Management
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Gareth Davis
Chairman -
Ian Meakins
Group Chief Executive -
John Martin
Chief Financial Officer -
Frank Roach
Chief Executive, North America
Gareth Davis
Chairman
Gareth spent 38 years in the tobacco industry and was Chief Executive of Imperial Tobacco Group plc from its incorporation in 1996 until May 2010.
Age 63.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 1 July 2003 and became Chairman on 21 January 2011.
Key strengths
Extensive international board and general management experience, having served on various company boards for many years.
External appointments
Chairman of William Hill PLC and a Non Executive Director of DS Smith Plc, the international packaging manufacturer and office products wholesaler.
Committee membership
- Chairman of the Nominations Committee
- Major Announcements Committee
Ian Meakins
Group Chief Executive
Ian was, until April 2009, Chief Executive of Travelex Holdings Limited, the international foreign exchange and payments business. Previously he was Chief Executive Officer of Alliance UniChem plc until its merger with Boots in July 2006. Prior to that, between 2000 and 2004, he was President, European Major Markets and Global Supply for Diageo plc, spending over 12 years with the company in a variety of international management positions. Age 56.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 13 July 2009.
Key strengths
Broad international board and general management experience in brand, retail and wholesale distribution management; Strategic vision and extensive operational leadership.
External appointments
Director of the Impetus Trust and Non Executive Director of Centrica plc.
Committee membership
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Major Announcements Committee
- Disclosure Committee
- Treasury Committee
John Martin
Chief Financial Officer
John, a chartered accountant, joined the Company in February 2010. He was previously a partner at the private equity group Alchemy Partners and prior to that was Chief Financial Officer of Travelex Holding Limited and Hays plc, the business services group. John started his career at Arthur Andersen before joining The Stationery Office Group, on its privatisation, where he was Group Controller. Age 47.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 1 April 2010.
Key strengths
Extensive operational and financial management experience. Significant experience at cost control, driving productivity, and leading business expansion projects, acquisitions, disposals, capital efficiency, tax, treasury and compliance activities.
External appointments
None
Committee membership
- Chairman of the Major Announcements, Disclosure and Treasury Committees
- Executive Committee
Frank Roach
Chief Executive, North America
Frank is responsible for all the North American businesses. He first joined Ferguson Enterprises Inc. in 1976 and has held a number of business roles. In 2005, he was appointed as Senior Vice President of the Wolseley North America management team, playing a key part in further developing and expanding the Group’s North American businesses. Age 62.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 16 December 2005.
Key strengths
Strong business and operational leadership; Management of subsidiaries and joint ventures. Business development and wide-ranging sales experience.
External appointments
None.
Committee membership
- Executive Committee
-
Tessa Bamford
Non Executive Director -
Michael Clarke
Non Executive Director -
Andrew Duff
Non Executive Director -
Pilar López
Non Executive Director
Tessa Bamford
Non Executive Director
Tessa was, until July 2011, a Director of Cantos Communications, the online communications provider. Previously, she was a Director of J Henry Schroder & Co where she worked for 12 years in a number of roles between 1986 and 1998. Prior to that, she worked in corporate finance for Barclays de Zoete Wedd. Age 54.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 22 March 2011.
Key strengths
Extensive City experience having held senior advisory roles in both the UK and US across a range of sectors.
External appointments
Consultant at Spencer Stuart. Non Executive Director of Barratt Developments plc and a Governor of the British Institute of Florence.
Committee membership
- Audit Committee
- Remuneration Committee
- Nominations Committee
Michael Clarke
Non Executive Director
Michael, a qualified accountant, spent his early years in South Africa and Hong Kong working for Deloitte. He joined Reebok International in 1991, serving as Vice President of South Asia/Pacific. Between 1996 and 2008 he held various roles at The Coca Cola Company including President of South Pacific and Korea, and President of North West Europe and Nordics. Until August 2011, he was President of Kraft Foods Europe, headquartered in Zurich. Age 49.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 22 March 2011.
Key strengths
Considerable board and executive management experience within global businesses with strong marketing and distribution capabilities.
External appointments
Became Chief Executive Officer of Premier Foods Plc in September 2011.
