SDI Group, the buy and build group, focused on companies which design and manufacture specialist lab equipment, industrial & scientific sensors and industrial & scientific products, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Fryer as an independent non-executive director. He will join the Board on 16 July 2026 and will be appointed audit committee chair on 1 August 2026.
Mr Fryer is a seasoned CFO and finance leader with over 35 years of experience in public companies, private equity and privately owned businesses spanning global manufacturing and industrial services. Currently, he is serving as Group CFO for Dialight plc, the Main Market listed global LED lighting business, where he has recently contributed to its return to profitable growth. Prior to this he held CFO positions at AIM-quoted Franchise Brands plc and Anexo Group plc and spent six years as finance director at Augean plc, during which time its market capitalisation grew from £25 million to £385 million ahead of its sale to infrastructure investors in 2021.
Mr Fryer has been involved in over 100 M&A transactions including the $1.8 billion acquisition of Volvo Cars by Li Shufu and the acquisition and financing of SKP, the largest paper recycling business in Europe, for £500 million. Mark is a Chartered Accountant and completed his Executive Education at Columbia Business School.
Ken Ford, chairman of SDI, said: “We welcome Mark to the Board. His depth of financial leadership across public businesses, combined with his demonstrable track record of M&A, will be a significant asset to SDI as we continue to execute our growth strategy and add to our portfolio of acquisitions in high-growth markets. His hands-on operational background makes him ideally suited to support the team and I look forward to working closely with him.”