Jan 02, 2017

From 30^th December 2016, DPDgroup, the parcel delivery network of GeoPost, will take full control of the global eCommerce parcels company, wnDirect. DPDgroup has been a shareholder in wnDirect for a number of years and has worked in partnership with wnDirects owner and founder, Stuart Hill.

wnDirect has an amazing track record of growth, having increased revenues by almost a multiple of 4 in the last 5 years, and with an impressive +60% increase year on year in volumes as we close 2016. In the UK, it has a reputation for innovation and creating market leading solutions, having recently won Business Enabler of the Year 2016 at the National Business Awards in London, their second NBA accolade in four years. The company also works with DPDgroup businesses in Europe, and provides the network solution to power the export product DPD Direct.

Alongside this, piloted by the Global Solutions team in the corporate HQ in Paris, DPDgroup has been working to secure new major partnerships across the world, and has created several new eCommerce services which have led to a dramatic increase in B2C volumes coming in to Europe, especially from the USA and from China. Revenues have increased by a multiple of 4 in the last 2 years alone.

It’s against this backdrop of international growth that the Group has decided to bring these activities closer together to further support the international expansion plans of their retailer partners and customers around the world.

The consolidated group will have the scale and infrastructure to be able to expedite their development plans focusing on areas which have been highlighted as important by their customers.

From 1^st January 2017, the two teams of wnDirect and DPDgroup Global Solutions in Paris will both be led by Simon Batt, who will become CEO of wnDirect in addition to continuing to lead the Global Solutions team of DPDgroup in Paris.

Simon, having worked in international parcels for many years both in DPDgroup and previously in Royal Mail Group, said I am very excited to have this opportunity to pull together two great teams and to continue to develop market leading solutions to enable our customers international cross border strategies. To be able to harness the innovation, technology and spirit of wnDirect at the same time as leveraging the DPD Group networks, partnerships and infrastructures will enable us to provide unrivalled solutions to our customers and partners. Its a privilege to have the chance to lead this venture.

wnDirect founder Stuart Hill, who comes from the retail sector having held senior roles in some of the UKs prestige eCommerce brands like ASOS and John Lewis, will continue to play a critical role in the business, leading the focus on strategy, innovation and key account partnerships. Stuart added What has been achieved by the team so far is quite astounding when you consider wnDirect is still a relatively young business. It is testament to everyone that we have grown so significantly whilst retaining the DNA and ethos which made it exciting in the first place. I am thrilled to be part of the team for the future.