Co-founder of Melrose to retire

David Roper, one of the founders of Melrose, has announced he is to retire from the industrial buyout firm a year after its £8 billion acquisition of GKN.

The executive vicechairman said he will step down from the London-listed firm at the end of May 2020. The 69-year-old set up the business alongside Christopher Miller and Simon Peck ham and oversaw several deals.