News 2005
Karen Thornber joins Virgin Mobile as People Director
23/03/2005
23.03.05: Karen Thornber has joined Virgin Mobile as People Director. Reporting to chief executive Tom Alexander, as a member of the management team, she brings a wide range of Human Resources experience from a variety of organisations including Marks & Spencer and CGNU, where she held senior HR roles.
Karen Thornber, 48, joins Virgin Mobile from Virgin Money Group Ltd where she was appointed HR Director in July 2001 following the merger of Virgin Direct and virginmoney.com. Karen also helped build the HR function at both Virgin Direct and Virgin Money together with creating a culture reflective of the Virgin brand. Karen is a fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development.
Tom Alexander, CEO of Virgin Mobile, said: “I am delighted Karen has joined Virgin Mobile and brings her considerable strengths to our management team. Karen has wide ranging knowledge and extensive experience in the human resources field and she will continue to develop and nurture the unique people culture that is at the heart of Virgin Mobile.”
Karen Thornber, said: “I am pleased to join Virgin Mobile at such an exciting time in its evolution. The company has just been voted the 72nd best company to work for in Britain in the prestigious Sunday Times 100 Best Companies list – it truly is a great people business. I am looking forward to continuing to develop Virgin Mobile’s innovative and creative approach to its people. My aim is to introduce the very best practices to the company through a dynamic and highly involved People team to ensure that our culture is truly reflective of our unique brand.”
Karen is based at Virgin Mobile’s head office in Trowbridge, Wiltshire and is responsible for people who work across all four sites in the UK as well as staff in over 100 Virgin Mobile Specialist Stores.
Notes to Editors:
For further information please contact:
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile Press Office: 0845 600 6272 or press.office@virginmobile.com
Steven Day: 07931 777777 or steven.day@virginmobile.com
Joanne Baker: 07941 233300 or joanne.baker@virginmobile.com
Finsbury
Julius Duncan: 020 7251 3801 or Julius.Duncan@finsbury.com
About Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc, the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator, is majority owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 5 million customers.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the High Street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Specialist Stores, Virgin Megastores, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Littlewoods, Argos, The Link, Dixons, Carphone Warehouse, Curry's, Comet, Phones 4 U, TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Ryman.
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,400 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough. It has been voted one of the top 50 places to work in Britain for two years running in an annual Financial Times survey.
Virgin Mobile is ranked in 72nd place in `The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For’ 2005 list.
