Former Brown minister Davies to chair Chime
FORMER business minister and Standard Chartered chief Lord Mervyn Davies landed a new role as chairman of Chime Communications yesterday.
Lord Davies, who served as Gordon Brown’s minister of state for trade, investment and small business from January 2009 until Brown left Downing Street in 2010, takes the role after Lord Bell stepped down to run the Bell Pottinger business Chime disposed of in May.
His appointment came as the PR and sports marketing group said its growth had continued in the second half of the year so far, and that it was looking to make more purchases following October’s £7m deal for pH Associates, a pharmaceutical data provider.
“There are a range of acquisition opportunities we continue to review,” the company said, adding that trading was up on the same period last year, and in line with expectations.
London-listed Chime owns many companies dotted around the world, and has outlined its plans to expand it fast-growing markets such as Brazil and China.
Lord Davies said yesterday: “There are many international opportunities and we intend to seize them. Chime is a very interesting company with strong growth potential. I am looking forward to helping them achieve their goals.”