accesso Technology Group plc announced a series of changes to its Board of Directors. These changes will provide a structure that ensures the Board's individual and collective talents remain appropriately aligned to the group's growth strategy, in addition to bringing new talent and perspectives to the overall Board team. First, three of accesso's existing Directors have agreed to realign their roles.

This is designed to better reflect the way in which the Group is already run; to enable the Group to continue to effectively pursue the growth opportunities open to it; and to ensure that the location of key leadership roles reflects the geographic spread of the Group's workforce and operations. The first of these changes will see Tom Burnet move from the role of Chief Executive Officer to become the Group's Executive Chairman. Having led accesso's significant growth and internationalization since becoming CEO in 2010, Tom will continue in his new role to lead accesso's medium and long-term growth plans.

He will have particular responsibility for Group strategy, Investor Relations, and M&A activity. At the same time, Steve Brown, currently the Group's Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Tom to become accesso's Chief Executive Officer. In this role, Steve will build upon his existing leadership responsibilities and experience to have a particular focus on the Group's overall operational performance, customer relationships and product development.

John Weston will step down from his current role as Non-Executive Chairman of the Group. John, who has served as the Group's Non-Executive Chairman since 2011, will remain with accesso as Senior Independent Director, continuing to lend his considerable global business expertise to the Board and its work. These three role changes will become effective upon the conclusion of AGM on 24 May 2016.

Alongside these changes, Karen Slatford will join the accesso Board as a Non-Executive Director, effective 24 May 2016, to replace Matt Cooper, who stood down as a Non-Executive Director on 18 March this year. Karen has significant experience of working in the global technology and business arenas, serving currently as Senior Independent Director at Micro Focus International plc. Karen has also served since 2009 as Chairman of The Foundry.

She was responsible for sales of all Hewlett Packard's products, services and software to business customers globally.