Vantis seeks CFO in board reshuffle
Current FD Trevor Applin steps sideways to take COO role – interim specialist Stephen Smith covers the FD position
Top 20 accountancy firm
Vantis
is restructuring its board, with the finance director and non-executive chairman
stepping down.
Group FD Trevor Applin will now take on the chief operating officer role and
is succeeded by Stephen Smith.
He becomes interim finance director until a permanent replacement is
appointed.
Smith has held senior finance positions in a number of companies. Since 1995
he has operated as an independent consultant, non-exec and interim manager in
restructuring, CEO, COO or FD roles. He is currently non-exec for Allergy
Therapeutics and was group treasurer for The Rank Organisation for six years.
Paul Gourmand, the non-executive chairman, will retire later this month and
is replaced by former global managing partner of advisory services at KPMG Mike
Wheeler.
The former KPMG boss has previously worked as non-executive chairman of Close
Brothers Corporate Finance and is currently chairman of the audit committee of
Dubai Holdings.
CEO Paul Jackson retains his role in the new structure.
Executive director Paul Ashton, in charge of the firm’s M&A strategy,
steps down from the PLC board to the management board, and continues as company
secretary.
Bob Thornton steps down from the PLC board to the management board. He is
responsible for the group’s core practice activities.
In its statement to the stock exchange, the firm stated that the
restructuring was “appropriate to streamline the group’s management” and take it
“through its next stage of development”.
The restructuring changes are to take effect on 17 December at the firm’s
annual general meeting.
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