New chairman for Portman Travel
A former director of services group Hays has become chairman of Portman Travel.
Mark Aldridge will work with the independent travel management company’s team led by managing director Graham Flack and its private equity backer Vision Capital, which became principal shareholder in the company in December 2006.
Flack said: “Mark’s appointment is a huge bonus for Portman. He brings a vast amount of relevant experience and will be of great benefit to the board through his wide understanding of the business environment.
“We have ambitious plans for growth over the medium term and Mark will be integral in helping us successfully reach our goals.”
Aldridge said: “I’ve worked in a number of companies in the public and private sectors and understand how successful businesses work. Portman is already in an extremely strong position in its market and I’m looking forward to helping build on that success over the coming period.”
He has over 35 years experience in business and has held senior board positions at large companies. From 1986-93 he worked at two subsidiaries of the blue-collar services group BET, first as managing director at Biffa Waste Services, and then as chief executive of Initial Contract Services, managing 65,000 staff. He was also board director of white-collar services group Hays from 1993-98.
Since 1998 Aldridge has worked with a number of private equity firms including Duke Street Capital, Barclays Capital, Bridgepoint Capital and, most recently, Vision Capital, leading MBOs in sectors including waste management, specialist care homes, public sector staffing, labour supply and management, international engineering, and specialist metals manufacturing.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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