Assetco Regulatory News (ASTO)

4 Nov 2009 07:00



November 4th 2009

BOARD APPOINTMENT

AssetCo plc (AIM:ASTO),  the provider of integrated support services to the Emergency Services, is pleased to announce that Andrew Freemantle CBE will be joining the Board of the Company as a non-executive director with effect from 1st January 2010.

Andrew Freemantle, age 65, has extensive leadership experience in complex, multi-site organizations providing mission critical services to the public both in the UK and Internationally.

Andrew has recently retired as Chief Executive of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution a position he held for ten years. The RNLI is the world's largest lifeboat service with an annual budget of over £124 million, operating with 450 lifeboats from 235 lifeboat stations with 1,250 staff and 4,700 volunteer crew. During his tenure at the RNLI, Andrew introduced many successful initiatives including the building and opening of a residential training college and survival centre, new Strategic Performance Standards, competency based training of lifeboat crew and RNLI lifeguards on 150 public beaches. He also developed overseas commercial interests, which capitalise on the RNLI's extensive experience by providing expertise and support to lifeboat services worldwide, including the Middle East and Asia...

From 1963 - 1990, Andrew was in the Armed Services. In his early career, he was awarded the MBE and Mentioned in Dispatches on the Northern Ireland Gallantry Awards List and was on the directing staff of the Army Staff College, Camberley. From 1985 -1987 he was Commanding Officer of the Royal Hampshire Regiment and in 1987 was promoted to Brigadier at the youngest possible age to command one of only 14 regular Infantry Brigades.

From 1991 - 1998 Andrew was Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, then the UK's largest and busiest ambulance service with over 150 stations, 1100 vehicles and 3000 staff.

He is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Science and of the Army Staff College, a Member of the Royal College of Defence Studies, and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Business Administration in 2007. He is also a Freeman of the City of London and was awarded a CBE for services to Maritime Safety in 2007. 

There are no further details required to be disclosed pursuant to Schedule Two, paragraph (g) (i) to (viii) of the AIM Rules.

Tim Wightman, Chairman of AssetCo, said:

"The Directors are delighted to welcome Andrew to the Board of AssetCo as we continue to ensure that we have the best team in place to deliver our integrated support services strategy to the emergency services. Andrew has extensive experience and operational knowledge of the emergency services sector. His breadth of experience will be of great benefit to AssetCo as we continue to develop our business particularly internationally."

Andrew Freemantle commenting, said:

"I am very pleased to be joining the Board of AssetCo as the company continues to expand its service offering both in the UK and abroad. AssetCo's experience with the UK Fire Authorities gives it a best in class profile abroad, as illustrated by the recent announcement on the joint venture with Abu Dhabi and there is a real opportunity to further capitalise on this outside of the UK."

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