RWS Holdings has announced a major shake-up at board level as the company reported a sharp fall in profit for the year ended 30th September 2025.
Chair Julie Southern and senior independent director David Clayton will both step down from the global AI solutions firm at the end of the year, ending a period in which Southern helped strengthen the board and transition the group to new executive leadership.
Clayton departs after 16 years across SDL and RWS.
Andrew Brode and Gordon Stuart will become interim chair and interim senior independent director while a search for a permanent chair is undertaken.
The changes come as the global AI solutions company posted a significant 43% drop in adjusted profit before tax, falling from £106.7 million to £60.4m.
Adjusted EBITDA fell 29% to £100.8m and revenue declined 4% to £690.1m.
Despite the downturn, RWS reported strong cash generation, with operational free cash flow rising to £80.1m and cash conversion reaching 126%.
Net debt increased slightly to £25.4m, partly due to £45.9m of dividend payments during the year.
It has been a year of change for the Berkshire-based company, which replaced Candida Davies with Stephen Lamb as its CFO in October.
Prior to that, in June, it acquired AI dubbing and synthetic speech platform Papercup after a staff exodus at Scale AI.
In 2025, it has seen its share price dip by over 50%, from 179.8p to 75.6p. Its market cap currently sits at just over £280m.
“Having joined the board at a pivotal time in the group’s development, RWS now has an exciting AI-led strategy in place, led by a new technology-focused CEO and supported by a strengthened board,” said Southern.
“With these firm foundations in place, it is a good time to hand the reins over to a new chair as RWS embarks on its next chapter.”
Ben Faes, CEO of RWS, added: “FY25 was a pivotal year for RWS, as we moved to become a technology-led AI solutions partner, trusted to power seamless operations for global enterprises.
“Our new strategy is a recalibration of our value proposition. We have unified our engineering power under a new chief product and technology officer and executed our first major brand re-positioning in two decades, to better reflect our proposition today and for the future.
“By placing technology at the core, we are now addressing the full AI value chain – exemplified by our acquisition of the IP of Papercup, which fast-tracks our capabilities in AI-generated dubbing and synthetic media.
“Our financial performance in the year reflected the challenges we face as our markets continue to evolve and it also validated our conviction that we can and must lead the shift in our industry.
“We have responded with decisive action, delivering material cost reductions in the second half and drawing us towards a leaner, faster operating model fit for a technology-led company.
“With a Net Promoter Score of +46, trust remains the bedrock of our business. Our global presence, access to large, digitally-addressable markets and longstanding embedded relationships with our strong enterprise client base provide robust foundations.
“With our proprietary technology and data, specialised expertise, integrated AI lifecycle solutions, and proven track record in transforming mission-critical content, RWS is uniquely positioned to grow on the back of AI advancements as the natural trusted partner for enterprises navigating the AI revolution.
“As we enter FY26, we do so with a scalable technology stack, a clear strategy and the energy to define the future of global understanding.”
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