MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by:
Winner: Softcat
The Management Team award category is an award with a significant difference – the only one on the night not presented to professional advisers.
This category covers those people directly affected by a deal – the management teams of the companies involved – and is based on their success with a recent deal, plus their commitment to the ongoing growth of their organisation.
The shortlist of finalists had four impressive management teams: Property Software Group (PSG); Softcat; Westway Services, and Sophos.
PSG led by CEO Mark Goddard is the UK’s largest supplier of software, technology and design solutions to the UK property industry. Following LDC’s MBO of PSG from the Guardian Media Group, Goddard has spearheaded organic and acquisitive growth trebling EBITDA over a two-year period. (On the night it was announced that Zoopla had just acquired PSG for £75m).
CEO Martin Hellawell led a highly successful flotation of Softcat, the culmination of a story of growth since founder Peter Kelly established the business in 1993. The listing raised over £150 million for shareholders, and valued the business at £472m. Shares were up 40p on the day.
Westway announced with “pride and excitement“ its purchase by ABM, the NYSE-listed facility solutions provider. Established in 2000, Westway has achieved continued year-on-year growth under the leadership of MD Andy Donnell, backed by Mobeus Equity Partners and Maven Capital Partners.
The largest ever technology IPO in London saw Sophos go public with a £1.1 billion float. CEO Kris Hagerman and CFO Nick Bray oversaw the move, which facilitated a partial exit for Apax Partners. The Oxfordshire success story, founded over 30 years ago, is a significant player in Britain’s growing tech economy.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MAY 2016
www.businessmag.co.uk
With PwC sponsoring this category again this year, partner Jason Wakelam joined Mark Durden-Smith on stage to announce the winner and present the award to – Softcat.
Martin Hellawell, CEO of Softcat was justifiably delighted after receiving the award: “It’s no secret that our staff are our passion. Softcat provides a unique platform to engage, nurture and grow our employees to generate not only the best customer service levels in the business but to ensure that individuals are motivated to achieve their personal best.
“The Softcat management team is an eclectic mixture of highly talented, intelligent and passionate individuals that have embraced our culture, lived and breathed our ethos and lead by example. Many of them joined Softcat as their first job and have been here forever. I’m delighted that our management team have won this award, they are a credit to our business and deserve to be recognised at this level.”
One of Softcat’s nominations spoke about the boardroom team’s qualities as “an exceptionally experienced group of directors”. The team had achieved dramatic growth to the number three position in the UK IT reseller sector, while protecting “a unique culture that lies behind its standout client satisfaction and retention rates, not to mention its top rating as a place to work. With the same trusted formula, there is every reason to believe this company can continue its dramatic rate of growth.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68