Directorbank has recently assisted Livingbridge in the search for a new Chairman for Key Travel Group.

Key Travel is the leading travel management company dedicated to serving the travel requirements of the humanitarian, education and faith sectors. The firm has offices in the UK, Europe and the US and provides airline tickets, hotels, rail tickets, visas and risk management services to a growing client base both offline and online. 

Since investment from Livingbridge in 2013, Key Travel has embarked on an ambitious growth strategy to increase penetration of both the UK academic and charity markets whilst accelerating expansion plans in the US.

To help realise such plans, the business required a new Chairman with the right blend of experience and skills to guide the Board and senior team through the next phase of growth.  The ideal candidate would be a proven private equity Chairman with a strong background in the technology-enabled business services arena and in-depth international experience.

After Directorbank’s thorough search of the market, Neville Davis became the unanimous choice. A highly respected non-executive chairman and company director, Neville has successfully chaired a number of high growth PE-backed companies, with a particular bias to international expansion in the tech sector.

He is currently Chairman of three companies, most with global reach – Clifford Thames (software-based solutions and services), SecureData (IT security solutions and services), and Fourth (global market leader in the provision of SaaS to the hospitality sector). His previous roles include Chair of Trustmarque, Ascribe and Amor (the latter at which GCP’s exit won ‘Private Equity Deal of the Year’ at the UKtech Awards 2013).

“We have used Directorbank on several occasions to facilitate the search for senior talent. They are well known and respected across the PE industry and bring years of experience and knowledge to the task of finding the best individual. James has a deep understanding of the tech and services sectors and is a highly effective search professional – rigorous, discreet, intelligent in his approach and extremely well networked. We are delighted with Neville’s appointment. Neville’s track record is outstanding and his strong sector expertise and experience of international expansion will be instrumental in helping Key Travel achieve its ambitious growth plans.” Graham Butler, Livingbridge.

For more information on Directorbank’s executive search and pre-deal recruitment services, please contact James Searby on 020 7255 7940.

Directorbank has made further investment in its research team with two new appointments. Anna Cutmore joins the team from Wilton & Bain and Laura Buxton joins from Odgers Berndtson. Both have strong experience of working on board level search mandates

At Wilton & Bain, Anna was a Senior Associate leading a research team through the entire delivery cycle and managing candidates throughout the process. She additionally gained solid experience in delivering due diligence and market mapping exercises as well as detailed sector-specific company reviews to source exceptional candidates.

At Odgers Berndtson, Laura worked in both the Healthcare and Board Practices undertaking detailed research exercises for a variety of executive and non-executive appointments including sector and competitor mapping activity. Additionally she supported the consultants in a broader capacity by drafting proposals and candidate reports.

James Searby, Director, comments: “Such a skilled research team significantly boosts Directorbank’s mapping capabilities and delivers vital support to our consultants by enabling them to respond faster to a search brief with the best talent solutions available in the market.”

Such investment has given us the resource and expertise to win and deliver a growing number of retained assignments, particularly from entrepreneurial private firms and plc’s that require high calibre entrepreneurial directors to implement change and drive growth.”

For more information on our service offering please contact James Searby on 020 7255 7940 or visit www.directorbank.com

Directorbank adds value to the private equity sector with executive search solutions, pre-deal recruitment support and networking events. The business also specialises in board and senior level search assignments for privately-owned and AIM listed businesses.

Anna Cutmore:

Laura Buxton: