Proposed Board Changes

RNS Number : 0428P

Brainspark PLC

18 October 2012

 



18 October 2012

Brainspark plc

                                                 ("Brainspark" or "the Company")

Proposed Board Changes

Brainspark, an AIM listed, fast-growing, international investment company, is pleased to announce the proposed appointment of Mr Luke Johnson as Non-Executive Chairman and the immediate appointment of Mr Nilesh Jagatia as Group Finance Director to the Board of the Company. In addition, Brainspark announces that Edward Burman has resigned from the Company with immediate effect to pursue other projects.

Proposed Board Appointment and Board Changes

It is proposed that on admission to trading on AIM of the placing shares resulting from the placing announced earlier today, Luke Johnson will be appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of the Company and that Alfredo Villa will take the role of CEO with Cesare Suglia becoming COO. A further announcement will be made at the time of Admission, including the information required by the AIM Rules, in relation to the proposed appointment of Luke Johnson.

Luke is the Chairman of Risk Capital Partners LLP, a private equity house, and Chairman and part-owner of Giraffe restaurants and Patisserie Valerie.

He is the owner of the Baker and Spice bakery chain and artisan baker Flour Power City. Luke holds a majority stake in both Feng Sushi, a London-based chain of Japanese restaurants specialising in home delivery, and in casual-dining chain 3Sixty Restaurants, comprising Ego and Rocket restaurants. He is also Chairman and part owner of Bread Ltd, the firm behind the Gail's artisan bakery chain.

He is a non-executive director of Metro Bank plc. Luke is also a major owner and director of APT Controls, the market leader in car park equipment.

Former Business Interests:

Luke was Chairman of Channel 4 Television Corporation from January 2004 to January 2010.

In 1993 Luke took control of PizzaExpress with partners and subsequently became Chairman. He grew the business from 12 owned restaurants to over 250, and the share price from 40p to over 900p. He sold out in 1999 and started Signature Restaurants, which owned The Ivy and Le Caprice, as well as the Belgo chain, selling the business in 2005. In 2000 he started the Strada restaurant concept from scratch and took the chain to 30 units, selling the business in 2006. The total proceeds from these two disposals were in excess of £90 million.

Luke founded Integrated Dental Holdings with partners in 1996 and grew it to become the largest UK chain of dental surgeries with over 500 dentists. This was sold in 2006 for over £100 million.

Board Appointment of Nilesh Jagatia

Nilesh Jagatia FCCA (aged 44):

Nilesh was Group Finance Director of Media Corporation plc for a period 5 years until July 2012. During his time at Media Corporation he was responsible for the Group's accounting and worked on a number Corporate transactions. Nilesh has over 20 years' experience including senior financial roles in divisions of both Universal Music Group and Sanctuary Group Plc. He served as a Finance Director for an independent record label that expanded in to the US. Nilesh is a qualified accountant and has a degree in finance from the University of North London.

Nilesh Jagatia has held the following Directorships over the past five years:

Current	Previous
	Media Corporation plc Flight Comparison Limited Result Online Limited

Alfredo Villa, Executive Chairman of Brainspark, commented:

"We are delighted that Luke will be joining the Board and we look forward to him working closely with us. As we move forward with our acquisition strategy and execution of the operational expansion of our leisure assets, we believe that Luke's many years' experience in growing and disposing of businesses especially within the leisure and restaurant sectors will help generate significant rewards for shareholders.

"Nilesh becomes our first full time UK based Director and will work closely with the finance teams of our investee companies to ensure timely delivery of financial reports. We welcome both Directors to the Company."

Save for the information disclosed above there is no other information required to be disclosed under Rule 17 and Schedule Two, paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules.

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For further information please contact:

Brainspark plc                                                                                                       [phone]

Alfredo Villa, Chairman

Westhouse Securities                                                                                 [phone]

Antonio Bossi

Jonathan Haines

Leander PR                                                                                                 [phone]

Christian Taylor-Wilkinson

About Brainspark Plc

Brainspark plc (AIM: BSP) is an AIM listed investment company pursuing a dynamic strategy to create a comprehensive portfolio of companies primarily encompassing the leisure and real estate sectors mainly in Italy but also other European countries. The Company may be either a passive or active investor and Brainspark's investment rationale ranges from acquiring minority positions with strategic influence through to larger controlling positions.

 

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