Following a period of sustained growth, Newport firm Smart Solutions, one of Wales’ leading outsourced services specialists, has established an executive board to assist its development and direction, and to increase levels of corporate governance.

Smart Solutions, which has it's headquarters in the city, has appointed seven members to its the board including leading investment banker, Joel Hope-Bell, as chairman.

Mr Hope-Bell, a managing director at global finance advisory and investment banking firm Duff and Phelps, previously worked as a managing director at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and earlier at Morgan Stanley and UBS. Most recently, he was managing director and head of the European Business Services team at corporate advisory firm, DC Advisory.

Mr Hope-Bell will join current employees of Smart Solutions and members of the UK business community to provide control and guidance over the company’s future.

Nathan Bowles, chief executive and founder of Smart Solutions, will work with existing colleague, Gary Ridewood, finance director, Jonathan Jones, one of the four individuals who developed the £280m Circuit of Wales project, Jack Price, an SME specialist adviser for more than 20 years and a founder member of Castle Court Wealth Management, and Paul Ragan, a successful entrepreneur, who sold his multi-million turnover insurance broker business, Motorquote Insurance, and amongst other business interests is owner and chairman of the Cardiff Devils ice hockey team.

The seventh member is Chris Raybould, founder of Centric Global, which helps to grow organisations to achieve domestic and international expansion.

Nathan Bowles said: “This is a significant milestone in our development, and the team of consultants we now have advising the company will help map out and deliver our future. The board brings together a pool of extensive expertise in Wales, the UK and internationally."

Smart Solutions has enjoyed a period of strong growth since it was established in 2007. In the 2012-2013 financial year, it increased its turnover by more than 50 per cent from £20m to £42m, and it is aiming to increase its turnover by up to 80 per cent by its tenth anniversary in 2018.