Ultimate Products - Appointment of New CEO
Released
Released
Announcement PDF
RNS Number : 6944F
Ultimate Products PLC
26 May 2026
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS DEFINED UNDER ASSIMILATED REGULATION (EU) NO.
596/2014 WHICH IS PART OF THE LAWS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL)
ACT 2018 (AS AMENDED)
26 May 2026
Ultimate Products plc
("Ultimate Products", "UP" or "the Group")
APPOINTMENT OF NEW CEO
Ultimate Products, the owner of a number of leading homeware brands including Salter (the UK's oldest housewares brand,
established in 1760) and Beldray (established in 1872), announces the appointment of Simon Harrison as Chief Executive
Officer, following a thorough search process. Simon is currently the CEO of Princes Group PLC (LSE: PRN), the FTSE 250
international food and drink company, and will join Ultimate Products as CEO designate on 5 September 2026 before
assuming the role of CEO on 26 October 2026.
Simon is a seasoned executive with over 25 years' FMCG commercial and leadership experience across brand and trade
marketing, sales and operations. He joined Princes Group as Chief Commercial Officer in July 2021,
before quickly progressing to the role of Deputy Managing Director and subsequently Chief Executive Officer during which
time the business went through a change of ownership and more recently was listed on the London Stock Exchange. Prior to
joining Princes Group, Simon spent nearly two decades at Coca Cola European Partners (LSE: CCEP), the world's largest
independent Coca-Cola bottler, where he held a range of senior roles including Vice President Commercial Development and
Marketing Director.
Simon is replacing Andrew Gossage, who has notified the Board of his intention to step down as CEO with effect from 26
October 2026, following more than 20 years in executive roles with the Group. After a short sabbatical, Andrew will continue
with the Group as a Non-Executive Director from 1 May 2027. As part of these changes, Simon Showman, who founded the
business in 1997 and served as CEO until 2024, will move to a Non-Executive Director role with effect from 1 June 2026,
while continuing as President and Founder.
Following these changes, the Board will comprise two Executive Directors and six Non-Executive Directors, of whom four are
Independent Non-Executive Directors, including the Independent Non-Executive Chair. This will ensure the Board continues
to reflect a diversity of expertise from operational, financial, sector-specific and general business background. The Board is
committed to ensuring that it continues to have an appropriate balance of skills, experience, independence and knowledge
of the Group and its sector to enable it to discharge its duties and responsibilities effectively.
Christine Adshead, Chair of Ultimate Products, said: "We are delighted to welcome someone of Simon Harrison's calibre to
Ultimate Products. He brings outstanding leadership qualities, strong operating discipline and considerable commercial
experience, and we are confident that he has the right credentials to take Ultimate Products forward into its next chapter. We
look forward to welcoming him to the team.
"Andrew has made an extraordinary contribution to Ultimate Products in more than two decades with the Group. He was a
driving force behind UP's evolution from a sourcing business into the Home of Brands, navigated the business through the
operational challenges of the COVID period, and played a leading role in building the Group's online business, which has
grown twelvefold since IPO. He was also central in establishing our Graduate Development Scheme, and more recently, has
overseen the Group's groundbreaking automation programme.
"Without Simon Showman, who founded the business and led it for 27 years, there would be no Ultimate Products. He has
been fundamental to UP's development from a founder‑led sourcing business into the multi‑brand homewares group it is
today. Simon's entrepreneurial approach and sharp commercial instincts have shaped the business and the fast-moving
culture that underpins it. Under his leadership, the Group built a diversified portfolio of brands, established deep and
enduring retailer relationships, and expanded its international footprint, while remaining rooted in the values and ambition
that have defined it from the outset."
"I know I speak for everyone at Ultimate Products in thanking Andrew and Simon for their exceptional endeavours, dedication
and loyalty, and we are delighted that they will remain with the Group as Non-Executive Directors."
Simon Harrison, Incoming CEO of Ultimate Products, said: "Ultimate Products is a business with significant potential, based
on a portfolio that includes some of the best-known brands in UK homeware, and supported by long-standing customer
relationships and a scalable commercial model. I am delighted to be taking on the CEO role from Andrew Gossage, who
alongside Simon Showman, has built and developed the business into the strong platform it is today. This represents an
exciting personal opportunity for me, and I look forward to working with the Board and the wider team to lead the business
into what I am confident will be a bright future."
