Board of Directors

Philip Acton

Non-Executive Chair

Experience

Joined the Board in 2013 and became Chair in 2017. Worked for 17 years in agriculture as chief operating officer for Genus Europe and Asia and group finance director of Genus plc. Prior to that spent ten years in the electrical engineering sector as group finance director of Scholes Group plc.

Key skills

• Sector experience
• Finance
• Mergers and acquisitions

Committee membership

• Audit
• Remuneration
• Disclosure

Richard Whiting

Chief Executive

Experience

Joined in 2007. Previously group finance director of Heywood Williams Group plc, after joining as business development director from Brand-Rex Ltd, where he was managing director of the datacom division.

Key skills

• Strategy and leadership
• Sales and marketing
• Operations
• Finance
• Mergers and acquisitions

Committee membership

• Disclosure

Chris Belsham

Group Finance Director

Experience

Joined as Group Finance Director in 2017. Previously an equity partner and head of corporate finance at Irwin Mitchell LLP having joined the business in 2014 from KPMG Corporate Finance. Qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC in 1999.

Key skills

• Finance
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Strategy and leadership

Committee membership

• Disclosure (Chair)

David Downie

Senior Independent Non-Executive Director

Experience

Joined the Board in 2018. Holds a BSc in agriculture and spent over 15 years as a senior executive at ASDA. Currently non-executive chair of a vacant property service company which trades as VPS Group.

Key skills

• Sector experience
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Strategy and leadership

Committee membership

• Audit
• Remuneration (Chair)

Richard Armitage

Independent Non-Executive Director

Experience

Joined the Board in July 2020. Currently chief financial officer at Victrex plc, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Wide strategic and M&A experience in a number of senior finance roles.

Key skills

• Finance
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Current PLC board experience
• Strategy and leadership

Committee membership

• Audit (Chair)
• Remuneration

Rob Andrew

Company Secretary

Experience

Joined as Company Secretary in 2004. An experienced chartered secretary, previously assistant company secretary of Iceland Frozen Foods plc.

Key skills

• Health and safety
• Human resources
• Company secretarial
• Property