ARL.L Regulatory News (ARL)

16 Nov 2005 08:48

SMC Group Plc16 November 2005 16 November 2005For immediate release SMC Group Plc ("SMC" or "the Company") Directorate Change Appointment of Non-executive Directors and Business Development Director SMC Group Plc ("SMC" or the "Company"), one of the UK's leading groups ofarchitects and designers, is pleased to announce the appointment of RobertTyrrell and Maxwell Hutchinson as non-executive directors of the Company, withimmediate effect. In addition, SMC is pleased to announce that Gordon Watsonwas appointed to the board of SMC Group Plc as Business Development Director on19 July 2005. Bob Tyrrell, 54, is currently a presenter of the BBC Radio 4 'Analysis'programme and Chairman of Demos, the independent public policy think tank. Healso sits on the Vision Board of Sapiens UK Ltd. and the Editorial Board ofMarket Leader, the journal of the British Marketing Society. He is anAssociation Member of BUPA. Until 1997 Bob Tyrrell was Chairman of the Henley Centre for Forecasting. Heestablished the Centre as a private consultancy in 1986. After selling thecompany to WPP he left in 1997 to work as an independent consultant,entrepreneur, author and broadcaster. He runs the "FUSION" programme, monitoringand predicting social trends in Britain and Europe. Maxwell Hutchinson, 56, was President of the Royal Institute of BritishArchitects from 1989 to 1991. He is a practising architect and regular radio andtelevision broadcaster on BBC national television, radio and London radiobroadcasts. He has written several television programmes covering architecture, engineeringand science. Maxwell is currently developing a number of historical projects forboth television and publishing and is writing his first fictional novel. His better known buildings can be seen throughout London and he was Chairman ofthe Permarock Group of Building Product Manufacturing Companies, of which he wasfounder. Gordon Watson, 55, qualified as an interior designer in 1973 and originallyjoined Stewart McColl at the McColl Group in November 1978 in that capacity. Hethen worked closely with Stewart in a role of developing the business, remainingwith the McColl Group after Stewart departed in 1993, before rejoining him atSMC Group Plc in September 2001. Gordon's role as Business Development Directorwill encompass the sourcing of new client business and identifying anddeveloping relationships with potential acquisition targets. Commenting on the appointments, Stewart McColl, chief executive said; "I wouldlike to welcome Bob, Maxwell and Gordon to the Board of SMC Group. Bob andMaxwell's experience and insight will add a further dimension to the Board andwill aid us as we continue to seek shareholder value through a combination oforganic and acquisitive growth. Gordon and I have worked together over manyyears sharing the process of developing the business and we continue to workclosely towards implementing the Group's strategy for consolidation in themarketplace, capitalising upon our joint and respective relationships with bothclients and many other architectural businesses." For further information please contact: SMC Group Plc Tel: 44 (0)20 7495 5335Stewart McColl Noble & Company Limited Tel: 44 (0)20 7763 2200Matthew Hall Bell Pottinger Tel: 44 (0)20 7861 3232David Rydell/Geoff Callow Appendix In accordance with Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules, the following information inrelation to the appointment of Robert Tyrrell, Maxwell Hutchison and GordonWatson to the Board of SMC Group Plc is disclosed: Robert Tyrrell holds and has held within the five preceding years the followingdirectorships and partnerships: Current directorships and partnerships: Bob Tyrell and CoDemos LtdDemos Projects Ltd Past directorships and partnerships: New Solutions LtdCognosis LtdLa Table du Pain UK LtdSociovision Ltd Maxwell Hutchinson holds and has held within the five preceding years thefollowing directorships and partnerships: Current directorships and partnerships: Hutchinson Studio Ltd Past directorships and partnerships: The Hutchinson Studio Ltd Mr Hutchinson was a director of Hutchinson & Partners Architects Ltd, a companywhich entered into a company voluntary arrangement in January 1992, subsequentto which Mr Hutchinson resigned. Gordon Watson holds and has held within the five preceding years the followingdirectorships and partnerships: Past directorships and partnerships: SMC Group Architects Ltd Save as set out above, there is no further information to be disclosed inrespect of under Schedule 2 (g) of the AIM Rules. Notes to Editors SMC Group Plc is the holding company for a group of architects and designers.It has established expertise in a broad range of sectors, including residential,retail, industrial, workplace, transportation, leisure and education. With theaddition of DTR:UK, the Group has national coverage throughout England, withoffices in London, Warwick, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Liverpool andLancaster, and is engaged in a range of projects throughout the UK, in Eire andin parts of mainland Europe. The Company's core strategy is to create an architectural group with the scaleand expertise to access the most profitable schemes across a range of sectorsand geographical locations. The Group intends to focus on its organic growth,increasing its share of the UK market and securing larger, higher marginprojects. The Group plans to complement this organic growth withearnings-enhancing acquisitions in order to consolidate its geographic andsector coverage. On 5th September 2005 the company announced its maiden interim results for thesix months ended 30th June 2005. SMC reported turnover of £5.4m (an increase of47% compared to the same period in 2004) and profit before tax of £1.1m (anincrease of 110% compared to the same period in 2004). The company alsoannounced plans to introduce a maiden dividend in June 2006. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange