Released: 23/05/2007
RNS Number:0955X
Spiritel PLC
23 May 2007
For release: 23 May 2007
SPIRITEL plc
("Spiritel" or "the Company")
DIRECTORATE CHANGE
GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR APPOINTED TO THE BOARD
Spiritel plc (AIM: STP), the telecommunications services business, today
announces that Ronald Watson Smith (42), currently Group Finance Director has
joined the board of the Company, with immediate effect.
Ronnie took up the position of Group Finance Director in July 2006 and since his
arrival at Spiritel he has been instrumental in the Company's active acquisition
strategy.
Ronnie has a background in senior finance roles in a number of UK businesses.
From 1997 until 2005 he executed a buy and build strategy across the UK and
Europe for The Rope Company Group Limited. Here, he was originally appointed as
a Finance Manager, but was promoted to Group Finance Director in 1998.
Ronnie qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1988 and completed professional
training with Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young). His prior experience also
includes work for Sigma Bioscience, ICN Biomedicals Inc., and the Ritchie Group
plc.
Commenting on the appointment, Alastair Mills, Chief Executive of Spiritel said:
"Ronnie has been a tremendous help since joining the Company. He has played an
integral role in the turnaround process we have set in motion and in particular
in developing and implementing our acquisition strategy. The Directors and I
welcome Ronnie to the Board and look forward to continuing together our drive to
restore value to shareholders as we grow the business."
For further information please visit www.spiritelplc.com or contact:
Spiritel plc Tavistock Communications
Alastair Mills Simon Hudson
Chief Executive Clemmie Carr
Tel: +44 20 7160 0100 Tel: +44 20 7920 3150
Additional Disclosures
In the previous five years Ronnie Smith has been a director of the following
companies, in relation to all of which he is no longer a director:
The Rope Company Group Limited*
The Rope Company Limited*
Marloe Ropes Limited*
Ibex Ropes Ltd
College Accessories
Whitely Products Limited
Edelrid Limited
Edelmann & Riddder GmbH & co KG
Edelrid verwaltungsgesellschaft GmbH
Edelrid France SARL
* These companies were placed in Administration in November 2005.
Save for the information disclosed above, there is no other information in
relation to Ronnie Smith required to be disclosed pursuant to AIM Rule 17.
-ends-
Note to Editors
Spiritel is a telecommunications group that offers a mix of traditional and next
generation telecommunications' services and products to business customers. The
Group listed on AIM in July 2004 (AIM: STP). Spiritel's customers who range from
large blue chip corporates to SMEs are served through the Group's two divisions
- Spiritel Wholesale and Spiritel Retail.
Spiritel Retail was established in 2006 and comprises a number of
direct-to-customer initiatives designed to guide users through the ongoing
migration to Internet Protocol (IP) based telecoms services. Through the recent
acquisitions of CallPlan Ltd, Networks Direct UK Ltd and The Ashland Group the
division has gained relationships with almost 1,000 SME customers and blue chips
including Marriott and Whitbread.
Spiritel Wholesale provides a range of voice and data products to UK and
international operators. The services include UK and international call
termination and the latest generation of IP-based communications technologies
for carrier and business customers.
Spiritel is a consolidator in the highly fragmented UK telecoms reseller market.
The Group proposes to deliver shareholder value through acquisitions, which
bring complementary products and skill sets to the Group's offering and
organically via the cross selling of Group products by fellow subsidiaries and
joint ventures.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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