28 May 2015 07:00
For Immediate Release 28 May 2015
Connect Group PLC
("Connect Group" or "the Group")
Senior Management Appointment
Connect Group, a leading specialist distributor, is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Ward as the new Managing Director of Tuffnells Parcels Express, the Connect Parcel Freight Division ("Tuffnells"), with effect from 29 June 2015.
Chris brings a wealth of operational experience, spanning a number of blue chip companies, including Accenture, Boots UK and most recently B&Q. At B&Q, Chris was chief operating officer (business transformation), with responsibility for operational functions across supply chain, logistics, IT and property as well as strategy and organisational change.
As intended at the time of the acquisition of Tuffnells in December 2014, Lloyd Dunn, the current MD of Tuffnells, will step down from his position on 1 September 2015 and continue to support Chris and the business until formally leaving the Group on 31 December 2015.
The Connect Group Board would like to thank Lloyd for his immense contribution to the development and success of Tuffnells over many years and wish him well for the future.
Mark Cashmore, CEO of Connect Group, commented,
"We are delighted to have recruited Chris to lead the next stage of Tuffnells' development. These are exciting times for the business and Chris's knowledge and experience in supporting operational delivery means he is ideally suited to drive the continued growth of the Connect Parcel Freight Division.
I would also like to take this opportunity to personally thank Lloyd for his leadership of Tuffnells and his support through the acquisition process, and to wish him all the best in his future endeavours."
Enquiries:
Connect Group PLC | |
Mark Cashmore, Group Chief Executive | Tel: 01793 563641 |
Nick Gresham, Chief Financial Officer | |
Buchanan | |
Sophie McNulty Gabriella Clinkard | Tel: 020 7466 5000 |
About Connect Group PLC:
Connect Group PLC is a leading specialist distributor operating in large and diverse markets. The Group has four separate divisions, connecting suppliers to customers in an efficient, knowledgeable and service oriented way:
• Connect News & Media - Encompassing: Smiths News and Dawson Media Direct. Smiths News is the UK's largest newspaper and magazine wholesaling business with an approximate 55 per cent. market share. It distributes newspapers and magazines on behalf of the majority of the major national publishers as well as a large number of regional publishers serving approximately 30,000 customers across England and Wales, including large general retailers as well as smaller independent newsagents with approximately 40 million newspapers supplied weekly; Dawson Media Direct is an international media direct business supplying newspapers, magazines and inflight entertainment technology and content to over 80 airlines in 50 countries. In October 2014, the Connect Group announced the launch of Pass My Parcel, a new wholly-owned 'click and collect' delivery service to be operated by the News Business with Amazon as its first client. The Directors consider it to be an important organic opportunity with significant potential.
• Connect Books - Combining a number of recognised brands in print and digital bookselling, including Bertrams, Dawson Books and Wordery. A leading distributor of physical and digital books, the division serves over 8,200 customers in approximately 100 countries, with over 156,000 in stock titles and access to over a further seven million consumer and twenty million academic titles.
• Connect Education & Care - A leading independent supplier of consumable products through The Consortium and West Mercia Supplies. The division currently holds an approximate 5 per cent. market share of the estimated addressable market, comprising the consumables element of education spend and serves over 30,000 customers with an extensive range of over 40,000 products across a branded, own-brand and value range, including stationery, arts and craft and cleaning.
• Connect Parcel Freight - Tuffnells is a leading provider of next-day B2B delivery of mixed freight/parcel consignments, specialising in items of irregular dimension and weight ("IDW"), examples of which include bulky furnishings, building materials and automotive parts. Tuffnells offers distribution coverage throughout the UK through a network of 34 depots and operates a largely depot-to-depot operational model, providing over 10 million deliveries per annum, through a wide range of services to over 4,200 customers focusing on SMEs.