Change at top for Aberdeenshire pipeline specialist Stats Group

Stats chief executive Leigh Howarth is stepping down in a planned leadership transition and will assume a non-executive directorship role with the company. Stephen Rawlinson, Stats’ regional director North America and global sales director, will succeed Howarth following a “rigorous global recruitment process”, the Kintore-based group said.

Howarth was appointed chief executive in 2016 and relinquishes the role as the company gears up to announce record annual revenues in its forthcoming year-end accounts. He said: “I’m proud to have served as CEO for the past eight years and of the many milestones achieved along the way. There’s no doubt Stats has evolved to become a strong international business which has tremendous further potential in both the current energy pipeline markets and emerging low carbon sector.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to continue working with Steve and the Stats board as we pursue ambitious strategic growth plans, in conjunction with Mitsui.”

Rawlinson, a dual Canadian and British national, has spent 13 years in various management roles at the company, including general manager, regional director and sales director positions in North America, and is said to have played a major role in supporting the “unprecedented growth” at Stats over the last decade.

He added: “Leigh has been instrumental in leading our strategy to internationalise the business and consolidate excellent year-on-year growth, whilst also latterly overseeing the successful sale of the business to Mitsui in 2023. I now look forward to leading the Stats team as we continue to strengthen our market position globally through our highly skilled workforce and market leading technologies.”

Last July, the group said a deal had been struck to sell 100 per cent of the issued share capital of the business to Mitsui & Co. No value was disclosed. The tie-up came after a potential £73 million acquisition of Stats Group by an Australian peer was called off in May 2022. Stats also has operations in Canada, the US, the Middle East, Malaysia and Australia.

Aberdeenshire pipeline specialist employing 340 staff bought by Japanese giant