Overview

• Former trade minister Greg Hands has been appointed a full-time strategic adviser to Daniel Křetínský’s EP Group following its £3.6 billion acquisition of Royal Mail.
• Hands will provide counsel on regulatory and market developments in both the UK and Germany, drawing on his government and international trade experience.
• International Distribution Services, Royal Mail’s parent company, was delisted from the London Stock Exchange on the day of Hands’s appointment, triggering the resignation of key board members including former chair Keith Williams.
• Ministers and Ofcom are negotiating potential changes to Royal Mail’s universal service obligations, covering delivery frequency, pricing and service standards.
• The Communication Workers Union welcomed the previous leadership’s departure, while environmental campaigners have criticised Křetínský’s investment approach for prioritising profits over green energy credentials.