Tony Rowe leaves SWComms

Business giant retires from firm he established

Serial Exeter businessman Tony Rowe OBE has retired from the telecommunications company he founded nearly 40 years ago.

Mr Rowe, who started the company in 1983, built South West Communications into a major regional enterprise. It sold telephone systems just as that industry began to denationalise from state control.

But now, at the age of 72, the former Royal Marine  has stood down as chairman and chief executive.

It coincides with the sale of a chunk of SWComms, as it is now known, to a technology company called Focus Group, a 15-year-old firm with 300 employees.

Mr Rowe is arguably more famous now for his role in building Exeter Rugby Club into a club that has become England and European champions.

And whilst he is understandably proud of the Exeter Chiefs, SWComms has been his baby too. "You've got to retire some time," he told Radio Exe, "but I'm only retiring from SWComms and I have so many other things to do with my life and keep me busy.

"There's the Matford Business Centre, the new hotel at Sandy Park, I have lots to do."

"Retirement from SWComms has been in the planning for the past three or four months, but there's such a strong team there. Brian Lodge [the managing director] and the team is running it and they've been doing that for six to eight years, and will continue to run it. I'm just chairman who turns up to look over things, but there's a really good team there and they'll keep going.

"I'm a strong believer in opportunities, and the opportunity to grow under the Focus Group is there, so it's time for me to retire. I see it as a really positive thing, and I've so much on my plate."

As well as an OBE, Mr Rowe is actually Doctor Rowe, having been awarded a doctorate from the University of Exeter - and a freeman of the City of Exeter.

Under Focus Group SWcomms will continue to operate under its brand name. The majority of the existing management team and employees will stay and drive the business forward from the head office at Sowton, after signing a long-term lease. They have already started recruiting new staff through its training academy.

Brian Lodge, managing director, said: “I am very excited about this new partnership. The investment from Focus Group will coincide with some great opportunities in the market created by a shift in the industry towards cloud, connectivity, home working and Openreach’s withdrawal of copper voice and internet services.

“There is a perfect fit between the two companies with an amazing synergy in what we do. We will benefit hugely from working with Focus. Together, we will be more competitive and we plan to grow the business significantly in the next few years.

“The expansion of our data centre environment, one of the few located in the south west, is also something we are looking forward to.”

Mr Lodge continued: “Our staff and our customers are at the heart of everything we do and this is very much mirrored at Focus Group. Delivering a better service is our top priority. Being part of the Focus Group will give us all the wider benefits of a £100 million turnover business while still allowing us to maintain a local and personal service to our customers by utilising the commitment and expertise of our wonderful staff.”

Ralph Gilbert, co-founder at Focus Group, said: “I’m delighted to welcome swcomms to the Focus Group family. They have built a wonderful business during the past 38 years."