Duke Street Capital

Duke Street Capital has announced the appointments of Nick Irens, Richard Stephenson and Didier Gros as operating partners. Irens, currently chairman of Esporta, an operator of health and fitness clubs in the UK, has over 20 years experience of leading companies in the UK leisure sector. In 1992, he created Vardon Plc, now renamed Cannons Group plc and was chairman of the company in 1998 when it refocused into one of the UK's leading pure health and fitness operators, before leaving on its sale in July 2001. Prior to Vardon, he was finance director of First Leisure Corporation Plc from 1987 to 1992. In 1999 Richard Stephenson led the MBO of Madison Filtration from Scapa Group Plc, where he successfully re-developed the business, eventually selling its three operating divisions and making a return of over the three times cash invested. Prior to joining Scapa Group he was group commercial director and sales and marketing director at Cape Plc from 1990 to 1997, an industrial services and construction materials manufacturer. Didier Gros has over 30 years of experience in the French hotel industry. In 1996, he was appointed president and chief executive of Accor Econic Hotels, a European leader in budget hotels with over 1000 units. Prior to this position, he was managing director of SPHERE, owners of the IBIS brand. From 1986 to 1991, he was managing director of Sofitel in Europe and Africa.

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• Topics
• GPs
• UK / Ireland
• Industrials