Sean Royce, who has led Quickline since its acquisition by Northleaf Capital Partners in 2021, informed the Board of his intention to retire earlier this year, allowing time for a structured and well-planned succession.
Following a comprehensive search, Mark Bowden has been appointed as our new Chief Executive Officer.
Mark joined Quickline earlier this year as Chief Financial Officer before taking on wider responsibilities as Chief Transformation Officer. He brings extensive experience in finance, leadership and business transformation, having previously held senior roles at Vodafone, O2 and as Chief Financial Officer for giffgaff, Tesco Mobile and private equity backed Checkatrade.
The company has also confirmed the promotion of Martin Cook to Chief Financial Officer. Martin has been with Quickline for approaching four years, most recently as Director of Strategic Finance, and has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s financial strategy and supporting its commercial growth.
To ensure a smooth transition and maintain continuity, Sean will continue to support Quickline in a new capacity as Strategic Board Advisor, providing ongoing guidance on future growth and other opportunities.
Reflecting on his time here at Quickline, Sean Royce said: “It has been an honour to lead Quickline and see the business evolve into one of the UK’s most ambitious rural broadband providers.
“We remain on track with our full fibre rollout, having secured four large BDUK Project Gigabit contracts, and are one of the few ISPs that are fully funded, having completed a major debt financing deal in 2024.
“We’ve built strong foundations and a team passionate about connecting rural communities. With Mark and Martin stepping into their new roles, Quickline is in excellent hands for the next stage of its journey.”
Incoming CEO Mark Bowden added: “It’s a privilege to take on the role of CEO at such an exciting time for Quickline.
“Under Sean’s leadership, the business has achieved incredible momentum, and I’m looking forward to working with Martin and the wider team to build on that success, connecting even more rural homes and businesses and delivering a first-class customer experience.”
Quickline’s Board Chair, Paul Howard, said: “It’s been a pleasure working alongside Sean, whose leadership has been instrumental in transforming Quickline into the ambitious, customer-focused business it is today. I’m delighted that he will remain involved in an advisory capacity, and that we will continue to benefit from his experience and knowledge of both Quickline and the wider sector.
“I also look forward to working closely with Mark as he leads the company into its next phase of growth and drives the business forward. His experience of the sector and customer obsessed organisations will be invaluable as Quickline continues to scale and bring the benefits of exceptional broadband to increasing numbers of households and businesses across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.”
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