Key management biographies
Executive Directors
George Weston (age 47)
George was appointed to the board in 1999 and took up his current appointment as Chief Executive in April 2005. In his former roles at ABF, he was Managing Director of Westmill Foods, Allied Bakeries and George Weston Foods Ltd (Australia).
Other appointments: He is a non-executive of Wittington Investments Limited and a trustee of the Garfield Weston Foundation.
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John Bason (age 54)
John was appointed as Finance Director in May 1999. He was previously the finance director of Bunzl plc and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales.
Other appointments: He is a non-executive director of Compass Group PLC, a trustee of Voluntary Service Overseas and deputy chairman of the charity FareShare.
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Chairman
Charles Sinclair (age 63)
Charles was appointed a non-executive director in October 2008 and as Chairman in April 2009. With wide business experience of both the UK and overseas, his executive career was latterly with Daily Mail and General Trust plc, where he was chief executive from 1989 until he retired from that role and the board in September 2008.
Other appointments: He is non-executive director of SVG Capital plc.
Committee membership: Chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration committees
Non-executive directors
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Timothy Clarke (age 54)
Independent Non-Executive Director
Tim was appointed a director in 3 November 2004 and has been Senior Independent Director since December 2007. Tim has extensive experience of retailing. Until 2009, he was chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers plc, following its demerger from Six Continents PLC where he also held the position of chief executive. Previously he had been a partner of Panmure Gordon & Co before joining Bass PLC in 1990.
Other appointments: He is a non-executive director of two pub and brewing companies, Hall & Woodhouse Limited and Timothy Taylor Company Limited, and also Triple Point VCT 2011 PLC.
Committee membership: Member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination committees
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Lord Jay of Ewelme GCMG (age 65)
Independent Non-Executive Director
He was appointed a director in November 2006. Lord Jay has broad experience of government and international business. During his career in public service he was British Ambassador to France from 1996 to 2001 and Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign & Commonwealth office from 2002 to 2006.
Other appointments: He is a non-executive director of Candover Investments plc, Valeo (the French-based automobile parts company) and of Electricité de France. He has been an independent member of the House of Lords since 2006 and is Chairman of the House of Lords Appointments Commission. He also chairs the Trustees of the international medical aid charity Merlin, and is a member of the British Library Advisory Council.
Committee membership: Member of the Audit, Nomination and Remuneration Committees
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Javier Ferrán (age 55)
Independent Non-Executive Director
Javier was appointed a director in November 2006. He spent the earlier part of his career with Bacardi Group, where latterly he served as president and chief executive officer. He has extensive experience of consumer brands on an international basis and in international financing.
Other appointments: He is currently a partner at Lion Capital LLP, a London-based private equity firm.
Committee membership: Member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees
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Peter Smith (age 65)
Independent Non-Executive Director
Peter was appointed a director in February 2007 and brings extensive experience of international financial matters. Formerly, he was senior partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He served for two years as chairman of Coopers & Lybrand International and as a member of the global leadership team of PwC. He was also chairman of RAC plc and a non-executive director of Safeway plc.
Other appointments: He is chairman of Savilles plc and Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust plc, and a non-executive director of NM Rothschild & Sons Ltd. He is also chairman of the Land Restoration Trust.
Committee membership: Chairman of the Audit Committee and a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees
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Emma Adamo (age 48)
Non-Executive Director
Emma Adamo was appointed as a director in December 2011. She was educated at Stanford University and Insead in France.
Other appointments: She is a director of Wittington Investments Limited.