Grass Roots chairman David Evans has gone back to the shop floor to find a replacement for events and communications divisional director, Amanda Litzow after her surprise departure.

Litzow, who was only appointed at the start of the year is said to have left for personal reasons and is currently on gardening leave. In the last fortnight Evans has been personally interviewing all staff within the Marlow-based events and communications division to put together a new team.

“It’s very rare for the chairman to interview a third of the staff in two weeks, but that’s what I’ve done. I wanted to find out what I’ve got there as I’d left the hiring to other people,” he explained. “It’s been fascinating to have one to ones with them and heart to hearts about what they want to achieve. I’ve got some very nice bright people and I think I’ll be able to find a pretty good team.”

He added that the staff had welcomed the chance to showcase their skills to the boss: “They’re all saying it’s a good thing. There are a lot of talented people and some feel those talents have been overlooked so now they feel they’ve been liberated.”

Evans expects the new team to be in place by Christmas, when they will move into refurbished offices.

“The office here at Marlow is a bit 1980s but we are opening up the whole ground floor; making it open plan, putting in lots of glass and making it very Grass Roots.”

Litzow’s departure follows the resignation of global head of events Nick Bender, who left in the summer to set up his own venture.

Pictured: David Evans