– UK, Manchester – XP Factory (LON: XPF), a group of leading UK experiential leisure businesses operating under the Escape Hunt and Boom Battle Bar brands, announced the appointments to its Board Martin Shuker as Senior Independent Non-Executive Director and Philip Shepherd as independent Non-Executive Director, both effective from the AGM today.
“We are delighted that Martin Shuker and Philip Shepherd have agreed to join our Board. Their respective experience and skill sets bring an additional dimension to the Board and will provide significant value to our strategic thinking, operational success and board governance,” commented Board Chairman, Richard Rose.
Philip Shepherd will also join the Audit Committee as its Chair, while Martin Shuker will join the Remuneration Committee as its Chair.
The company also announced that Karen Bach will be stepping down as the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director.
About Martin Shuker
Martin Shuker has had a long and distinguished career with Yum Brands, the US Fortune 500 Global hospitality business. He spent 24 years in a variety of leadership roles, most recently as Managing Director of KFC Western Europe where he had full strategic, growth, and operational responsibility for over 1,700 restaurants and 165 franchisees which generated £2.3 billion in sales and £120 million of profit.
As MD of KFC UK, he more than doubled sales to £1.3 billion and met or exceeded targets in 11 of 13 years.
Martin has demonstrated his ability to consistently achieve growth and bottom-line performance of established owner-operated and franchise businesses over a long period and has relevant experience in entering new territories through franchise routes. He successfully opened new markets in several European countries and has demonstrated his ability to both manage an established franchise network as well as establish new networks in new territories.
Before YUM, Martin had a variety of marketing roles with United Biscuits.
About Philip Shepherd
Philip Shepherd is a former partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he originally trained in audit and tax, qualifying as an ACA in 1987.
Following a career in corporate finance and transaction advisory services, Philip returned to PwC in 2004 working both in the UK and overseas, leading Strategy and Deals practices, with a particular focus on the hospitality and leisure sectors. Since leaving PwC in 2018, he has held several board and advisor roles, again with a focus on hospitality and leisure. He regularly travels abroad where he advises, and speaks, on the experiential leisure market and start-up opportunities. Philip combines his experience in accounting and audit with deal evaluation and execution and has a deep understanding of the hospitality and leisure markets both in the UK and globally.
About XP Factory plc
The XP Factory Group is one of the UK’s pre-eminent experiential leisure businesses which currently operates two fast-growing leisure brands. Escape Hunt is a global leader in providing escape-the-room experiences delivered through a network of owner-operated sites in the UK, an international network of franchised outlets in five continents, and digitally delivered games that can be played remotely.
Boom Battle Bar is a fast-growing network of owner-operated and franchise sites in the UK that combine competitive socializing activities with themed cocktails, drinks, and street food in a high-energy, fun setting. Activities include a range of games such as augmented reality darts, Bavarian ax throwing, ‘crazier golf’, shuffleboard and others. The Group’s products enjoy premium customer ratings and cater for leisure or teambuilding, in small groups or large, and are suitable for consumers, businesses, and other organizations. The Company has a strategy to expand the network in the UK and internationally, creating high-quality games and experiences delivered through multiple formats which can incorporate branded IP content.
For more information: https://www.xpfactory.com/
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