Roger Wade to step down as Boxpark chief executive

Roger Wade is to step down as chief executive of Boxpark at the end of May after 10 years in the role.

He will hand over the reins to managing director Simon Champion and chief operating officer Ben McLaughlin while staying on at the company as brand consultant and non-executive-director.

Wade sold his majority shares in Boxpark to private equity firm LDC in September 2021.

In a post on LinkedIn, Wade wrote: “It’s been a great ride over the past 10 years but it’s time to jump off and explore new opportunities. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me on this incredible journey but most of all I would like to thank my wonderful team and family for their support.

“As Rocky Balboa once said, ‘Every once in a while a person comes along who defies the odds, who defies logic, and fulfils an incredible dream’.”

Wade founded Boxpark Shoreditch, which is constructed of shipping containers, as the "world’s first pop-up mall" in 2010. A site in Croydon followed in 2016 and another in Wembley in 2018.

The group will launch its new concept, Boxhall, which will take over existing buildings rather than constructing a venue from scratch, in Bristol this summer. A second Boxhall will open in the former entrance to London Liverpool Street Station in 2023.