26 September 2016
The Fulham Shore plc
("Fulham Shore" or "the Company")
Appointment of Non-Executive Director
The Board of Fulham Shore is delighted to announce the appointment of Desmond (Des) Gunewardena to the Company's Board as a Non-Executive Director.
Mr Gunewardena is a leading London restaurateur with over 25 years' experience of the industry. A qualified accountant, Des co-founded Conran Restaurants in 1991 and was CEO of the Conran Group until 2006. In that year he and business partner David Loewi led the buyout of the restaurants and created D&D London Limited. Mr Gunewardena has overseen the expansion of the group's portfolio to comprise of 30 restaurants and a five-star boutique hotel in the UK, as well as four restaurants overseas. Mr Gunewardena is also a non-executive of London First, a non-profit organisation that seeks to support London's global competitiveness by influencing national and local government policies and investment decisions.
Mr Gunewardena will be appointed as chairman of the Company's audit committee and a member of the remuneration committee.
Commenting on the appointment, David Page said:
"We warmly welcome Des to the Fulham Shore board where he will add both wit and gravitas. We have watched the expansion of D&D London under his guidance with admiration. He brings with him his extensive industry experience and market know-how, both of which will greatly benefit Fulham Shore as we grow over the coming years."
Mr Desmond Anthony Lalith Gunewardena, aged 59, currently holds and has held within the previous five years the following directorships or partnerships:
Current directorships/partnerships |
Directorships/partnerships held within the past five years |
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As at the date of this announcement, Mr Gunewardena holds 454,545 ordinary shares in the Company, with one voting right per share. Mr Gunewardena does not hold any options or rights over shares in the Company.
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For further information, please contact:
The Fulham Shore plc |
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David Page
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Tel: 07836 346 934 |
Allenby Capital Limited Nick Naylor / Jeremy Porter / James Reeve |
Tel: 020 3328 5656
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Notes for editors
Information on The Fulham Shore PLC
Fulham Shore was incorporated in March 2012. The Directors believe that there are a number of potentially attractive investment opportunities within the restaurant and food service sectors in the UK.
The Directors believe that, given their collective experience in the restaurant and food service sectors, they can take advantage of the opportunities which exist in these sectors and create a profitable and sustainable business.
The ordinary shares of the Company were admitted to trading on AIM in October 2014 in order to capitalise on such opportunities.
Today Fulham Shore currently operates "The Real Greek" (www.therealgreek.com) and "Franco Manca" (www.francomanca.co.uk) restaurants, as well as a Bukowski Grill restaurant.
The Real Greek
Since establishing in 1999, The Real Greek group has grown steadily, now offering modern Greek cuisine in nine outlets across London and Windsor: Bankside (2004), Marylebone (2005), Covent Garden (2006), Westfield London (2008), Spitalfields (2008), Westfield Stratford City (2011), Windsor (2014), Soho (2015) and St. Martin's Lane (2015).
Ambassadors of Greek food and Greek hospitality in the UK, The Real Greek food centres on the delicious, healthy diet of the Eastern Mediterranean, staying true to the Greek ethos for food, family and life. Dishes are created using premium ingredients sourced from Greece and Cyprus whenever possible, and developed by Tonia Buxton, the face of Greek food in the UK.
Both The Real Greek's menu and atmosphere retains the spirit of eating in Greece, encouraging diners to take their time eating amongst friends and family, be it a relaxed dinner, family get-together, or fully catered party.
Franco Manca
Franco Manca opened its first restaurant in 2008 and now has 26 restaurants, primarily in London, but with recent openings in Brighton and Guildford and other locations outside London lined up.
Franco Manca's pizza is made from slow-rising sourdough and is baked in a wood-burning oven that produces a heat of about 500°c (930°F). The slow levitation and blast cooking process lock in the flour's natural aroma and moisture giving a soft and easily digestible crust. Where possible locally sourced and organic ingredients are used. Pizza prices range from £4.50 to £7.95.
"If you only eat one pizza this year, make sure it's Franco Manca" - Tatler
Bukowski
Bukowski is a London-based charcoal-grill restaurant and bar, serving breakfasts, burgers and grills. Bukowski has three restaurants in London, one of which Fulham Shore operates in Soho under a franchise agreement.