Former senior banker appointed as Vodafone Platinum Partner continues its growth
OneCom has appointed solicitor and former director of bank Hampshire Trust Plc Stephen Hunter as its non-executive chairman.
Hunter (pictured) is tasked with reviewing OneCom’s corporate structures and business processes and making recommendations regarding corporate governance, strategy, policy and business diversification.
He qualified as a solicitor in 1976 and joined Fareham-based law practice Brutton & Co, becoming a partner two years later. In 1984 he became full-time managing partner of the firm, overseeing 170 staff in nine offices across Southern Hampshire and West Sussex.
In that time, Hunter was acting as marketing director for Hampshire Trust Plc, which was founded by the law practice in 1977, and retired from the latter in 1989 to become deputy managing director of the bank.
He has known OneCom managing director Darren Ridge for 26 years after Hunter introduced the firms to Ridge when he opened his first store as mobile company KJC.
The appointment comes just four weeks after OneCom added 13,000 connections to its base following the acquisition of B2B rival OneStream.
Hunter said: “I’ll be looking at every aspect of the business to help build on its well-established reputation and strengths and make it even more effective. This will include looking at what we do and how we do it, asking why we do it and seeing if there’s a better way.”
“I’ll be offering support and advice as mentor to the chief executive and the members of the board, looking at strategy and policy in the big picture whilst challenging them to find ways to make the currently superb product offering and service even better.”
Ridge added: “Stephen’s extensive business experience combined with his corporate and financial awareness will be very useful on the board and his advice will be invaluable as OneCom continues to go from strength to strength.”