Cellhire has announced that Tim Williams, who founded Cellhire in 1987, will assume the role of non-executive director, with Royston Hoggarth taking over his role as chairman.
In 1987, Williams (pictured above) identified a market gap for short-term domestic mobile phone rentals in the UK, at a time when high costs made ownership inaccessible for many. Cellhire took off from there. Today its diverse offerings have evolved to IoT and mobile connectivity products that span multiple industries including travel, enterprise and IoT, including indirect channel solutions.
Under his direction, Cellhire expanded its footprint across the US, Europe and Asia through relationships with the network operators including Vodafone, O2, Verizon, and Orange.
In 2022, the company received backing from mid-market private equity firm LDC, which made a significant minority investment to fund growth.
Hoggarth (pictured right) said, “Tim built Cellhire into a global brand for business and the main international sporting events, FIFA and Rugby World Cups and Olympics included.
“His unwavering dedication, entrepreneurial spirit and exceptional leadership skills have been the cornerstone of Cellhire’s success and set a strong foundation for future growth.”
Williams added, “I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished over the past 38 years, growing Cellhire into a globally recognised business. Along the way, we have achieved many significant milestones [that] are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team, whose unwavering commitment has been the driving force behind our success.
“As we look to the future, with a strong focus on our IoT proposition, Royston is the ideal person to take us forward. His extensive experience in the technology and communications space, combined with his strategic insight and leadership, align perfectly with Cellhire’s plans.”
Hoggarth has held a number of leadership roles at IoT and technology companies during his career. That includes a stint at Arkessa, which was sold in December 2020 for £105 million.