6th Nov 2007 07:00
John Botts to succeed Geoff Unwin as Chairman of United Business Media plc
United Business Media plc is pleased to announce that John Botts will succeed Geoff Unwin as Chairman with effect from 13 December 2007. Mr Unwin will resign from the Board on that date.
John Botts brings more than 25 years' experience of investment banking, corporate finance and private equity, particularly in the media industries. Mr Botts is the senior independent director on the Board of United Business Media plc and has been a member of the Board since 1997. He is also a non-executive director of Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. Mr Botts previously spent 23 years with Citibank, rising to Chief Executive of Citicorp Investment Bank Limited and Business Manager for Citibank's Global Investment Bank in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Lord Leitch will succeed John Botts as the Senior Independent Director.
John Botts said: "I am delighted to be appointed to the position of Chairman of UBM. Geoff Unwin has done a magnificent job as Chairman over the last five years and on behalf of the Board and the Shareholders I would like to thank him for this and to wish him well for the future. I am looking forward enormously to working closely with David Levin and his executive team as they continue to build and develop United Business Media."
Geoff Unwin, retiring Chairman of United Business Media plc, said: "After more than eleven years on the Board including five years as Chairman, I am delighted that my successor as Chairman is a businessman as distinguished and as capable as John Botts who also knows UBM well. I would like to thank the Board, the executives and staff of United Business Media for making my time with UBM such a stimulating and rewarding experience."
David Levin, Chief Executive Officer of United Business Media plc said: "I would like to thank Geoff for the contribution he has made to UBM over the course of more than eleven years. Since becoming Chairman he has overseen the wholesale transformation of UBM as a company and has driven the creation of significant value for our shareholders. I would like to add my personal thanks for his invaluable support and wise counsel since my appointment as Chief Executive in 2005."
"I am, of course, extremely pleased to welcome John Botts as our new Chairman. John has huge experience and expertise in B2B media and a particularly insightful view on mergers and acquisitions and value creation. I look forward to working with him as we continue to build UBM and its businesses."
- Ends - ContactsMedia Peter Bancroft Director of Communications E-mail [email protected] Direct telephone +44 20 7921 5961 Chris Barrie Citigate Dewe Rogerson E-mail [email protected] Direct telephone +44 20 7282 2943 Mobile +44 796 872 72 89 Analysts/Investors Email [email protected] telephone +44 20 7921 5095 Nigel Wilson +44 20 7921 5019 Andrew Crow +44 20 7921 5940 Notes to Editors
1. About United Business Media plc United Business Media plc is a leading global business media company. We inform markets and bring the world's buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print, and with the information they need to do business successfully. We focus on serving professional commercial communities, from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewellery dealers, from farmers to pharmacists around the world. Our 5,000 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist teams that serve these communities, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently.
For more information, go to www.unitedbusinessmedia.com.
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