Shareholder Information
Board of Directors
Mike England
Chief Executive Officer - C
Appointed
April 2023 as CEO.
Skills and experience
Master of Engineering and with over 25 years in commercial and operational leadership across Industrial product distribution and services; 7 years at FTSE100 RS Group plc: key leadership roles as Group Chief Operating Officer responsible for P&L across Americas, EMEA and APAC; President of EMEA and initially Managing Director leading the turnaround of UK and Northern Europe. 9 years at FTSE250 Brammer Plc (now trading as Rubix), Key Account and Sales Director prior to which, 9 years at Rexel across broad range of commercial and operational roles.
Mike is passionate about creating a purpose led, high performance culture. Highly customer centric in approach and an advocate for diversity and inclusion. Committed to inspiring the next generation of engineers and giving back to the community.
Board Committees
• Member of the AIM Compliance & Corporate Governance Committee.
• Other committees by invitation.
External appointments
None.
Russell Cash
Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary - C
Appointed
November 2018.
Skills and experience
Qualified as a chartered accountant with Deloitte Haskins & Sells (now PwC) in 1991. Spent 27 years working as a turnaround and restructuring professional, 20 years with PwC prior to taking Partner roles at Baker Tilly (now RSM International) from 2008 to 2013 and FRP Advisory from 2013 to 2018. At both Baker Tilly and FRP he played a key role in the success and expansion at both firms. Russell’s experience in effecting change both in terms of operational improvement and cash management have served the Group well given the focus in each of these areas in recent years. The experience Russell has in turnaround/distressed situations served us well when negotiating the terms of recent acquisitions.
Board Committees
• Member of the AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committee.
• Other committees by invitation.
External appointments
None.
Roger McDowell
Non-Executive Chair - N / A / R / C
Appointed
June 2020 as Independent Director, and Non-Executive Chair from August 2020
Skills and experience
Roger is a highly successful businessman and entrepreneur, with a strong record of delivering shareholder value. He was Managing Director of Oliver Ashworth for 18 years before IPO and subsequent sale to Saint-Gobain. He was recognised in 2017 by The Sunday Times receiving the AIM Non-Executive Director of the Year award for his Chairmanship of Avingtrans plc, a precision engineering business.
Board Committees
• Chair of Nomination Committee
• Member of the Audit, Remuneration and AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committees
External appointments
• Non-Executive Chair of Hargreaves Services plc, Avingtrans plc and Brand Architekts Group plc
• Senior Non-Executive Director and Chair of Remuneration Committee of Tribal Group plc
Jamie Brooke
Non-Executive Director - R / A / N / C
Appointed
March 2022.
Skills and experience
Jamie has had successful roles in listed and private equity fund management, originally starting out with 3i plc. Over his career, having sat on 20+ different boards, he has focused on driving shareholder value and has gained experience covering investment, strategy and governance, M&A, audit and consultancy. Most recently he worked with Hanover Investors and, prior to this, Jamie ran the Catalyst funds with the Volantis team under the umbrellas of Lombard Odier, Henderson and Gartmore. He trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte
Board Committees
• Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
• Member of the Audit, Nomination, AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committees
External appointments
• CIO/ Director of Kelso Group Holdings and associated companies.
• Chair of Titon Holdings PLC, PadelStars Limited and Triple Point Venture VCT PLC.
• Non-Executive Director of Oryx International Growth Fund PLC and Chapel Down Group PLC.
Ailsa Graham Webb
Non-Executive Director - A / C / R / N
Appointed
March 2022.
Skills and experience
Ailsa has held senior leadership roles across industrial distribution, logistics, and services businesses. Her career includes leadership positions at TNT and Brammer Buck & Hickman. Until 2019, she served as Chief Operating Officer for the UK, Ireland and Iceland at Brammer Buck & Hickman, the UK subsidiary of Rubix Group, Europe’s largest supplier of industrial maintenance, repair and overhaul products and services.
In 2019, Ailsa joined HSS Hire Group, one of the UK’s largest equipment rental companies, as Managing Director for Scotland and subsequently Managing Director of Abird and Apex Power Solutions, two specialist service businesses within the Group. Following the carve-out of these service businesses in 2024, she became Chief Executive Officer of CES Power International.
Ailsa brings sector expertise in industrial distribution and services, with experience in digital and e-commerce enabled business models, operational risk management, and disciplined value creation.
Board Committees
• Member of the Audit, Nomination, Remuneration and AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committees.
External appointments
• No other Board appointments
• Executive role as described above.
Stuart Watson
Non-Executive Director - A / N / R / C
Appointed
January 2023.
Skills and experience
Stuart is a Chartered Accountant. He was Senior Partner for EY in Yorkshire and the North-East and specialised in audit. He was also responsible for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Programme. He retired from EY in 2017.
Stuart is currently a NED and Audit Committee Chair at both Humber & North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and Vp plc and is an Advisor to Panmure Liberum.
Board Committees
• Chair of the Audit Committee.
• Member of the Audit, Nomination, Remuneration and AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committees.
External appointments
• Non-Executive Director and Chair of Audit Committee of Vp plc.
