The Quoted Companies Alliance (QCA), the independent membership organisation that champions the interests of small to mid-size quoted companies, announces the strengthening of its board with the appointment of three new directors following its Annual General Meeting on 6 October 2016.
The make-up of the new board reflects the growing importance for the QCA to address challenges including Brexit, the future of growth markets and the developing nature of market regulation.
Gervais Williams, the Managing Director and small-cap fund manager of the AIM quoted fund management group – Miton Group plc, becomes Chairman of the Quoted Companies Alliance board effective 6 October, as announced in September.
- QCA members approved the appointment of the following board directors:
- Scott Knight, Head of Audit & Assurance, BDO LLP
- Peter Simmonds, Non Executive Chairman at Cloudcall Group plc and D4t4 Solutions plc and a Non-Executive Director of dotDigital Group plc and Eckoh PLC
- Gary Thorpe, Partner, Clyde & Co LP and Chairman of the Quoted Companies Alliance’s Legal Expert Group
The directors of the board re-elected by the members of the Quoted Companies Alliance are:
- Anthony Carey, Partner, Mazars LLP
- Claire Noyce, Managing Partner, Hybridan LLP
- Tom Shaw, Partner, Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Theresa Wallis, Non Executive Chairman of Lidco PLC, Donald Stewart, Chairman of FitBug PLC and Simon O’Brien, Partner at PwC LLP have stepped down from the board.
Gervais Williams, incoming Chairman of the Quoted Companies Alliance, commenting on the board appointments said: “The QCA is already incredibly effective in championing the interests of small and mid-sized quoted companies. In my new role as Chairman, I look forward to supporting Tim Ward and the rest of the executive team in further raising the overall visibility and credibility of the organisation.”
Tim Ward, Chief Executive of the Quoted Companies Alliance, said: “I welcome Scott Knight, Peter Simmonds and Gary Thorpe to the board. Each brings significant experience of working in the small and mid-size quoted sector and will provide valuable guidance and representation in the boardroom and beyond. Also, I should like to thank Theresa Wallis, Donald Stewart and Simon O’Brien for their significant contributions. They have made a real and lasting contribution to the success of the Quoted Companies Alliance.”
Click here to download the press release (pdf)
Notes to editors:
- The Quoted Companies Alliance is the independent membership organisation that champions the interests of small to mid-size quoted companies. We campaign, we inform and we interact to help our members keep their businesses ahead. Through our activities, we ensure that our influence always creates impact for our members. For more information please visit www.theqca.com.
- Photographs of all board members are available. Please email samantha.green@theqca.com.
- Biographies for Chairmen and new board members:
Gervais Williams, Managing Director and Fund Manager, Miton Group plc
Gervais Williams joined Miton Group plc in 2011. He manages a number of funds that aggregate to over £1bn, including the recently launched Miton UK MicroCap Trust. He is also Managing Director at Miton Group plc, the independent listed fund management group. His fund management career extends over 30 years including 17 years at Gartmore Group Ltd, where he was head of UK Small Companies investing in UK smaller companies and Irish equities. Gervais is a member of the AIM Advisory Council, a board member of the Quoted Companies Alliance and a board member of The Investment Association. He is also on the EU Taskforce reviewing why the number of smaller IPOs has declined over recent decades. Gervais Williams published his first book ‘Slow Finance’ in the autumn of 2011, and his second book ‘The Future is Small’ was published in November 2014.
Gervais is Fund Manager of the CF Miton UK Multi Cap Income Fund, CF Miton UK Smaller Companies Fund, Miton Income Fund, Diverse Income Trust plc, The Investment Company plc and Miton UK MicroCap Trust plc. He was recently awarded Fund Manager of the Year 2014 by What Investment.
Peter Simmonds, Non Executive Director, dotDigital Group plc & Non Executive Chairman D4t4 Solutions plc
Peter Simmonds was Chief Executive Officer of dotDigital Group plc for eight years and a major contributor to dotDigital’s success. Peter commenced his career in 1976 as a trainee accountant with Unilever Plc and has over 35 years of experience at senior management and board level, principally in the areas of software, banking, insurance, finance and outsourcing. Peter currently holds board positions in the role of Non Executive Chairman at Cloudcall Group plc and D4t4 Solutions plc and is a Non-Executive Director of dotDigital Group plc and Eckoh PLC.
Scott Knight, Head of Audit & Assurance, BDO LLP
Scott Knight leads BDO’s Audit & Assurance practice nationally which comprises 1,200 people and accounts for over a third over the firm’s revenue. He is also a member of the firm’s Leadership Team and the Risk Committee.
Scott is a specialist in the governance issues facing smaller listed companies and writes extensively on this area. He is a member of the FRC’s Audit & Assurance Council which advises the FRC on matters in this area.
Scott also specialises in the Natural Resources sector where he acts for more than thirty AIM listed exploration and production companies and is recognised as an expert on accounting issues in the sector and is quoted in trade journals on financial issues.
Gary Thorpe, Partner, Clyde & Co LLP
Gary Thorpe is Clyde & Co’s senior corporate finance Partner. He has over 30 years’ corporate finance experience in the City across a broad range of industry sectors, and has advised on many cross border transactions. He is Chairman of the Quoted Companies Alliance Legal Expert Group.
