Inspired bosses sell shares amid strong demand

THE boss of Inspired Energy, the AIM-listed Lancashire energy procurement company have netted £3m after each selling shares in the business.

Chief executive Janet Thornton and her husband Matthew, an executive director, each sold £1.5m worth of shares, along with non-executive chairman Bob Holt and Manchester-based corporate finance firm Praetura Ventures which both sold five million shares in the business, earning them £662,500 each.

The company, which is based at Kirkham near Preston, said the share sales on Monday were the result of “strong institutional demand”. In total 33.95 million shares were sold at 13.25p each.

The Thorntons jointly retain 22.3% of the company’s shares, while Praetura retains a 3.65% stake and Mr Holt 0.53%.

Separately the company said that following the exercise of share options by certain employees including finance director Paul Connor, it has made an application to the London Stock Exchange for the admission to trading on AIM of 1,750,000 new shares to satisfy the exercise of options granted under a 2011 share option scheme.