AGM Statement

Aukett Fitzroy Robinson Group Plc, the international architectural and interior design practice with offices in Europe, the Middle East and Russia held its Annual General Meeting earlier today at which all five proposed resolutions were passed.

At the meeting, Gerry Deighton, Chairman, said “I stated in the Annual Report my wish to retire following the AGM and the search for a new non-executive chairman from the property industry is well advanced. We therefore expect to announce the appointment of the new chairman in due course at which time I will step down from the board and take up the position of President.

As anticipated the first half of our 2007/08 financial year has seen a more volatile commercial property market in the UK with some projects delayed in the retail sector or for planning permission reasons. However this is countered by our successful re-focusing on the Middle East, particularly in the United Arab Emirates, where we have secured commissions in respect of projects with 2,300 hotel rooms and the prospect of a number of commercial office opportunities.

Accordingly we anticipate that turnover and profits for the current year will be weighted towards the second half of the year, in contrast to last year when the profits in the first half were stronger than the second half of the year.

Recent enquiries and commissions throughout our international practice provide the Board with good reason to remain confident about our longer term prospects and the sustainability of our performance over our planning period to 2010.

“JM Finn Capital Markets, the Company’s nominated adviser and broker, have notified the Company that with effect from 1 March 2008 they will be conducting business under the trading name of FinnCap.

 

Enquiries

Aukett Fitzroy Robinson www.aukettfitzroyrobinson.com
020 7636 8033

Nicholas Thompson, Chief Executive Officer
Duncan Harper, Group Finance Director
cosec@aukettfitzroyrobinson.com

FinnCap – www.finncap.com
020 7600 1658

Sam Smith
Clive Carver

Adventis Financial PR – www.adventis.co.uk
020 7034 4759

Chris Steel
Tarquin Edwards