Andrew Cope, the former chairman and managing director of Zenith, is joining the board of FMG as executive chairman after acquiring a “significant” stake in the FMG business.
FMG says the deal, announced today, will enhance its ability to develop its offering to new and existing customers, adding additional ideas to support the company’s development.
Operationally, FMG’s management structure will remain largely unchanged, with Cope assuming the role of executive chairman to add his experience to the FMG board.
Announcing the deal, FMG chief executive John Catling said: “We’ve admired what Andrew has achieved in the industry, his knowledge and experience of fleet, is undoubtedly going to be a great asset to FMG.
“His arrival is good news for us, our partners and especially our existing and future customers. This move will further strengthen our position and reputation as leaders in incident management and business mobility.”
Cope said: “FMG is a great business focused on its reputation for innovation and quality.
“I look forward to being involved with a company and people that I’ve respected for many years.
“The business has a forward thinking attitude, embracing new technology, which has huge positive implications for our customers and prospects.
“By building on the good work which has been done to establish FMG as a leader in the industry, I’m excited to have the chance to help grow the business further.”
Nick Brown, who will be taking up a non-executive position, and maintaining a significant presence in the business, said: “We’re all welcoming Andrew to the FMG team, and look forward to working with him in the future.
“I’ve known Andrew for many years. He is a very widely respected figure in our industry, and his insight will add another dimension to FMG’s unique offering.
“By joining the board, he will offer the business further opportunities to build on our already considerable successes.”
By acquiring a stake in FMG, Cope continues to have an operational interest in the fleet industry, which started with the formation of Zenith, in Leeds, in 1989, a business that was recently acquired by HG Capital.
Over a similar time frame, FMG has grown into a major fleet optimisation and incident management provider, holding major contracts with the Highways Agency, Asda, and a number of police forces as well as major insurers.
FMG is headquartered in Huddersfield and employs 300 people. The company had a turnover of £85 million in 2012.
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Gareth has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist having started his career in local newspapers in the 1990s. Prior to joining Fleet News in 2008, he worked in the public sector as a media advisor and is currently news editor at Fleet News.
David Kershaw - 07/04/2014 12:20
Congratulations to FMG & Andrew Cope - I think this is a really good appointment and will certainly add value and further opportunities to an already strong business