13 January 2023

Card Factory plc

("Card Factory" or the "Company")

Appointment of Chief Financial Officer

Card Factory, the UK's leading specialist retailer of greeting cards, gifts, wrap and gift bags, is pleased to announce, after an extensive search process, the appointment of Matthias Seeger as Chief Financial Officer.

Matthias has been CFO of Ambassador Cruise Line Limited since February 2022, having previously been CFO of Costcutter Supermarkets Group from September 2015 to September 2021. Previous roles throughout his 31 year career include senior finance roles with Procter & Gamble, in Germany, the UK, Belgium and Switzerland, between 1991 and 2013.  Matthias has a Master's Degree in Engineering and an MBA from the University of Texas.

Matthias is expected to join the Company on 22 May 2023. 

The Company has now agreed that Kris Lee will leave the Company on 31 January 2023, at which time he will step down from the Company's board.

Pending Matthias joining Card Factory, Simon Comer, currently Group Financial Controller, will be appointed as Interim Chief Financial Officer, but will not be appointed as a director of the Company. Simon has been Group Financial Controller since June 2021, having held previous senior finance roles, including CFO roles, in private equity and listed companies. 

Darcy Willson-Rymer, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"I am delighted to announce that Matthias is joining Card Factory as our CFO.  Matthias has extensive financial experience and I look forward to working with him again, confident that his expertise and values will support Card Factory's strategic projects and significant change programme over the next few years.

I am grateful to Kris for his tireless work over the years, including successful management of liquidity, steering the business through a series of refinancing through covid lockdowns and supporting our "Opening our new future" growth strategy. We offer Kris our very best wishes for the future." 

No further details are required to be disclosed in respect of the appointment under LR 9.6.13 of the Listing Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority.

This announcement contains inside information. The person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Ciaran Stone, General Counsel & Company Secretary.

Enquiries

Card Factory plc                                                                       via Tulchan Communications (below)

Darcy Willson-Rymer, Chief Executive Officer

Tulchan Communications                                                        +44 (0) 207 353 4200

James Macey White / Toby Zeal                                                 cardfactory@tulchangroup.com

Notes:

Matthias will receive an annual salary of £345,000, employer pension contributions of 3% of salary above the lower earnings limit (currently £6,240 per annum), subject to making a 5% employee contribution, which is aligned with the pension allowance for the workforce.  Matthias will participate in the annual bonus scheme up to a maximum participation of 100% of salary and will be entitled to restricted share awards under the Company's Long Term Incentive Plan with an annual award of up to a maximum of 75% of salary. All other terms are in accordance with the Card Factory Remuneration Policy.

Card Factory plc LEI: 213800TTSOPFVCKPFQ11