Board Appointments

Dissemination of a Regulatory Announcement that contains inside information according to REGULATION (EU) No 596/2014 (MAR).

WH Ireland Group Plc

(“WH Ireland” or the “Company”)

Board Appointments

WH Ireland (AIM: WHI) is pleased to announce that following the announcement of 4 October 2019, it has been agreed that subject to FCA approval, Philip Shelley will be appointed Chair of the Company. Tim Steel will remain as Chair until such time as the potential Chair is approved by the FCA.

At the same time the Board is pleased to confirm that Stephen Ford has been appointed as an Executive Director of the Company, subject to FCA approval. 

Stephen Ford is an experienced PLC and company director in the wealth and investment management sector who joined WH Ireland in February 2019 as Head of Wealth Management. Stephen was previously Executive Director of City Asset Management for two years up until December 2018. Prior to that, he spent 16 years at Brewin Dolphin, where between 2013 and 2016 he was Head of Wealth & Investment Management. Stephen is a Chartered Wealth Manager and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst. 

Philip Shelley, Non-Executive Chair (elect) commented “I am delighted to take on the role of Chair. I believe that the people and the business of WH Ireland have a clear opportunity ahead of them to grow both Wealth Management and CIB by delivering high quality service to our customers in these rapidly-changing markets.  

Phillip Wale and his new team has made good progress in a short time reducing costs, strengthening the controls framework and introducing appropriate pricing arrangements in Wealth Management. The proposed appointment of Stephen Ford as an Executive Director will help us to seize the opportunities that we have in our Wealth Management business.

“There remains much to do as we continue to improve our cost structure, and as we develop and execute our strategy to create a business that can reward all its stakeholders. I look forward with optimism to the next stage of the company‘s development, and to updating all stakeholders on our activities and strategy as we progress.“

For further information please contact:

Appendix

Further information in relation to Stephen Ford

Save for the information above and below, there are no further disclosures to be made in accordance with Rule 17, Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies in respect of the appointment.

Full name:          Stephen Nicholas Ford

Age:                     54 years old

Mr Ford currently holds the following directorships:

Hertfordshire Catering Limited

Sherland Property LLP

Harrogate Street BPRA LLP

Cobalt Data Centre 2 LLP

Cumberland House BPRA Property Fund LLP

Stellar Martineau LLP

 In the last five years, Mr Ford held the following directorships:

City Asset Management PLC

Brewin Dolphin Limited

Brewin Dolphin Holdings PLC

Tilman Brewin Dolphin (Ireland)

Mr Ford, and persons closely associated (PCA), holds 314,765 shares in the share capital of the Company, representing 0.73%. He also holds 150,000 options over ordinary shares in the capital of the Company.