Two directors leave as Ashley moves to Glasgow

ASHLEY GROUP, the windows, blinds and timber company that announced a return to profit earlier this year, is to lose two executive directors following its decision in September to move its headquarters from London to Glasgow, writes Nigel Cope.

Alan Thomas, managing director, and Chris Tipper, finance director, will leave the group at the end of October as Ashley implements the move. Jane Stables, company secretary and legal adviser, is also leaving. The company will locate head office functions at its principal blinds business, Eclipse.

The group had been in discussions to sell the blinds division but found the level of offers disappointing. Instead it is pushing ahead with the move as Ashley no longer has any significant businesses in the South-east.

Bill Macdonald, managing director of Eclipse, will join the Ashley board as operations director on 1 November, essentially taking Alan Thomas's role. A new finance director is being sought.

'We're quite well down the track and a replacement should be announced within weeks,' James White, chairman, said.

The shares were unchanged at 141 2 p.