Appointment of Chief Financial Officer

Smiths News

31/07/2025 07:00

RNS Number : 2717T

Smiths News PLC

31 July 2025

 

31 July 2025

Smiths News PLC

("Smiths News" or the "Company" or the "Group")

Appointment of Chief Financial Officer

 

Smiths News (LSE: SNWS), the UK's largest news wholesaler and a leading provider of early morning end-to-end supply chain solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Clay as Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"), with effect from a date still to be agreed but which is expected to be no later than 30 January 2026.

Richard has extensive experience in senior finance and strategic roles across financial and support services. Richard joins Smiths News from ZIGUP plc ("ZIGUP"), a leading integrated mobility solutions provider, where he currently holds the role of Interim CFO and UK&I Group Finance Director. Richard joined ZIGUP in May 2018, and has held a variety of roles since, including Head of Group Strategy, FP&A and Investor Relations.

Prior to his role at ZIGUP, Richard held several FD and CFO roles at Barclays, in the Business and Corporate Banking divisions. Richard is a qualified accountant and began his career with Deloitte, spending eight years in their Corporate Finance division focussed on strategic change.  

On joining, Richard will immediately also be appointed as a Director of the Company.

Richard replaces current Chief Financial Officer Paul Baker who, as announced on 4 March 2025, informed the Board of his intention to step down as a director and CFO in order to join a large private business operating in a different sector.

David Blackwood, Chairman of Smiths News, commented:

"I am delighted to welcome Richard to Smiths News as Chief Financial Officer. Richard joins at an exciting time for the business as we continue to capitalise on our first-class newspaper and magazine distribution capabilities and to further diversify across the specialist distribution market. We look forward to working with Richard as he brings his wealth of financial, strategic and commercial expertise to help drive these revenue streams, alongside continuing to leverage our existing skills and capabilities."

The Company confirms that there is no further information about Mr Clay requiring disclosure under paragraph 6.4.8R (2) to (6) of the FCA UK Listing Rules.

 

For further information, please contact:

Smiths News PLC
Jonathan Bunting, Chief Executive Officer
Paul Baker, Chief Financial Officer
www.smithsnews.co.uk
via Vigo Consulting
Vigo Consulting
Jeremy Garcia / Fiona Hetherington / Anna Sutton
smithsnews@vigoconsulting.com
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7390 0230

About Smiths News

Smiths News is the UK's largest news wholesaler and leading provider of early morning, end-to-end supply chain solutions. Smiths News has been delivering newspapers to retailers across the UK for over 200 years on behalf of the major national and regional publishers. Today, Smiths News delivers to over 22,000 customers across England and Wales on a daily basis.

Smiths News' service capability now extends into a number of growth initiatives that build on its expertise in warehousing, reverse logistics and early morning final mile services, across its extensive high-density UK delivery network, including a waste recycling collection service, the delivery of additional categories such as books and home entertainment, and extending our services in the final mile.

The speed of turnaround and the density of Smiths News' coverage is critical to one of the world's fastest physical supply chains and we remain focused on continuing to deliver best in class service to the news and magazines market, whilst exploring opportunities for growth based on this strong foundation.

For more information, please visit: www.smithsnews.co.uk

 

Person responsible for arranging release of this announcement:

Stuart Marriner, General Counsel & Company Secretary

Smiths News plc, Rowan House, Cherry Orchard North, Kembrey Park, Swindon SN2 8UH

Email: cosec@smithsnews.co.uk

 

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