Natar has been managing his own garden products businesses since 1982. He exited his most recent, Gardman, five years ago when he sold it to Barclays Private Equity in a deal worth £85m.
He commented: “Smart Solar is a great company. It has a strong and very committed management team that has navigated this long recession effectively and profitably. Having concluded that early retirement was not my cup of tea, I made an approach to see if Smart Solar might be interested in working with me….and they were!”
Jonathan Stobart, the founder and chief executive of Smart Solar added: “We are very pleased that Paris has chosen to invest in us and join the team as chairman. He brings a wealth of industry-specific experience and I am confident he will add significant value to our already vibrant and rapidly expanding business.”
Smart Solar Ltd has been acquired through a holding company formed for the purpose, SGP Holdings (UK) Ltd, with Natar and Stobart as the sole shareholders. Natar said: “I have the highest regard for Jonathan and the sterling work he has done since founding Smart Solar ten years ago. I very much look forward to working with him and his team in the years ahead.”
Their joint message to the garden industry is: “Watch this space!”
