14th Oct 2013 07:00
14 October 2013
Digital Globe Services, Ltd.
(the "Company" and together with its subsidiaries "DGS")
Appointment of Chief Financial Officer
Digital Globe Services, Ltd. (AIM: DGS), a leading provider of online customer acquisition solutions for large, consumer-facing organisations, is pleased to announce the appointment of Sandra Rodger as an Executive Director of the Board and as Chief Financial Officer of the DGS Group ("CFO"), to be effective as of 1 December 2013.
Sandra brings to the DGS Group a wealth of experience after working in financial services for 21 years. Sandra joins DGS from Grant Thornton UK LLP where she served as an Assurance Partner and as Practice Leader for the firm's Edinburgh office. Sandra joined Grant Thornton in 2012 as Lead Partner to a portfolio of 12 clients with international scale and was responsible for developing the Scottish audit and advisory practice. Sandra has also been involved in a number of UK IPO transactions throughout her career, including that of DGS. Sandra previously served as Director and Head of Assurance Private Business for central Scotland at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Other relevant experience includes Deloitte & Touche LLP as Senior Manager in Assurance and Advisory in the firm's Newcastle office.
Sandra is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Andrew Lear, currently serving as interim CFO, will hand over CFO responsibilities to Sandra upon her appointment and will resume his role as Chief Strategy Officer of the Company.
Jeff Cox, CEO of Digital Globe Services, commented: "We are delighted Sandra is joining the team at this exciting stage in the Company's development. Sandra's extensive track record of financial transactions and PLC company experience will be invaluable in supporting DGS as we enter the next phase of growth, capitalising on strong momentum following the successful IPO. We welcome Sandra to the Board and look forward to her important contributions."
Regulatory information:
Sandra Willis Rodger (age 37) is or has been a director or partner of the following companies or partnerships during the previous 5 years:
Current | Previous |
- | Grant Thornton UK LLP |
Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP |
The Board has approved the Remuneration Committee's recommendation to grant Sandra Rodger options over depositary interests representing 370,837 common shares of $0.001 each ("Common Shares") in the Company. The options have an exercise price of 229.50 pence per share, being the closing price of the Company's Common Shares as at 11 October 2013, the last practicable date prior to the grant being made. A quarter of these options vest on the first anniversary of the start date and the remainder equally on a monthly basis over the following 36 months. The options have been granted as part of the remuneration package and are subject to a specific set of performance criteria.
There is no further information on Ms. Rodger required to be disclosed under Rule 17 or Schedule Two, paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.
As a consequence of the appointment of Sandra Rodger as the Company CFO, DGS has been notified by Grant Thornton UK LLP ("GT") that it is obliged to resign as the Company auditor under UK regulations designed to preserve the audit firm independence and prevent undue influence over the audit firm. As Ms. Rodger was previously the Company auditor at GT, the Company expects to receive GT's formal resignation and is in the process of retaining a new audit firm. Accordingly, the Board will withdraw the resolution to be put to shareholders at the AGM to re-appoint GT.
For further information please contact:
Digital Globe Services, Ltd. | www.dgsworld.com |
Jeff Cox, CEO | +1 303 736 2105 |
N+1 Singer | |
Shaun Dobson / Aubrey Powell/ Matt Thomas | +44 20 7496 3000 |
Newgate Threadneedle | +44 20 7653 9850 |
Caroline Evans-Jones / Josh Royston / Hilary Millar / Jasper Randall | |
Overview of DGS
Founded in 2008 with offices in London, Bermuda, Netherlands, USA and Ireland, DGS is a specialist provider of outsourced online customer acquisition solutions for large, consumer-facing corporations. DGS delivers customers to its clients through optimised paid search, integrated websites and contact centre support, receiving a fee for each customer acquired for its clients.
DGS is seeking to establish itself as the leading international provider of outsourced online customer acquisition services, through its focus on having the premier technology platform for pricing and procuring paid search advertising on a cost effective basis. Paid search refers to the auction process for key search terms that search providers run and in which prospective advertisers, or their agents, compete in order to have their advertising or search results displayed.
By using its optimizing technology platform, dgSmart, and its experience of website management, efficient contact centre operations and other process expertise, DGS is able to bid appropriately and cost effectively for search terms in order to achieve conversion rates that deliver profitable, high quality customers to its clients.
DGS employs approximately 430 staff in Europe, North America and Asia. The Company currently has over 30 direct and indirect client relationships globally, many of which are with companies in the US Fortune 500. In 2012, DGS commenced operations in Canada and Mexico, and is pursuing further growth opportunities in Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. DGS has also recently started providing its customer acquisition services to the home automation and renewable energy sector, and is examining additional opportunities in the insurance, retail banking, utility and consumer technology sectors.
Related Shares:
DGS.L