All change at Leyland-based Victorian Plumbing as boss steps down after 26 years
The founder of Victorian Plumbing - Britain’s leading bathroom retailer - is stepping down as chief executive after 26 years, with his successor named.
The Leyland headquarted firm also revealed the £3.4m acquisition of a transportation services business in the North West.
Mark Radcliffe has decided he will relinquish his role as chief executive with effect from March 31, 2026, but will remain on the board as a non-executive founder director. In this role he will remain actively engaged with the group and its strategic direction. He also remains a substantial and committed shareholder in Victorian Plumbing.
Following a thorough review of succession options, the Nomination Committee concluded that Stephnie Judge, currently Victorian Plumbing's group managing director, was "the natural choice" to succeed Mark Radcliffe. She has been appointed to the board to succeed Radcliffe as CEO with effect from April 1, 2026.
Judge joined Victorian Plumbing in 2013 and, following a number of promotions, was appointed group MD in 2020.
Her leadership was said to have been instrumental in driving the group's growth and delivering key strategic initiatives, including: the recent warehouse transformation, major acquisitions; technology and customer proposition improvements, and the group's entry into the homewares market through the reimagined MFI brand.
Philip Bowcock, chair of Victorian Plumbing Group, said: "I am delighted that Stephnie has agreed to step up as CEO of Victorian Plumbing. Her diligent approach to the delivery of the Group's strategic initiatives stands us in very good stead as we look to the next phase of growth.
"I have worked closely with Stephnie since becoming Chair and I share Mark's confidence in her excellent leadership credentials. I have no doubt that she is the right person to lead Victorian Plumbing through the next chapter and beyond."
Mark Radcliffe added: "Victorian Plumbing has been on an amazing journey in the 25 years since I founded it and I feel that now is the right time to hand over the reins. Stephnie is the right person to guide Victorian Plumbing through the next phase of growth and take advantage of the significant opportunities that lie ahead."
Stephnie Judge said: "I am honoured and excited to take over from Mark as CEO of Victorian Plumbing, a company that he started from his parents' garden shed over two and a half decades ago. I am confident that the strategy we have put in place together is the right one, and I look forward to working with the executive leadership team and Mark in his new Founder Director role as we continue to win market share while delivering excellent value and choice for our customers."
Transport business
In a separate announcement, Victorian Plumbing said it has acquired Sovereign Transport Services Ltd and Sovereign Commercials Ltd. Sovereign is a transportation services business based in the Liverpool City Region, providing haulage services to the group and to a small number of other goods-based businesses in the North of England.
The purchase price (net of cash acquired) of £3.4m is subject to adjustments for normalised working capital and represents about 5x Sovereign's estimated annual adjusted EBITDA.
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