SSP Group chair Mike Clasper is to retire in early 2026, stepping down as both chair and director.
Clasper joined the restaurant, bar and café operator, which owns the Upper Crust brand, as a non-executive director and chair designate in November 2019 and was appointed chair in February 2020.
He has informed the board that he intends to step down following the company’s 2026 AGM on 23 January.
The board has initiated a process for the appointment of a successor, led by senior independent director Carolyn Bradley. If a successor has not been appointed by the 2026 AGM, Bradley will become interim chair.
“It has been a privilege to serve as chair of SSP,” said Clasper. “As a board, we are finalising SSP’s multi-year strategic and operational roadmap to build on its strong foundations and accelerate the delivery of shareholder value.
“In order to enable the appointment of a new chair who can help realise the full scale of these ambitions in the years ahead, I believe now is the right time to announce I will step down from SSP, bringing forward my planned retirement by one year.”
SSP Group CEO Patrick Coveney added: “I’d like to personally thank Mike for his considerable service to SSP and for his commitment, insight and support.
“He has chaired the business through a time of considerable change, helping to recover the business from the Covid travel shutdown and strengthen our customer, client and partner footprint across the world. His wise counsel and leadership have been invaluable.”
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