Press
11th December 2006
Activity Superstore, the leading gift experience company, has today announced a management buy out (MBO) in order to build upon the company’s success and strong growth in recent years.
A new group company has been created to acquire Activity Superstore Ltd from its previous owner Angus Grahame. The new group company is called
Days of Your Life Ltd. Activity Superstore Ltd will continue to trade under its own name as the specialist gift experience company for high street retailers.
The main shareholders of Days of Your Life Ltd are new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaun Powell, Vicki Ling, previously Managing Director (MD) of Activity Superstore, and a new Finance Director, Stuart Miller.
Mr Powell was formerly Managing Director of Thomson Holidays and Tui Espana. He brings a wealth of marketing, holiday and leisure industry experience spanning the last 10 years. Before that he was Commercial Director of Barclaycard.
Miss Ling takes over as the group’s Chief Operating Officer. Vicki has been with the Saffron Walden based company since it started in 1997 and has an in-depth knowledge of the business having worked her way up through the ranks and having successfully led the company, as MD for the last four years.
Mr Miller, whose last role was as Finance Director of Style Holidays, qualified as a chartered accountant and worked in KPMG in Milton Keynes before crossing over to industry in 1993.
In addition there will be a new Chairman, Martin Leppard who is a seasoned Senior Executive with 30 years’ experience in service companies.
Angus Grahame, the successful entrepreneur who founded Activity Superstore, is pursuing other business interests but remains as a shareholder. He believes strongly in the new team and their plans for the company’s future.
The MBO brings both financial investment and a new leadership team, blending extensive knowledge of the gift experience market with new skills and perspectives necessary to take the company to the next stage of development.
The MBO occurs as Activity Superstore’s strength in the retail sector continues to grow, with a presence in over 2,000 stores in the high street including Argos, Boots, Debenhams, WHSmith and now J. Sainsbury.
Shaun Powell said: “It’s a very exciting time for the business and we have ambitious growth plans for the future. The MBO enables us to consolidate and build upon the wealth of experience that the company has to offer whilst using innovation and new opportunities to dynamically grow the market.”
Vicki Ling added: “I’m thrilled to be part of the MBO. We’re passionate about what we do and we’ll continue to focus on our core business. The MBO gives us the opportunity to explore new avenues and take the business to the next level.”
- Ends -
Notes to Editors:
- Based in Essex, Activity Superstore and Funday.com arrange exciting activity days for over 100,000 customers a year.
- The range includes over 400 different activities.
- Activity Superstore was created in 1997. Since then the company has continued to grow at a phenomenal pace and is now the leading supplier in the retail sector with AS branded gift packs in Argos, Boots, Debenhams and J.Sainsbury. In addition AS supplies a range of own label gift experiences to WHSmith.
- Activity Superstore has twice been ranked in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100.
- Funday.com is the new online gift experience brand from Activity Superstore Ltd. Funday.com guarantees the lowest online prices with all activities receiving comprehensive Health & Safety checks and £50,000 personal accident insurance included free.
Shaun Powell started his career as a marketing graduate trainee with the Glaxo Group. In the late 1980s he moved to Sterling Health and progressed to Brand Manager of Panadol and Hedex. He then spent six years in marketing at Homepride Foods.
In 1993 he became Head of Marketing for Barclaycard winning advertising awards for a TV advertising campaign - featuring Rowan Atkinson. He then rose to Commercial Director with a team of 500.
He joined Thomson Holidays Ltd in 1997 as Marketing and Commercial Director and later became Managing Director responsible for the tour operating business and 4,000 employees based around the world.
As Chief Executive of Tui Espana Sa he was responsible for four key businesses in Spain including tour operating and car rental.
Shaun is married with two children and enjoys all sports, films and gardening.
Vicki Ling joined Activity Superstore prior to its launch in 1997. Being one of the first members of staff, Vicki has seen and helped the company grow rapidly over the last nine years.
Vicki’s extensive knowledge of the company’s clients, customers and the gift experience industry is a major strength.
Since her promotion to Director in 2002 she has been able to further expand this knowledge and is highly competent in all areas of the business.
In her precious spare time she enjoys walking her dog and renovating her cottage.
Stuart Miller graduated from University College Galway, Ireland in 1989 and qualified as a Charted Accountant in 1993.
He started his career with KMPG 1989 and went on to work for a number of leading businesses including Butterworths (UK) Ltd, William Hill and Reed Elsevier plc.
He joined TUI UK in 1999 rising to Head of Commercial and Cruise in 2003, working across all divisions in the business to support the commercial decisions of all directors and their teams.
In 2005 he joined Thomas Cook’s Style, a leading villa specialist tour operator, sending 110,000 passengers’ abroad each year.
Stuart plays golf with a handicap of 15 and he also plays American pool competitively and enjoys active holidays.
Martin Leppard gained a distinction in his MBA in Strategic Marketing from Hull University in 1996.
He started his career with Eurocamp plc (now Holidaybreak plc) in 1979, rising to Managing Director in 1994 and, as a Main Board Director, he saw the company successfully float on the London Stock Exchange in 1991.
Other MD roles in the travel and leisure industry include Trafalgar Tours, Resort Parks International and Cendant Vacation Rental Group (a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation, USA). His most recent role is as Non-Executive Chairman of South Lakeland Group.
Martin is married with two teenagers and enjoys tennis, golf, skiing and travel.
www.activitysuperstore.com
www.funday.com
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