Executive Directors
Steven Crowe
Chief Executive Officer, ACA, BA,(Hons)
Steve joined the company in January 2020 with a proven background as a Chief Financial Officer and Senior Executive with a blend of front-line financial, commercial and strategic experience in both the private equity and blue-chip corporate environment, underpinned by a "Big 4" background. Moving from his role as Chief Financial Officer to Chief Executive Officer in June 2023.
Highly experienced in leading businesses in business strategy, M&A, planning and reporting as well as driving major commercial and business change decisions and execution.
Has a first-class record of project delivery, building sustainable senior relationships and developing high performance teams within differing business environments.
Steve's previous posts include COO at Verisk Claims October 2018 - December 2019, CFO Validus IVC LTD June 2014 - September 2018, FP&A Director Aviva General Insurance January 2011 - May 2014 and Divisional Finance Director Aviva General Insurance October 2007 - December 2010.
Sam Copeman
Chief Financial Officer, FCA, BEng and Company Secretary
Sam joined the Group in June 2023 as CFO with over 20 years’ experience as a senior finance leader.
Prior to joining the Group, Sam held roles across a variety of industries within private equity, debt leveraged and private ownership structures and has a track record of creating shareholder value through the development and execution of ambitious strategic plans, driving growth and delivering shareholder value.
Sam's previous posts include CFO at Esportif (global sports management), CFO at 3sun Group (pan-European renewable energy services) and CFO at EV (global energy technology, services and manufacturing). Sam is a member of the Institute Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Non-Executive Directors
Andy Torrance
Non-Executive Chairman
After joining the business as a Non-Executive Director in October 2019, Andy became Chief Executive Officer in February 2020 and after serving just over three years as the Chief Executive Officer became the Non-Executive Chairman in June 2023.
Having previously held COO positions at Dunelm and Holland & Barrett, as well as a number of executive roles during a 12-year tenure at Halfords, Andy has a wealth of specialist retail experience.
Commercially astute with demonstrated leadership skills, Andy has successfully grown brands across multiple geographies, driving sales and delivering EBITDA growth by implementing customer-centric omni-channel strategies.
In his position as COO of Holland & Barrett, Andy had executive accountability for Leadership, Customer Experience and Store P+L in 1,064 stores in UK, Eire, the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden.
Nicola Murphy
Non-Executive Director
Nicki is founder and Group CEO of The River Group an independent integrated marketing services agency with clients including Boots, Superdrug and Sainsbury’s Bank. The Group comprises three agencies – River (founded in 1994), Maven Comms PR (founded in 2019), and Reflect Talent for Inclusive Media – a not-for-profit Community Interest Company in the Diversity & Inclusion talent management space.
Nicki also owns a property business, Lightning Properties, and she is most recently co-founder of Beauty & Vitality - a skincare and vitamin start up in the microbiome space. In addition, Nicki is a board member of FIPP, a global members network in the media industry.
Nicki has a 28-year pro bono career volunteering in the charity space. She is currently Chair of the board of trustees at The Sophie Hayes Foundation (supporting survivors of sex trafficking and modern slavery into work), she is also a director and trustee of The Katie Piper Foundation (supporting victims of burns).
Neil Williams, FCA
Non-Executive Director
Neil recently retired from the board of French Connection Group plc following its acquisition and delisting from the main Board of the London Stock Exchange in November 2021. During over 30 years at the group as COO working alongside the Founder, he oversaw the day-to-day operations including the worldwide retail, wholesale, licensing and online divisions. In addition, he was responsible for all aspects of investor relations dealing with both investors and corporate advisors. He managed all the group’s acquisition, disposal, joint venture and extensive licensing and franchise activity. He sat on the boards of Toast and YMC, 75% owned businesses and was the group’s representative on their Asian retail joint ventures. At certain periods when required he also filled in as Group CFO.
Neil has a reputation for building strong relationships both within his own organisation, with customers, joint venture partners and suppliers, as well as with the investor community and finance providers. He has always challenged in an effective way but clearly understands the perspective of entrepreneurial founders and other principals within a business.
Neil is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales, having qualified at Peat Marwick Mitchell, subsequently KPMG, working across a broad spectrum of industries.
Operating Board
The Board is supported on operational matters by a number of senior managers. Details of whom are set out below:
Wouter Putman
Chief Technology & Marketing Officer
Wouter leads Angling Directs digital and customer-centric strategies, with 15+ years of experience and knowledge of Angling Direct’s evolving business.
Following graduating with an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management in 2006, Wouter joined the company in 2007 as an EPOS administrator and was promoted to Systems Manager in 2009 followed by Operations Manager in 2012. Wouter was appointed as Digital and Operations Director to the Operating Board in 2020.
He is responsible for delivering overall brand and digital growth encompassing the UK Angling Direct app across Android and iOS devices, and the company’s five e-commerce websites for the UK, EU, German, French and Dutch markets.
He is leading Angling Directs digital EU expansion and is committed to providing customers with the best possible online experience.
Craig Jones
Chief Operating Officer
After joining the business as Retail Transformation Director in December 2020. Craig is now responsible for Retail Store performance and growth, Logistics, both UK and EU Distribution Centre Operations, and Property in his current role. Prior to joining Angling Direct Craig built a wealth of experience in specialist retailing and consumer facing organisations leading large teams across multiple functions.
Craig previously held the position of Director of Retail at Holland and Barrett, with over 1600 stores. Prior to joining Angling Direct Craig was UK Operations and Customer Experience Director at Weight Watchers accountable across 4000 site locations for Business Transformation, Retail Sales, Customer Experience and Contact Centres. Craig has also held the role of Sales Director at Phones 4U.
Phil Cheadle
Commercial Director
Phil joins Angling Direct with over 25 years in the FMCG and consumer goods industry including Kellogg Company and Alberto Culver and smaller privately owned SME's. Also, with a wealth of experience within commercial leadership, developing brands in multi-channel retail, from the UK to Europe and globally more recently with over ten years at Unilever.
Phil's career really step-changed when he was part of the USA owned Alberto-Culver, (known for the iconic VO5 Haircare brand) UK business, leading the Customer and Shopper Marketing team that led the launch of the TRESemme haircare brand into the UK retail market which achieved over £34m retail sales in year 1. He subsequently was appointed Commercial Director of the European leadership team and led the launch and scaling of a brand portfolio across the Northern Europe region winning an ACNielsen best new FMCG brand launch award in 2009.
At Unilever in a General Manager role, Phil led a Health and Beauty business covering the Western European region, again successfully scaling a portfolio of iconic leading brands into omni-channel retail. Prior to moving to a smaller UK private Health & Wellness business where turnover doubled, he led a Global Unilever team focusing on expanding an acquisition across multi-channel retail in the USA and Asia and leading the go-to-market strategy for a Health & Beauty carve-out.
Company Secretary
Support the Executive and Non-Executive Directors.
Tim Harbord
Head of Finance and Company Secretary
Tim's biography and further details will be available soon.
