Non-Executive Chairman
Non-Executive Chairman
Appointments
Joined the Board as Non-Executive Director on 1 August 2020.
Non-Executive Chairman (assessed as independent on appointment) and Chairman of the Nomination Committee from 1 July 2021.
Skills and experience
Dick is a career veteran from the automotive industry, with the bulk of his time spent at Land Rover and then Jaguar, where he was Engineering Director. He was Chief Executive of Torotrak plc, and was the founding CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, which he built into Europe’s largest advanced manufacturing research institution.
In 2020, Dick chaired the Ventilator Challenge UK Consortium, an extraordinary programme to repurpose the automotive, motorsport and aero industries to build thousands of complex medical devices in a matter of a few weeks in response to the pandemic crisis.
External appointments
Dick is Non-Executive Director of AWE and chairs the Faraday Advisory Board for UKRI. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and an honorary professor at Strathclyde University.
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer
Appointments
Joined the Group and was appointed to the Board as an Executive Director on 1 October 2018.
Skills and experience
James brings significant engineering and management leadership experience gained across international businesses. Prior to joining the Group, James was Group Managing Director at FTSE 100 listed Diploma plc for six years where he delivered a series of successful international acquisitions. His previous career involved engineering leadership positions predominantly in the aerospace and defence industry, including senior roles at Chemring Group plc and Cobham plc. James holds a PhD in Engineering and is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
External appointments
James is Non-Executive Director and Senior Independent Director at Tracsis plc.
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Appointments
Joined the Group and was appointed to the Board as an Executive Director on 4 November 2019.
Skills and experience
Sarah has extensive experience of financial management in public company environments, investor relations and strategic development. Previous roles include Group Finance Director of Carclo plc and Director of Strategy at Rotork plc where she led a wide-reaching strategic review. Prior to this she was Deputy Group Finance Director at Avon Rubber plc, being part of the senior management team during a period of significant transformation. She began her career at PwC, working with many international manufacturing and technology companies. Sarah is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the ICAEW with a first-class degree in Accountancy Studies.
External appointments
Council Member, University of Exeter.
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Appointments
Joined the Board as a Non-Executive Director on 9 August 2017.
Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
Skills and experience
Richard holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College and is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ City experience. He was Head of Research at Singer Capital Markets and was previously in research management roles at Cantor Fitzgerald Europe and Charles Stanley Securities. He has held several senior positions at Investec and S G Warburg & Co. (acquired by UBS).
External appointments
Richard is Non-Executive Chair of Directa Plus Plc.
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Appointments
Joined the Board and appointed Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee on 6 April 2020.
Chair of the ESG Committee.
Skills and experience
A qualified Chartered Accountant, Louise was previously Group Finance Director of Williams Grand Prix Holdings plc and Braemar Shipping Services plc and Non-Executive Director of SCB Brokers SA.
External appointments
Louise is the Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Gooch & Housego plc, Non-Executive Director of the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation and Non-Executive Director of World Rugby.
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Appointment
Joined the Board on 14 May 2025.
Skills and experience
Julie is the Chief People Officer of SIG plc, the FTSE listed supplier of specialist insulation and building products to customers across Europe. Prior to her current position, Julie joined smart energy meter provider Calisen Group in 2020, and was a member of the senior management team throughout its take private the following year. Earlier in her career, Julie held senior HR positions across a range of sectors including telecoms, retail, financial services, aerospace and airline businesses such as Thomas Cook plc and BAE Systems plc. Julie is a qualified coach through the London School of Coaching and the Chartered Institute of Management.
External appointments
Julie is a director of the SIG Group Life Assurance Scheme Ltd.