Velstar Ltd. appoints Peter Birks as new CEO

Velstar Ltd., a leading Shopify Plus, B2B development and marketing agency with head offices in Liverpool and Leeds, is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Birks as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Dan Sheard, the founder of Velstar, previous CEO and one of its main shareholders, will remain with the business on a full-time basis as Founder, with a special focus on accelerating the growth of the company’s revenue, expanding the Velstar brand, as well as managing Velstar’s partner relationships.

Peter Birks will join Velstar’s board, which currently consists of Dan Sheard and Graham Withe, the company’s Managing Director, heading up the marketing services, as well as four NEDs.

In Peter Birks, Velstar has attracted a seasoned professional who will focus on the integration of the recently acquired 9xb and We Teach CRO businesses, while steering Velstar into the next phase of its continued and structured growth.

Peter boasts a successful professional career during which he held positions as Vice President European Retail for Staples, Business President EMEA Digital Marketing & Commercial Operations for Avnet, and CEO of Ryman & London Graphic Centre. In these roles, Peter has spearheaded the transformation from brick and mortar to omnichannel businesses with a strong digital footprint.

Peter commented: “I am very pleased to be given the opportunity to assist Velstar in its ambitious growth and change agenda. The Velstar group of companies has a deep talent pool, focusing on exceeding its clients expectations  and is poised to rapidly become one of the largest development and marketing agencies in the UK. I am grateful for the warm welcome I have received from my new colleagues at Velstar and look forward to our shared journey of client centricity and exceptional financial results.”

Dan added: “In Peter, we are very fortunate to have found a very experienced leader, with a proven track record in growing and professionalising businesses, as well as in integrating acquisition targets.

“His experience will allow for a swift integration of the acquired businesses, and a larger focus on robust processes to support Velstar’s main assets, our esteemed clients and our excellent people.

”In my new role as Founder, Peter can count on my full and unwavering support. I personally am very excited to be focusing on growing the Velstar brand further, by delighting our existing and attracting new customers, and managing our partner relationships.”

Velstar employs around 120 people and is expected to generate £10m of revenue in CY 2024.