The Ambassador Theatre Group: Press: Press Releases
Press Releases
Issued : 19 October 2005
Simon Oliver, Chairman of Dairy Crest plc, has joined the Board of Directors of the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), the second largest theatre group in the West End and the UK regions.
Simon is well regarded for his highly successful career in the dairy industry. In 1984 he formed Mendip Foods Limited in which his own company had a major stake. As Chairman and Chief Executive, he grew this into a £135million turnover company, before selling his stake to Dairy Crest in 1995. He became Chairman of Dairy Crest five years later. He is also Chairman of the venture capital company Private Investor Capital Limited and has been a life-long investor in the theatre, having been an original investor in the Turnstyle Group.
His position as a Board Member of ATG comes after the theatre group announced it had appointed Deloitte & Touche to work with it to raise development funds, as the company seeks to expand significantly over the next few years. As part of the investment plan, ATG is engaged in acquiring new venues (including last week, with the Tulbart Group, the acquisition of the freehold of the Savoy Theatre in London to present major musicals) and producing new international versions of some of its successful brands, such as Guys and Dolls, The Rocky Horror Show, Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! and the family musical Hans Christian Anderson. It is also looking to significantly expand its intellectual property portfolio, including multi-media enterprises such as ScreenStage - its joint television company with Granada (currently producing a series of four 60-minute programmes called The Play’s the Thing, commissioned by Channel 4). In addition, it will be rapidly growing its major new joint venture with Clear Channel Entertainment - First Family Entertainment - which is producing 8 new top quality pantomimes in the UK this year, increasing to 17 new pantomimes in 3 years. Within its first year, stars new to pantomime include Richard Wilson, Patsy Kensit, Susan Hampshire and Simon Callow.
Co-founded by Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire in 1992, ATG has grown from 2 venues to 24 (including 11 in the West End), making it the second largest theatre group in the UK. It is also one of the country’s foremost theatre producers and has been behind some highly successful co-productions in Britain and internationally, including Guys and Dolls starring Ewan McGregor, currently at the Piccadilly Theatre, where it recently recouped its capital of £3million in just 17 weeks, a West End record. ATG’s hit production of Sweeney Todd is also about to open on Broadway.
Howard Panter, Managing Director, ATG, said
“We are delighted to welcome Simon to the Board of the Ambassador Theatre Group. This is a very exciting time for the company and as we look to expand, Simon’s enthusiasm and wealth of experience across many areas of business will be a tremendous asset to us.”
Simon Oliver, Chairman, Dairy Crest plc, said
“I am delighted to have joined the Ambassador Theatre Group at such an exciting time for theatre generally, and the Ambassador Theatre Group in particular. I am confident that I can make a useful contribution to the multiplicity of opportunities available at this present time.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact John Chittenden, Group Press Officer ATG on 020 8545 7919 or johnchittenden@theambassadors.com