Sepura Chairman to step down after five years

The listed designer, manufacturer and supplier of digital mobile radio products said Russell King's appointment will take effect following the company's annual general meeting on 7 September.

He will succeed Hughes, who announced his decision to step down after five years as chairman. The company will be retaining his services as a strategic advisor.

King, who has been a non-executive director of Sepura since July 2014, said: "It is with great pleasure that I succeed John Hughes as chairman. The Sepura team have an impressive track record of profitable growth and I look forward to working with them to build further on this success.

"I would like to thank John Hughes for the considerable insight and energy he has displayed in guiding the company over the last five years and I am delighted that we will retain his services as a strategic advisor."

Hughes added: "It has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve as chairman of Sepura for the last five years. During this time we have fundamentally changed the business, significantly expanding our addressable market, acquiring four businesses to create a full-line supplier of secure communications solutions and driving a significant increase in shareholder value through material operational change and targeted inorganic expansion. We have also diversified the group substantially both geographically and also via the number of commercial segments which we serve.

"I am confident that the company has a strong future ahead of it and I am delighted to pass the role of chairman to Russell King whose extensive experience and skills will, I am sure, serve Sepura well during the next phases of its growth."

Photo: Russel King