Simpson quits top job at Peel

THE man at the helm of Peel Holdings, one of the North West’s most influential companies, has quit after four years in the job.

Andrew Simpson has resigned as group managing director of Manchester-based Peel which owns a string of high profile assets in the North West including the Manchester Ship Canal, the Trafford Centre and Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Mr Simpson will stay on for a short period to work on some investment projects. The move follows the summer departure of Peel Airports’ executive chairman Robert Hough who left after landing the chairmanship at the Northwest Regional Development Agency.

In a statement Peel said Mr Simpson, pictured right, had decided to leave because he had completed his main task – to orchestrate Peel’s transformation from a centrally managed conglomerate to a, “decentralised group of divisions with strong management teams”.

Mr Simpson said: “It has been a privilege to work with [Peel chairman] John Whittaker and the Peel team over the past few years. The group now has strong teams in place across its divisions which operate with greater autonomy and less need for my involvement. I feel that the job that I came to do has been done and look forward to my next challenge.

“Peel has a great platform for its next generation of growth and is uniquely placed to make a significant contribution to the economy of the UK and in particular the North West of England.”

Mr Whittaker said: “Andrew joined Peel at a time of transition for the group from conglomerate to decentralised investment company. He has been instrumental in delivering that process and in achieving corporate transactions which have given Peel a very strong balance sheet and fantastic platform for the future.”

Prior to joining Peel Mr Simpson was the commercial director at Speedy Hire and had spent eight years in investment banking at Rothschild.

Peel Holdings is one of the UK’s largest private companies. It is developing 25,000 acres of land, much of it in the North West, and is behind several controversial schemes including a proposed race course in Salford and a multi-billion pound plan to build skyscrapers on the banks of the Mersey.

It is also developing MediaCity at Salford Quays is moving into energy generation. It is investigating the potential for tidal power from the Mersey, has already built wind farms and has formed a joint venture with European energy companies to build new generation coal-fired power stations.