing to attend should contact
Archie Berens at Pelham PR on 0207 743 6679.
Since the Company released its positive trading update on 13 December 2007, the
Company has continued to trade well and the Board continue to be encouraged by
the outlook for the Company for the year ending 31 December 2008.
Board changes
The Board of FDM are pleased to today announce the appointments of Sheila
Flavell and Andrew Brown as Executive Directors of the Company with immediate
effect.
Sheila Flavell has enjoyed a successful business career stretching over 20 years
in both the public and private sectors of information technology. She joined FDM
in 1998 as a senior executive and has been fundamental to the success and
development of FDM's Global Services. Sheila has responsibility for FDM's
Testing, Consultancy, Support and Training business areas as well as overseeing
the strategic direction of the FDM Academy programme. She holds both an MBA and
an MA in Marketing and is a qualified PRINCE2 Practitioner.
Andrew Brown joined FDM in 1994, and was instrumental in establishing FDM as a
leading provider of Client Server development and consultancy services within
the UK. He also developed FDM's Financial Services Sector offering and won FDM's
first major finance client, NatWest. He subsequently went on to establish FDM as
a key vendor to other major financial organisations, including Deutsche Bank,
UBS, HSBC, ABN Amro and RBS. This paved the way for the opening of FDM's City
office in 2007. He is now Head of Group Sales and is responsible for the
development of products and services for FDM and its customers.
The Board also announces that Julian Divett, Chief Operating Officer of the
Company, intends to step down from the Board at the end of the first quarter
2008 to pursue other interests overseas. Julian Divett has been with the Company
since 1991 and has been on the Board since 2001. He has been an integral part of
the Company's development and was heavily involved in the Company's successful
flotation on AIM in 2005. The Board would like to record their appreciation of
all Julian's hard work since he joined FDM. In light of the appointments of
Sheila Flavell and Andrew Brown, the Board of FDM do not intend to appoint a
replacement Chief Operating Officer.
Further details in respect of the appointments of Sheila Flavell and Andrew
Brown, as required under Schedule 2(g) and rule 17 of the AIM Rules for
Companies, are contained in Appendix One to this announcement.
Rod Flavell, Chief Executive Officer of FDM, said:
"I would like to express my personal thanks to Julian Divett for the key role he
has played in the development and growth of FDM's business. Julian is leaving to
pursue other interests overseas and we wish him all the best for the future. I
am delighted however that Sheila and Andy are joining the Board of FDM. Their
experience and in-depth knowledge of FDM and its business model will be of
considerable value to the Board in the future.
"December's trading was as we expected and we have seen no fall off in demand
for the services which FDM provide to our clients since the beginning of the
current year. I look forward to updating shareholders on our progress in March."
Julian Divett commented:
"Having worked with Sheila and Andy for the last ten years, I can vouch for
their skill, energy and experience. I am therefore confident that I will be
leaving FDM in very strong operational hands. As an investor in the Company, I
look forward to sharing in their continued success."
For further information please contact:
FDM Group Plc Noble & Company Limited Pelham PR
Tel: 0870 060 3100 Tel: 0207 763 2200 Tel: 0207 743 6679
Rod Flavell Nick Naylor Archie Berens
Chief Executive Officer Nick Athanas
David Templeman
Chief Financial Officer
Appendix One
In accordance with Schedule 2(g) and rule 17 of the AIM Rules for Companies, the
following information in relation to the appointments of Mr Andrew Robert Brown
and Mrs Sheila May Flavell (previous married name Mansell and nee McDougall) are
disclosed below:
Sheila Flavell, aged 51, holds and has held within the five preceding years the
following directorships and partnerships:
Current directorships and partnerships:
Glen Dudley Investments Limited
Past directorships and partnerships:
None
As at 28 January 2008 Sheila Flavell had a direct interest in 186,924 ordinary
shares of 1 pence each in the Company representing 0.80% of the issued share
capital of the Company. Rod Flavell, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and
husband of Sheila Flavell, has a direct interest in 1,830,000 ordinary shares of
1 pence each in the Company representing 7.88% of the issued share capital of
the Company. For the purposes of the AIM Rules for Companies, Sheila Flavell is
therefore deemed to have a direct interest in 2,016,924 ordinary shares of 1
pence in the Company representing 8.69% of the issued share capital of the
Company.
Andrew Brown, aged 35, holds and has held within the five preceding years the
following directorships and partnerships:
Current directorships and partnerships:
None
Past directorships and partnerships:
None
As at 28 January 2008 Andrew Brown had a direct interest in 215,462 ordinary
shares of 1 pence each in the Company representing 0.93% of the issued share
capital of the Company.
In addition, as at 28 January 2008, Andrew Brown and connected parties have
options over a total of 96,250 ordinary shares in the Company as follows:
- 50,000 options at an exercise price of 1 pence per share;
- 23,000 options at an exercise price of 55 pence per share;
- 18,750 options at an exercise price of 78 pence per share; and
- 4,500 options at an exercise price of 86.5 pence per share
Save as set out above, there is no further information to be disclosed in
respect of Sheila Flavell and Andrew Brown under Schedule 2(g) and rule 17 of
the AIM Rules.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange