Rupert Soames leaves Aggreko to take up role at Serco

PORTABLE power group Aggreko has announced that its group chief executive Rupert Soames is leaving the role.

Soames, the grandson of Winston Churchill, has tendered his resignation so that he can join Serco Group, the Hampshire-based international service company, where he will become group chief executive with effect from June 1.

He had been with Cannock-based Aggreko – which provides temporary power solutions, often at times of emergency – for 11 years.

He will leave the firm after its annual general meeting on April 24.
 
Aggreko said it has started a process to identify a permanent successor and has appointed Angus Cockburn, currently chief financial officer, as interim CEO from April 24 and Carole Cran, currently director of group finance, as interim CFO from the same date.
 
Soames said: “I have loved every minute of my time with Aggreko. Our customers, the essential nature of our services and above all our people make it an outstanding company and I am proud to have played a part in its successful growth over the past 11 years.

“But there comes a time when all CEOs need to move on and now, with a new five year strategy in place and an exceptionally strong executive team running the business, that time has come.

“Aggreko is a great company with great people and I wish Angus and the team every success.”
 
Ken Hanna, Aggreko group chairman, said: “Rupert has been an excellent CEO for Aggreko and the group has achieved an enormous amount during his tenure.

“We will miss him but understand his desire to seek fresh challenges elsewhere.”