As Chairman, Fergus will help drive the strategic direction for the business and work closely with the senior leadership team to implement ambitious plans for growth and build on the success of the last 10 years.
Fergus brings a wealth of experience in supporting international businesses through private equity investment, as well as in the recruitment and education markets in which Thomas operates. In his most recent role as President of the Cambridge Education Group, for over 10 years he supported the business in delivering academic, creative and English language programmes to thousands of students ahead of their progression into the world’s leading universities. The organisation was also initially backed by Palamon during this period.
Commenting on his appointment, Fergus Brownlee said:
“Thomas International has come a substantial distance over the last few years in terms of positioning itself for even greater growth. The business has a strong team of people behind it and is in great shape in terms of the marketplace. As it moves from an established family business into a private equity environment, my role is to steer the company through this change. There are plenty of opportunities for us to make significant steps forward, so now is the time for us to pursue these wholeheartedly.”
Thomas International’s CEO, Amir Qureshi, commented:
“Fergus has a strong knowledge and understanding of our markets, our business direction and our challenges, which makes him perfectly positioned to lead as our new Chairman. On behalf of myself and the whole team at Thomas, we look forward to working alongside him as we move forward into a new era for the business.”
Fergus succeeds Martin Reed, a founding family member who has been at the forefront of the business for the last 27 years. Martin will stay on as a non-executive director for the Reed family.
Founded in 1981, Thomas International has been at the forefront of assessment innovation for more than 37 years, helping SMEs to recruit, develop, and retain talent. Headquartered in Marlow, the company has 81 offices globally with over 75% of sales originating from international markets. More than 2 million Thomas International assessments are completed each year across over 60 countries and in 56 languages.