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David Speakman resigns as Travel Counsellors chairman
Travel Counsellors’ founder David Speakman is to take more of a ‘back seat’ at the homeworking group.
The travel firm confirmed the move, but said there would be no further management changes. The company will continue to be run by managing director Steve Byrne with the support of the senior directors.
Speakman said: "Since Maureen [his wife] and I created Travel Counsellors over 20 years ago, it has been a fantastic journey of emotional fulfilment. I now think it appropriate to take a back seat in the business in my capacity as chairman, whilst still maintaining the same level of investment in the company.
"I wish everyone, the directors, staff and the whole family of Travel Counsellors continued success and happiness and I know the special company we have built together will continue to grow and change people’s lives for the better for many years to come."
His decision to relinquish his role as chairman is with immediate effect.
Travel Counsellors was placed 174th in the Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 list on Sunday which ranks Britain’s mid-market private companies with the fastest-growing international sales.
This is the third time the company has received this accolade, after also appearing on the list in 2011 and 2012.
The company now has over 850 Travel Counsellors running their own businesses from home across the UK and a further 550 in its overseas operations in Ireland, the Netherlands, South Africa, Australia, the UAE and its most recent expansion into Belgium.
Speakman founded Travel Counsellors in 1994. The company was inspired by the words of 1990s futurist Faith Popcorn who predicted people would increasingly stay at home surrounded by modern technology. It celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.
In 2014, an investment in Travel Counsellors by Equistone Partners Europe allowed a partial management buyout of the homeworking group.
The remaining ownership stayed with David and Maureen Speakman.
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