New-look caterskill

Caterskill, the Midlands-based contract caterer, has unveiled a new executive board in the wake of the takeover by French catering giant Eurest International.

Promoted alongside chief executive Michael Pearson and operations director Richard Lings are company secretary Stephen Vale, who becomes finance director, and executives Sean Hagan and Russell Scandrett, respectively sales director and commercial director.

Chairman and managing director Nigel Poole, who owned 54% of the company, and sales director Robert Tarrant, who held a 5% stake, have both left to pursue interests outside contract catering.

It was Mr Poole's decision to sell his stake that precipitated the need to restructure the company. As a management buyout was not possible, it was decided a partnership was the best way of preserving Caterskill's future.

Mr Poole told Caterer: "Increasingly, the company had become more successful with less need for my day-to-day involvement, and I wanted to become involved in new projects outside the company."

According to Mr Pearson, Caterskill will retain its own identity under Eurest, alongside Leith's. The plan is now to grow the business organically outside its Midlands base, while making use of synergies in purchasing and marketing.

However, Eurest's long-term strategy for expansion in the UK will not be fully revealed until it completes its next acquisition. Caterer understands a deal to buy another regional contract caterer, possibly in the South, is imminent.