Announcement: Simon Wilson retires and Erika Wilson becomes major shareholder

Download Full Press Release

Download Short Press Release

Simon Wilson retires from his role as joint Managing Director and makes a full exit from the company after 31 years at Wilson Power Solutions. Erika Wilson will become the sole Managing Director after carrying out this role jointly with Simon for the last 13 years. Erika will also become the major shareholder of the business.

Simon’s retirement is the result of 2 years of planning to ensure a smooth transition from both an operational and ownership perspective.  The company is pleased that this has been achieved without the need for any external investment maintaining the vision of the family business and serving their ongoing growth plans. This full exit is in line with Simon’s long-term plans and enables him to explore future endeavours after a successful lifetime service with the company.

During Simon’s tenure, he has focused on the design, engineering and operational side of the business. The cousins, Erika and Simon have achieved growth year on year as the business expanded from 10 employees to over 200 employees across the group in the UK & India.

Simon Wilson said: ‘’I leave Wilson Power Solutions in very safe hands, as Erika takes on the role as sole Managing Director.

Having worked closely with my cousin for around twenty-five years and over recent years as joint Managing Director, I am highly confident that under her leadership, the WPS Group will continue to prosper long into the future.

It has been exceptionally rewarding to jointly lead Wilson Power Solutions with Erika to the successful business it is today.  I am immensely proud to have been part of this growth and to work with our team of employees who have been instrumental to this success.  I would like to thank all members of staff past and present for being part of this journey with me and whose passion, drive and commitment underpin everything Wilson Power Solutions’ values stand for.  I would also like to thank all the customers and suppliers that I have had the pleasure of working with over the years’’

Simon added: “I am going nowhere just looking to do something a little different and to spend some more quality time with my family.”

Erika Wilson said: “As the business moves from strength to strength, I am delighted to continue to lead the team through the next phase of growth. The Wilson family, which includes all members of the Wilson team, continues to adapt and respond to emerging technologies and market needs by creating the right products for different sectors whilst being mindful of global environmental challenges. We have continually grown the business year on year for over 7 decades now.

“This transaction is a key milestone in our 75-year history, and I am extremely pleased that we have enabled this full exit for Simon in line with his longer-term plans without the need for dilution of family share structure by introducing any external influence or investment.

“This allows us to remain true to our values and have full control of the business. We will continue to provide our customers with a first-class level of service and keep building long term relationships based on trust and quality.”

Simon added: “As a responsible power engineering company, Wilson Power Solutions has a proven track record of leading the market in many aspects when it comes to green innovation. The opportunities are immense and the team is equipped to take the company to the next level under Erika’s vision and guidance. I want to congratulate Erika for taking over the leadership of the family business and I wish her and the team the best of luck.”

Erika and Simon have steadily grown the business from £6 million to £22 million since their fathers Colin and Dennis retired, and have successfully established independent departments to allow prompt decision making and adequate response to market needs. Our exceptional calibre led by the management team puts quality, efficiency and customer support at the heart of all our deliverables.

Wilson Power Solutions has increased sales by 20% in the last financial year during the pandemic and is now expanding its teams to serve the strategic growth plans. We will carry on as a thought leader in the industry and we will always advocate for advancing Net Zero and combating climate change while working on the betterment of the sector as a whole.

Our values as a family business will remain unchanged after Simon’s retirement as they enable us to be agile and responsive. We want to thank Simon for his remarkable contribution to the company and we would like to wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.

End of Statement

27/05/2021

Simon Wilson, Biography

Simon started his career as an apprentice at R F Winder for four years before joining Wilson Power Solutions in 1990 as an operations assistant working on the shopfloor but ended up looking after multiple areas including sales. Only three years later, the battery tripping unit division was created. It is now known as Chargetec offering a great range of BTUs manufactured in Leeds.

Simon Wilson was instrumental in the establishment of Wilson Power and Distribution Technologies (WPDT) based in Chennai, India in 1994. This factory was built from the grounds up to give WPS control over the quality of the transformers it supplied. Since then, WPDT has become an integral part of the group where transformers are manufactured before arriving in the UK for further testing and customisation.

Erika Wilson, Biography

Erika Wilson has led the sales and business development side of Wilson Power Solutions in the UK and India for almost 20 years now. She first joined the business in 1999 working on the shopfloor and during that time she studied electrical & electronic engineering and later gained a qualification in business and finance. Erika has an excellent track record of leading Wilson Power Solutions in both developed and emerging markets.

Along with the role of managing director of Wilson Power Solutions, Erika is the Vice President of BEAMA (British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers’ Association). She has been a valuable asset to the board taking an active role in representing SME members in the networks sector and supporting BEAMA’s involvement and contribution to the Green Industrial Revolution and Net Zero.