Jacobs to step down from lastminute.com

Clive Jacobs is to step down in June as vice chairman of lastminute.com to “look at other business opportunities”. The Holiday Autos founder joined the board of the online retailer when lastminure.com bought the car rental broker last year. Mr Jacobs, who was chairman and chief executive of Holiday Autos, joined lastminute.com last March after the acquisition. He is to leave at the end of June following the successful integration of Holiday Autos into lastminute.com. Holiday Autos will be overseen by lastminute.com chief operating officer Ian McCaig. Mr Jacobs said: “It has been fantastic to be part of lastminute.com during the past year and see the company I founded integrate so successfully to become a key part of the group but I now want to look at other business opportunities.” Lastminute.com chairman Allan Leighton said: “Clive is a natural business leader and he understandably wants to take on new challenges.” A replacement non-executive director is expected to be announced before Mr Jacobs’ departure in June. Report by Phil Davies