Nomad Distribution allows Clients to access key opinion leaders and celebrities to generate sales in China's fast growing social commerce space. Social commerce has emerged as a driving force of eCommerce in China in recent years and estimated at CNY 3,703 billion (GBP423 billion) of Gross Merchandise Value in 2020. As well as providing Clients access to this sector, it also enables their products to be drop-shipped through CBEC directly to consumers in China.

In 2021 the CBEC market in China is forecast to reach GBP138 billion, growing from GBP14 billion in 2014. The growth in the Chinese CBEC market has been supported by the introduction of a range of policies and infrastructure by the Chinese government to encourage the growth of the sector (including the introduction of 105 special CBEC Zones across the country and the relaxation of testing and registration requirements, such as animal testing for skincare products). China, already the world leader in eCommerce has, like the rest of the world, experienced an acceleration in online shopping habits because of the covid-19 pandemic. It is also one of the few economies still reporting growth. Samarkand has experienced a 166% growth in recurring revenue in the 8 months to 30 November 2020 during the height of the pandemic compared to the same period the year before.

Board of Directors

Tanith Dodge - Independent Non-Executive Chairperson

Tanith is an International Business Leader working as a member of senior executive teams and providing a commercial approach to the business and people agenda and has over 35 years of experience working as an HR Director across a broad sector of International businesses. Her previous positions included Group HR Director Bicester Village Collection, member of the Management Committee and Group HRD at Marks and Spencer Group PLC and at WH Smiths PLC. Tanith has held senior HR roles at Intercontinental Hotels, Diageo, Prudential PLC and Allied Domecq.

Her current Board experience includes Non-Executive Director and Chair of Remuneration Committee, Chair of Organisational Health Committee and member of Audit Committee and Nominations Committee at Robert Walters PLC. In addition, she is a member of the Advisory Council for PriceWaterhouseCoopers responsible for advising internal business leaders on a range of subjects and Trustee for Ambitious About Autism. She has also been a director of Regents Inns Plc and Busy Bees Plc and is a former Trustee of Kids Out and former board member of CIPD.

David Hampstead - Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder

David began his career as a software engineer at large blue-chip firms such as Hewlett Packard and Vodafone before moving to a mobile technology start-up leading a team of engineers building software for mobile phone companies across EMEA and Asia. In 2008 David returned to the UK to establish QuickThink Media and Bejig Ltd. Both businesses were subsequently combined and floated on the London AIM Market as Gaming Realms plc (GMR:LSE) where he served as Chief Technology Officer. As group CTO at Gaming Realms David was responsible for building and managing a 70-person strong technology team spread across the US and Europe building a state-of-the-art technology platform for the highly competitive online gaming industry.

Simon Smiley - Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder

Simon started his career as a store management trainee in 2004 with Rank PLC in London. Later Simon co-founded QuickThink Media with David Hampstead. Post QuickThink's exit to Gaming Realms plc, Simon became the group's Chief Marketing Officer planning and executing large consumer acquisition campaigns. Simon holds an MA (hons) in economic and social history.

Keith Higgins - Independent Non-Executive Director

Keith has 20 years of eCommerce experience with two of the largest consumer goods companies in the world. From 2000 to 2010, Keith held senior positions at Proctor & Gamble ("P&G") as Innovation Centre & eCommerce Director (2000-2006) and then as eCommerce and Pharmacy Channel Director (2000-2010). In 2010, Keith moved to Unilever to become Vice President eCommerce and Channel Development, becoming Senior Vice President of eCommerce in 2012 and Executive Vice President eCommerce in 2013. In 2010, after 10 years heading up Unilever's global eCommerce strategy he was promoted to a C-level role as Chief Customer Development Officer.

Keith's experience across two decades at P&G and Unilever brings a unique level of insight, understanding and network in the global eCommerce industry to the board.

Jeanette Hern - Non-Executive Director

Jeanette has considerable experience in international finance having joined Smollan as Global CFO in March 2015. Jeanette has played a key role in in the geographic expansion of the Group, managing the successful integration of acquired businesses, as Smollan's footprint grew from 22 to 59 countries across the world.

Prior to joining Smollan, Jeanette was a partner at Grant Thornton. Promoted to Deputy CEO in the South African business, her position allowed her to successfully champion transformation. Jeanette is currently a director of Global Smollan Holdings and a number of its subsidiary and associate companies, including Flixmedia Limited, Advantage Smollan Limited, Intermarketing Agency Limited and Intermarketing Group Limited.

She is a qualified Chartered Accountant - CA(SA) and a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).

Directors' Shareholdings


Shareholder Name    Number of Ordinary Shares  Percentage Holding 
                    at Admission 
David Hampstead (1) 7,910,951                  15.33 
Simon Smiley (2)    7,295,793                  14.13 
Tanith Dodge        43,478                     0.08 
Keith Higgins       30,435                     0.06 
Jeanette Hern       -                          - 

(1) 486,400 Ordinary Shares registered in the name of David Hampstead is under option pursuant to the terms of a Hedging Agreement

(2) 505,600 Ordinary Shares registered in the name of Simon Smiley is under option pursuant to the terms of a Hedging Agreement

Significant Shareholdings


Shareholder Name                Number of Ordinary Shares Percentage Holding 
                                at Admission 
Global Smollan Holding          8,087,539                 15.67 
Thomas Gooding                  5,463,111                 10.58 
Schroders Investment Management 4,347,826                 8.42 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Category Code:  MSCH 
TIDM:           SMK 
Sequence No.:   95953 
EQS News ID:    1177086 
 
End of Announcement  EQS News Service 
=------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 22, 2021 03:00 ET (07:00 GMT)