The appointment by Commsworld of Steve Thomson as Non-Executive Director (NED) is another sign of the company's growth ambitions. He replaces former NED Ian Blackford who becomes Chairman following the retirement of Malcolm Macpherson who held the post since 2000.
Thomson brings 35 years of business and banking experience to the Edinburgh-based firm after a long career in marketing and investment banking in Europe, Asia, North America and Russia, working for Burson Marsteller, Wickes, USB Philips & Drew, and latterly as a Managing Director of Credit Suisse First Boston and Moscow based United Financial Group.
Commsworld CEO, Ricky Nicol says the appointment is an endorsement of the advances Commsworld has made in recent years.
The firm will also draw on Thomson's Investor Research expertise. In 2000 he acquired a UK-based market intelligence service providing corporate clients worldwide with analysis of developments in the aviation industry in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltics and central Asia. He sold the business in 2013.
The 55-year-old, who is also on the Board of Highlands & Island Enterprise, said: "I was attracted to the NED role by the people and the business. But the most important factor is the amount of opportunity in the market due to how rapidly it is changing.
"Ricky and his team have built an impressive, robust business and I believe they are now in a great position to take that to the next level, which is what I would like to help with. I hope I can help Commsworld grow into new markets like the public sector, while also making its proposition more understandable to the non-tech savvy.\"
2014 was Commsworld's 20th year in operation and it marked the milestone by expanding its network services across Scotland and generating record revenues surpassing the £9 million turnover from the previous year.
Nicol said: "Steve brings a wealth of business experience that we will benefit from a great deal. He gives us a straight and measured opinion on the strategies we have in place and the plans we are looking to implement, while also helping with how to roll these out. This will be valuable as we approach another important year in the company’s growth.\"