The Sector Specialist

IRIS Board Announces New Company Structure & Executive Appointments

2 March 2011

Creates IRIS Accountancy Solutions and IRIS Software Group as two Separate Businesses
Appoints Nick Discombe as Group Chairman
Appoints Martin Leuw as Non-Executive Director
Appoints Phill Robinson as CEO, IRIS Accountancy Solutions

The Board of IRIS Software Group Limited today announced a revised company structure and new appointments to the Board, following the resignation of Martin Leuw as Group Chief Executive.

During Martin’s tenure as Group Chief Executive, IRIS has grown rapidly to become one of the largest private software companies in the UK, with 1,200 employees and c. 60,000 customers. Given its current size and complexity, the Board has decided that, following Martin’s decision to stand down, better customer focus can be achieved by formally separating the business into two, with IRIS Accountancy Solutions being run independently from IRIS Software Group.

Phill Robinson, Managing Director of IRIS Accountancy Practice Solutions Division for the last two years, will lead the newly created IRIS Accountancy Solutions (IAS) business as its CEO and joins the Board. Phill commented: “With over 14,000 Accountancy customers, IRIS Accountancy Solutions is the clear market leading provider of Accountancy software and services in the UK. I am delighted to have been asked by the Board to lead IRIS Accountancy Solutions through its next phase of development and growth.”

IRIS Software Group (ISG) represents all other divisions of IRIS and serves the following sectors; Legal, Not-for-Profit, Accounting & Finance, Payroll & HR, Field Service & Hire, Ticketing, Healthcare & GPs, Software modernisation and Software assets and compliance. The Board has initiated a search for a new CEO for IRIS Software Group. In the interim, Neal Roberts, who will continue as Group CFO, will also act as CEO. Otherwise the current management team remains unchanged.

In order to effect a smooth transition, the Board has appointed Nick Discombe as Chairman. Nick has been involved with IRIS since 2007 as a Non-Executive Director. Nick will work closely with Neal Roberts, Group CFO and acting CEO, IRIS Software Group, and Phill Robinson, CEO, IRIS Accountancy Solutions, as well as the rest of the Board, to ensure the on-going success of these two businesses.

Martin Leuw will also remain involved with the business, as a Non-Executive Director, following his decision to stand down as Group Chief Executive.

Nick Discombe said: “A big part of any business success is to make sure that the organisation has the right focus at the customer level.  Separating the business into these two new operating units will bring this increased focus. I would like to congratulate Phill on his appointment as CEO of IRIS Accountancy Solutions, and look forward to working with Neal, Phill and the rest of the Executive Management to drive even greater success for IRIS in the years to come”


 

About IRIS Software Group

IRIS Software Group is one of the UK’s leading software and services businesses.  It has revenues of c£80m p.a. and almost 1,000 employees servicing over 45,000 UK businesses from a national network of offices. IRIS works in clearly defined sectors with leadership positions in the markets it operates in, and unrivalled customer retention rates averaging over 90% p.a. across the group.

IRIS Software Group is:

 

About IRIS Accountancy Solutions

IRIS Accountancy Solutions serves the UK accountancy sector under three brands; IRIS, PTP and Drummohr.  It is the market-leading provider of fully integrated accountancy software and services for UK Accountancy Practices & Corporates.  The company has over 14,000 customers of all sizes and has 40 per cent of the country’s top 50 Accountancy firms as clients.  IRIS Accountancy Solutions is headquartered in Datchet, UK.  More details at: http://www.iris.co.uk//accountants

Follow us on Twitter @irisaccountants