People: Puregym CFO joins board of fancy dress firm; Print specialist makes senior hire; and more

Online retailer Fancy Dress Worldwide has announced that the CFO of Puregym Adam Bellamy as one of the firm’s new investors.

Bellamy will take up a non-executive director position starting in October, joining founder and managing director Dom Portman, together with former global banking executive Kayar Raghavan on the board of Worcester-based Fancy Dress Worldwide.

Bellamy will be stepping away from his PureGym CFO role in October but plans to maintain a position on its board as a non-executive director and investor.

Bellamy said: “I’m delighted to be joining Dom and the team at Fancy Dress Worldwide. I think they’ve done a great job in establishing the business thus far and I’m looking forward to helping them realise their ambitious plans for long term growth.”

Fancy Dress Worldwide recently smashed its crowdfunding target of £200,000, raising £271,000 via Seedrs in27 days.

The company has plans to use the investment to expand the firm’s operations with new warehouse equipment, Amazon Prime integration and an export strategy for the USA.

Portman said “The Fancy Dress Worldwide team and I are extremely excited to have smashed the crowdfunding target, well before the closing date. One of the key goals of this funding round was to gain experience within the company as we grow.

“Mid-way through the round, and after some careful thought, Kayar and I felt that appointing an experienced CFO as a non-executive director would be beneficial, and Adam fits the bill perfectly, having helped scale PureGym to over 200 gyms and a £600m valuation when it was sold last year. It’s an extremely exciting time for the company, particularly with Halloween around the corner, and I encourage anyone wanting to invest to do so soon, as we will shortly be closing the round.”

:::

Birmingham-based direct mail fulfilment and print management services provider bakergoodchild has hired Gunvinder Bhogal as head of marketing.

Bhogal brings a wealth of marketing expertise and experience to bakergoodchild’s business model, with over 17 years of global B2B marketing experience working in various industries.

He said: “I am very pleased that I have the opportunity to be part of such an ambitious company that are looking to really grow their business in the coming three to five years. Direct mail as a whole has had a battle against more digital alternatives but the opportunity to integrate mail with digital technology and the over saturation of emails, has opened up exciting opportunities in the UK and globally for companies to connect with mail.

“Many companies in various industry sectors use direct mail and it is obvious to see bakergoodchild has a very strong established customer base already. I am looking forward to getting started and helping bakergoodchild to reach new heights.”

:::

Gordon Johncox, chief executive of Aston Manor Cider, has been named as the new chair of the National Association of Cider Makers (NACM).

Johncox outlined his vision to ensure a sustainable future for producers, whatever their scale.

He called for a fair and balanced regulatory environment for cider makers to operate in and asked for the support from MPs, Ministers and officials to back the UK industry – home to the largest cider market in the world.

He said: “I’ve enjoyed a significant amount of my career in the cider industry and a great part of my life living in the cider heartland, so I am relishing the opportunity to lead the industry.

“No matter the size of the cider maker, everyone is committed to apples and agriculture – that is the most important message I want to get across. The industry is facing a number of complex challenges, but through a united approach we can certainly deliver a future that is innovative and sustainable.

“We need an excise duty structure that allows producers to grow, a robust examination of evidence in all policy issues and of course, cider makers to have the common goal to celebrate this diverse industry that provides for ever consumer and occasion – here in the UK and across the world.”

Before joining Aston Manor Cider, Johncox was the managing director at Magners GB. He will be the chair of the NACM for two years and has replaced Helen Thomas of Westons Cider.