• Non-Executive Director and Chair of Audit Committee of Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
Shareholder Information
Board of Directors
Mike England
Chief Executive Officer - C
Appointed
April 2023 as CEO.
Skills and experience
Master of Engineering and with over 25 years in commercial and operational leadership across Industrial product distribution and services; 7 years at FTSE100 RS Group plc: key leadership roles as Group Chief Operating Officer responsible for P&L across Americas, EMEA and APAC; President of EMEA and initially Managing Director leading the turnaround of UK and Northern Europe. 9 years at FTSE250 Brammer Plc (now trading as Rubix), Key Account and Sales Director prior to which, 9 years at Rexel across broad range of commercial and operational roles.
Mike is passionate about creating a purpose led, high performance culture. Highly customer centric in approach and an advocate for diversity and inclusion. Committed to inspiring the next generation of engineers and giving back to the community.
Board Committees
• Member of the AIM Compliance & Corporate Governance Committee.
• Other committees by invitation.
External appointments
None.
Russell Cash
Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary - C
Appointed
November 2018.
Skills and experience
Qualified as a chartered accountant with Deloitte Haskins & Sells (now PwC) in 1991. Spent 27 years working as a turnaround and restructuring professional, 20 years with PwC prior to taking Partner roles at Baker Tilly (now RSM International) from 2008 to 2013 and FRP Advisory from 2013 to 2018. At both Baker Tilly and FRP he played a key role in the success and expansion at both firms. Russell’s experience in effecting change both in terms of operational improvement and cash management have served the Group well given the focus in each of these areas in recent years. The experience Russell has in turnaround/distressed situations served us well when negotiating the terms of recent acquisitions.
Board Committees
• Member of the AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committee.
• Other committees by invitation.
External appointments
None.
Roger McDowell
Non-Executive Chair - N / A / R / C
Appointed
June 2020 as Independent Director, and Non-Executive Chair from August 2020
Skills and experience
Roger is a highly successful businessman and entrepreneur, with a strong record of delivering shareholder value. He was Managing Director of Oliver Ashworth for 18 years before IPO and subsequent sale to Saint-Gobain. He was recognised in 2017 by The Sunday Times receiving the AIM Non-Executive Director of the Year award for his Chairmanship of Avingtrans plc, a precision engineering business.
Board Committees
• Chair of Nomination Committee
• Member of the Audit, Remuneration and AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committees
External appointments
• Non-Executive Chair of Hargreaves Services plc, Avingtrans plc and Brand Architekts Group plc
• Senior Non-Executive Director and Chair of Remuneration Committee of Tribal Group plc
Jamie Brooke
Non-Executive Director - R / A / N / C
Appointed
March 2022.
Skills and experience
Jamie has had successful roles in listed and private equity fund management, originally starting out with 3i plc. Over his career, having sat on 20+ different boards, he has focused on driving shareholder value and has gained experience covering investment, strategy and governance, M&A, audit and consultancy. Most recently he worked with Hanover Investors and, prior to this, Jamie ran the Catalyst funds with the Volantis team under the umbrellas of Lombard Odier, Henderson and Gartmore. He trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte
Board Committees
• Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
• Member of the Audit, Nomination, AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committees
External appointments
• CIO/ Director of Kelso Group Holdings and associated companies.
• Chair of Titon Holdings PLC, PadelStars Limited and Triple Point Venture VCT PLC.
• Non-Executive Director of Oryx International Growth Fund PLC and Chapel Down Group PLC.
Ailsa Graham Webb
Non-Executive Director - A / C / R / N
Appointed
March 2022.
Skills and experience
Ailsa has held senior leadership roles across industrial distribution, logistics, and services businesses. Her career includes leadership positions at TNT and Brammer Buck & Hickman. Until 2019, she served as Chief Operating Officer for the UK, Ireland and Iceland at Brammer Buck & Hickman, the UK subsidiary of Rubix Group, Europe’s largest supplier of industrial maintenance, repair and overhaul products and services.
In 2019, Ailsa joined HSS Hire Group, one of the UK’s largest equipment rental companies, as Managing Director for Scotland and subsequently Managing Director of Abird and Apex Power Solutions, two specialist service businesses within the Group. Following the carve-out of these service businesses in 2024, she became Chief Executive Officer of CES Power International.
Ailsa brings sector expertise in industrial distribution and services, with experience in digital and e-commerce enabled business models, operational risk management, and disciplined value creation.
Board Committees
• Member of the Audit, Nomination, Remuneration and AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committees.
External appointments
• No other Board appointments
• Executive role as described above.
Stuart Watson
Non-Executive Director - A / N / R / C
Appointed
January 2023.
Skills and experience
Stuart is a Chartered Accountant. He was Senior Partner for EY in Yorkshire and the North-East and specialised in audit. He was also responsible for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Programme. He retired from EY in 2017.
Stuart is currently a NED and Audit Committee Chair at both Humber & North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and Vp plc and is an Advisor to Panmure Liberum.
Board Committees
• Chair of the Audit Committee.
• Member of the Audit, Nomination, Remuneration and AIM Compliance and Corporate Governance Committees.
External appointments
• Non-Executive Director and Chair of Audit Committee of Vp plc.
• Non-Executive Director and Chair of Audit Committee of Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.