Node4 Group continues restructuring with Chris Woodhouse as new chairman

Former Evelyn Partners CEO to guide cloud services provider's expansion following series of key acquisitions

MSP Node4 has appointed Chris Woodhouse as its new chairman of the board, effective immediately.

Woodhouse succeeds Sir Bill Thomas, who is stepping down after seven years in the role but will remain on the board.

Woodhouse brings a wealth of experience to Node4, having served as CEO of Evelyn Partners from 2017 to 2023.

During his tenure, he oversaw a significant increase in funds under management to nearly £60bn and led the merger of Tilney and Smith & Williamson.

Prior to this, Woodhouse was CEO of the RAC for five years, where he doubled the group's profits. His leadership experience also includes roles at Debenhams, Homebase, Halfords, and the Gondola Group.

Node4 is currently executing a strategic transformation, bringing its recent acquisitions under the Node4 brand to create an end-to-end portfolio of IT solutions and services.

Woodhouse's expertise is expected to be invaluable in supporting this strategy.

"It is an honour to join Node4 at such an exciting time in its history," said Woodhouse. "I believe the future opportunity for the business is material and I look forward to working with the Board and Andrew to ensure this is realised to the benefit of all stakeholders."

Andrew Gilbert, founder & group CEO of Node4, welcomed Woodhouse, stating: "His appointment marks an exciting chapter for Node4 as we continue our journey of innovation and growth."

Sir Bill Thomas, the outgoing chairman, oversaw Node4's successful acquisitions of Secura, Starcom, TNP, Risual, Tisski, and ThreeTwoFour during his tenure.

He was also instrumental in building a strong management team, including the recent appointment of Hannah Birch as group managing director.

The Board, including representatives from Providence Private Equity Partners, expressed confidence in Woodhouse's ability to lead Node4 through its next phase of growth and thanked Sir Bill for his significant contributions over the past seven years.