Comms provider boss literally sails off into sunset after selling up

Suzanne Chappell of TMS plans sailing venture after selling Oxfordshire-based TMS to acquisitive Chess

The founder of Oxfordshire-based comms provider TMS plans to literally sail off into the sunset after selling her company to Chess.

TMS marks a hat-trick of acquisitions for Chess so far this year, after it snapped up small providers Frontier Voice & Data and StoneHouse Logic earlier this year.

The Oxfordshire-based unified comms company will provide Chess with a range of voice and data solutions, a scalable managed billing solution and over 100 channel partners and resellers.

The existing TMS team will remain in place, but Suzanne Chappell, chairwoman and founder of TMS, plans to retire and set off on a sailing adventure.

"The next stage of TMS's journey is going to be exciting as part of team Chess," she said.

"I know that our senior management and team members will thrive as part of Chess, with its greater scale in sales and support and award-winning workplace ethos.

"With our years of channel focus and expertise and 112 loyal partners, we bring real value to Chess's partners."

Chess claims the acquisition will further strengthen its commitment to partners, stating that they will now have access to an "out of the box" managed billing platform and WLR3 centre of excellence.

The Cheshire-based firm is ranked 29 in CRN's Top VARs 2017 and generated revenues of £110m in its financial 2017.

David Pollack, founder and CEO of Chess, said he is a long-time admirer of TMS.

"For a long time now, we've had an aspiration to acquire the company if the opportunity presented itself," he said.

"Their experience and reputation will really enhance relationships with our partners."