Committee membership
- Audit Committee
- Remuneration Committee
- Nominations Committee
Andrew Duff
Non Executive Director
Andrew spent 16 years at BP plc working in Europe, the USA, Far East and Africa in marketing, strategy and oil trading. He joined National Power in 1998, joining the board of its daughter company Innogy plc (a FTSE 100 company) upon its demerger from National Power in 2000 and its listing on the LSE. He restructured Innogy plc, prepared a technology spin-out for IPO, and secured shareholder approval for several Class 1 transactions including the sale of Innogy to RWE in 2003. He then became CEO of the successor company, npower and a member of the RWE Group Executive Committee. He was appointed Non Executive Chairman of RWE npower until his retirement in December 2010. Age 54.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 1 July 2004.
Key strengths
Broad knowledge of international business; Strategic management and strong customer service experience.
External appointments
Chairman of Severn Trent Plc and Severn Trent Water Ltd. Member of the CBI President’s committee. A fellow of the Energy Institute. Member of the board of trustees of MacMillan Cancer Support. Member of the board of trustees of the Earth Trust.
Committee membership
- Senior Independent Director
- Chairman of the Remuneration Committee
- Audit Committee
- Nominations Committee
Pilar López
Non Executive Director
Pilar has been the Chief Financial Officer of Telefónica Europe since 2007. She joined Telefónica in 1999 working in a number of finance and strategy positions across the European and Latin America businesses. Prior to that, Pilar worked in a variety of roles at J.P. Morgan, the US banking corporation, in Madrid, London and New York where she became Vice President. Age 43.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 1 January 2013.
Key strengths
Broad corporate and financial experience, having worked in a range of senior roles handling complex issues in global businesses.
External appointments
Chief Financial Officer of Telefónica Europe. Through this position she is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Telefónica Czech Republic AS and Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG.
Committee membership
- Audit Committee
- Remuneration Committee
- Nominations Committee
-
Alan Murray
Non Executive Director -
Michael Wareing CMG
Non Executive Director -
Richard Shoylekov
Company Secretary and General Counsel
Alan Murray
Non Executive Director
Alan, a qualified chartered management accountant, was a Non Executive Director of International Power plc from 2007 to 2011. Previously he was Group Chief Executive of Hanson plc between 2002 and 2007. He joined Hanson in 1988 and held various senior management positions before becoming Finance Director in 1997 and CEO of Hanson North America between 1998 and 2002. Age 60.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 1 January 2013.
Key strengths
Extensive international business experience.
External appointments
Member of the Supervisory Board of Heidelberg Cement AG.
Committee membership
- Audit Committee
- Remuneration Committee
- Nominations Committee
Michael Wareing CMG
Non Executive Director
Michael was International Chief Executive of KPMG from 2005 until he retired in September 2009, having previously been Chief Executive of KPMG’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Throughout his career he has been closely involved with a number of charities and public bodies, including his appointment in 2007 as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for the reconstruction of Southern Iraq and Chairman of the Basra Development Commission. Age 59.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed to the Board on 1 October 2009.
Key strengths
Comprehensive board and financial management experience; Significant commercial and international experience having served in various advisory roles.
External appointments
Became Non Executive Director of Cobham plc in December 2010 and of Intertek Group plc in April 2011. Economic Development Advisor to the Government of Afghanistan.
Committee membership
- Chairman of the Audit Committee
- Remuneration Committee
- Nominations Committee
Key information
Committee membership
Richard Shoylekov
Company Secretary and General Counsel
Joined Wolseley plc in November 2007. He is secretary to the Board and all of the Committees of the Board and is a member of the Major Announcements, Disclosure and Executive Committees. Richard, a solicitor, has responsibility for the Group’s legal affairs, insurance and corporate responsibility. Age 47.
Key information
Appointment
Appointed in November 2007.
Responsibilities
Richard, a solicitor, has responsibility for the Group’s legal affairs, risk management and corporate responsibility.
External appointments
None.
Committee membership
- Secretary to the Board and all Committees of the Board
- Major Announcements Committee
- Disclosure Committee
- Executive Committee
