Established in Liverpool in 1807, Bibby Line Group now turns over £800m a year and operates in 16 countries across sectors such as retail, financial services and maritime. Tony McDonough reports

Bibby Line Group (BLG) is promoting its chief financial officer, Jonathan Lewis, to group managing director.

Mr Lewis will take up his post at the £800m-turnover Liverpool business at the start of 2021 to replace the current managing director John Cresswell. He joined Bibby in 2019 from Imagination Technologies and has also worked at Tesco, Lazard and McKinsey.

Based in Exchange Flags in the city centre, BLG was established as a shipping company in Liverpool in 1807. It is now a diverse business, operating in 16 countries and employing 4,000 people in retail, financial services, distribution, marine and construction equipment hire.

“I am delighted to have been offered the opportunity to lead Bibby Line Group, and look forward to continuing to work together with the Board, and colleagues across the Group, to deliver our strategy,” said Mr Lewis.

“I would like to thank John for the leadership he has shown and the culture he has embedded, providing a strong platform on which we can take the group forward.  The group has shown its resilience as we trade through the pandemic, and I see a bright future ahead.”

Late last year it sold its 57,000 sq ft former headquarters in Liverpool’s Duke Street for an undisclosed sum and moved its 150 local employees to Walker House, Exchange Flags, in the city’s commercial district. The group comprises Bibby Financial Services, Bibby Marine, Garic, Bibby Distribution and Costcutter.

Sir Michael Bibby, BLG Chairman, added: “On behalf of the board I’d like to congratulate Jonathan on his appointment to the newly created role of group managing director and look forward to working closely with him in this new capacity.

“I’d also like to thank John for leading the group through the last two and a half years in the most challenging of circumstances, whilst always role modelling our values. The group has worked its way through the challenges of the last few years and emerges as a stronger business, well positioned for the future as the economy recovers.”