Andrew Gossage, Outgoing CEO of Ultimate Products, said: "Ultimate Products has been a hugely important part of my life
for the past two decades, and I am enormously proud of the successful, diversified business we have built. As CEO, part of my
focus has been to ensure the business is well prepared for the future, including putting in place the right leadership, structure
and succession plan to support its long-term development. With those strong foundations now established, this feels like the
right time for me to step back from my day-to-day responsibilities and, after a short break, take on a Non-Executive Director
role with the Group. I would like to thank colleagues past and present whose commitment has made my time at Ultimate
Products so rewarding."
Simon Showman, President and Founder, said: "I am hugely excited about the next phase for Ultimate Products. The
business has a strong executive team in place, with the ability to continue delivering the wide range of beautiful, more
sustainable products we are known for. I am also delighted to welcome Simon Harrison to the business as our first external
CEO. His FMCG leadership experience makes him ideally placed to build on the momentum we have created. I am also
pleased to remain involved with the Group as a Non-Executive Director, and look forward to seeing our excellent team realise
the substantial opportunity ahead."
Regulatory disclosures
The following information is disclosed pursuant to Rule 17 and Schedule Two paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies
in relation to Simon Harrison, aged 55.
Simon Harrison holds or has held the following directorships/partnerships in the past five years:
Current directorships/partnerships Past directorships/partnerships
Princes Group PLC Princes Italia s.p.a (previously known as Princes
Industrie Alimentari s.r.l)
Edible Oils Limited Princes Foods Limited
Princes (Tuna) Mauritius Limited
Princes Foods BV
As at the date of this announcement, Simon Harrison, together with his persons closely associated (as defined under MAR)
holds no shares in the Company.
There is no further information to be disclosed in relation to the appointment of Simon Harrison pursuant to Rule 17 and
Schedule 2, paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules.
For more information, please contact:
Ultimate Products +44 (0) 161 627 1400
Andrew Gossage, CEO
Chris Dent, CFO
Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (Nomad and Joint Broker) + 44 (0)20 7220 0500
Matt Goode/ Callum Davidson/ Trisyia Jamaludin (Corporate Finance)
Matt Lewis (Corporate Broking)
Shore Capital (Joint Broker) +44 (0) 20 7408 4090
Malachy McEntyre/ Isobel Jones (Corporate Broking)
Mark Percy / David Coaten / Harry Davies-Ball (Corporate Advisory)
Sodali & Co ultimateproducts@sodali.com
Rob Greening / Sam Austrums / Oliver Banks
Notes to Editors
Ultimate Products is the owner of a number of leading homeware brands including Salter (the UK's oldest houseware brand,
established in 1760) and Beldray (a laundry, floor care, heating and cooling brand that was established in 1872). According to
its market research, nearly 80% of UK households own at least one of the Group's products.
Ultimate Products sells to over 300 retailers in over 30 countries - spanning discounters, supermarkets and general retailers,
and ranging from large national and international multi-channel retailers to smaller retail chains. Its products are also
available on Salter.com and Beldray.com, as well as major third-party online marketplaces. The Group specialises in five
product categories: Small Domestic Appliances; Housewares; Laundry; Audio; and Heating and Cooling. Other brands include
Progress (cookware and bakeware), Kleeneze (laundry and floorcare), Petra (small domestic appliances) and Intempo (audio).
Founded in 1997, Ultimate Products is headquartered in Oldham, Greater Manchester, where it has design, sales, marketing,
buying, quality assurance, support functions and warehouse facilities across two sites. Manor Mill, the Group's head office,
includes a spectacular 20,000 sq ft showroom that showcases each of its brands. In addition, the Group has an office and
showroom in Guangzhou, China and Paris, France. Ultimate Products employs over 300 staff and is certified as a Great Place
to Work®. A significant number of its employees joined via the Group's Graduate Development Scheme, one of the biggest in
the North West.
Please note that Ultimate Products is not the owner of Russell Hobbs. The Group currently has licence agreements in place
granting it an exclusive licence to use the "Russell Hobbs" trademark for cookware and laundry (NB this does not include
Russell Hobbs electrical appliances).
For further information, please visit www.upplc.com.
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