Rapiergroup has transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), transferring ownership from shareholders Helen de Bois and Chris Whittaker to a trust acting on behalf of all employees.
The move secures the agency’s long-term independence and gives staff a collective stake in the business. The EOT will be overseen by a Trust Board that includes an independent chair.
“We’ve built a business defined by its people, and it feels entirely right that its future should now rest with them,” said managing director Helen de Bois. “By becoming employee-owned, we’re protecting our culture, values, client and supplier relationships for the long term.”
De Bois and Whittaker have relinquished their shareholdings but will remain in their leadership roles, with Whittaker continuing as operations director.
Rapiergroup said clients should expect continuity, with the existing team remaining in place.
“This isn’t just a change in structure,” De Bois added. “It’s a commitment to the long-term stability of our business and a celebration of the people who make Rapiergroup what it is.”
The agency joins a growing number of UK businesses adopting employee ownership models.
Rapiergroup was founded in 1988 by Nick de Bois CBE. After building Rapiergroup into a globally active agency, De Bois entered politics, serving as MP for Enfield North from 2010 to 2015. In subsequent years, he moved into national tourism leadership roles and chaired the British Tourist Authority from 2022 until last month, having previously chaired the advisory board of VisitEngland between 2020–2022.
