Matthew Elliott, currently operations director, said that the changeover did not imply there were to be changes to the business. He added that both he and his father had been acting in their new roles for the past five months and that the announcement was just to "formalise" the arrangement.
The younger Elliott will continue his duties as operations director as well as taking on those of managing director. He did not say that there was any intention to employ a replacement operations director.
Elliott Baxter has not had a chairman since Tim Elliott's father retired in 1991. He said that he was proud to have gathered a team around him that was strong enough to carry on with his duties.
Matthew Elliott said: "Mine and my father’s ethos and main style will be the same. We may attack things in slightly different ways but that’s because has been doing the role for 27 years and has a lot of experience whereas I am still relatively new to the industry.
"My father is still passionate the business and the industry so he is still keeping his office at the Feltham headquarters. We have a formula that works at Elliott Baxter (EBB) so there will be no rash changes as there is no need to."
Matthew is the fourth generation of the Elliott family in the business. His takeover mirrors his father's succession as managing director in 1985 – Matthew is taking over the role aged 30, while Tim succeeded his own father aged 31. Similarly, Tim will become chairman at 57, the same age at which his father moved into the role.
Matthew Elliott said: "My dad feels that he has done his time and he feels it is now time to pass over to the next generation."
Tim added: "The timing is right and this is a recognition of handing over the baton."
