David said, "It is no secret that I have been ill for a period and although I have managed to work through all the treatment that I have received, it has eventually caught up with me and my body is no longer up to the daily rigours of putting in a full-days shift.
"I have taken the decision to retire and leave the running of DHP to my managing director Sean O'Driscoll, alongside operations director Roger Mortimer and financial director Sharon Malone. They are a strong team and I have the utmost confidence in them to take the company to the next level."
David, alongside wife Cherry, started DHP some 30 years ago from their kitchen table and turned it into a multi-million pound publishing business employing some 70 people at its Daventry, UK offices. It publishes seven consumer magazines, three trade titles, including TTW and runs the ever popular Tackle & Guns Show. Recently it moved outside of the fishing and shooting markets with the purchase of The Luxury Property Show.
"Printed magazines remain the spine of our company, but I see big growth for us in the exhibition arena and just after Christmas, one of the last things I did was sign off the contract to buy The Luxury Property Show and I see it as a great addition to our stable," added David.
Sean O'Driscoll said of David's decision to retire, "Although David has been ill, it actually came as a bit of a shock when he told me. I always believed that he would carry on working all his life and that one day Roger and I would have to carry him out in a box. Since I joined DHP some 14 years ago, I have learned a lot about the business world from David, particularly in this last year. I am delighted that he will continue as chairman because it is always a comfort to know that you have someone with his experience to bounce ideas off. He has been a true guiding figure for me and I, along with the rest of the company, will miss greatly his day-to-day involvement with the company.
"While he will not be in the office, you can be assured his spirit is embedded in DHP and many of his ethics and good practices that he has passed on will continue to be the foundation for the company."
