The Garden Centre Group, backed by private equity firm Terra Firma, has appointed Stephen Murphy as chairman. 

Murphy joins from Virgin Group, where he was most recently chief executive, having succeeded its founder, Sir Richard Branson. Murphy joined the group in 1994 with a remit to rationalise and restructure the business following the sale of Virgin Music. 

Murphy currently sits on the board of the Business Growth Fund. He also serves on several boards within the Virgin Group of companies, and remains a non-executive partner at the corporate finance advisory firm Ashcombe Advisors. He is also non-executive chairman of Jumeriah Group – the hotels and property group based in Dubai – and The Learning Clinic.