Bowers promoted to acting MD at UK Fast
ENTREPRENEUR Lawrence Jones, founder of fast-growing web hosting company UKFast is handing over day-to-day running of the business.
He has appointed his cousin Jonathan Bowers, currently communications director at the Manchester company as acting managing director, while he has become chief executive.
Mr Jones, whose wife and co-founder Gail is currently out of the 150-employee business on maternity leave, said the move would allow him to focus on the strategic growth of the business and the delivery of new data centres.
In a memo to staff he said he had found his time is being “spread and stretched too thinly”, and he is confident Mr Bowers can step up to his new challenge.
“I am hoping the shoes fit perfectly as he embodies our core values to the letter.”
Mr Jones said he had been urged to appoint an MD by Sir Richard Branson, with whom he has become close over the last couple of years.
“It was a couple of years ago when Branson first gave me the advice that I need to get a right-hand man to run the day to day operations of UKFast,” Mr Jones said.
He then explains he had not acted upon this advice, until now.
Stressing his commitment to the business and its staff, he said: “My love affair with UKFast is not over, you can’t break a bond as strong as the one I have for you all, however just like when I first became a dad, my role and the dynamic with in the family naturally had to change.”
He told TheBusinessDesk.com: “There is a need for strategic development especially with the new data centres, however there are a number of opportunities that present themselves which are complimentary to UKFast.
“UKFast provides a perfect platform from where we are able to design and launch a number of exciting businesses.”
Mr Bowers said: “We’ve always focused on creating a business that thrives on team contribution. With Lawrence stepping up to CEO and putting his trust in myself to manage business operations we have strengthened our opportunities, especially with the quality of the team around us.”
