Ecclesall, United Kingdom - August 31, 2015, Ecclesall, United Kingdom - Henry Boot, a land and property development company, announced that John Brown, chairman, and Mike Gunston, non-executive director, will retire from the board from December 31, 2015.
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Mr. Brown was appointed to the Board in 2006 as a Non-executive Director and became Chairman in May 2011.He was formerly the Chief Executive of Speedy Hire plc which he founded in 1977. He is also the Non-executive Chairman of Scott Harris UK Limited.
Mr. Gunston was appointed to the Board in 2006 having retired as the Chief Surveyor of The British Land Company PLC where he worked for nearly 32 years. He is the Senior Independent Director.
On December 31, 2015, Jamie Boot will retire as Chief Executive and replace John Brown as Non-executive Chairman.
Mr. Boot joined the Company in 1979 and was appointed to the Board in 1985. He became Group Managing Director in 1986.
Mr. Boot is also the Chairman of the Company’s four principal operating subsidiaries – Henry Boot Developments Limited, Hallam Land Management Limited, Henry Boot Construction Limited and Banner Plant Limited – and reports to the Board on these businesses. He is the Board member responsible for health and safety matters.
John Sutcliffe, who has been Group Finance Director for the past nine years, will take over as Chief Executive.
Mr. Sutcliffe joined the Company and the Board in 2006 as Group Finance Director and Company Secretary. He previously held a similar role with Town Centre Securities PLC and prior to that was Finance Director of Abbeycrest plc.
Mr. Sutcliffe is a member of the CBI Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Council. He is also a lay member of the Sheffield University Finance Committee. He relinquished the role of Company Secretary in August 2013 and continues as the Board member responsible for finance, risk and pensions. He is also a Director of the Company's four principal operating subsidiaries.
Darren Littlewood, currently Group Financial Controller, will take over as Group Finance Director from December 31, 2015.
The Company has appointed three new independent Non-executive Directors from October 1, 2015.
Joanne Lake will join as Deputy Chair and Chair of the Remuneration Committee as well as a member of the Audit and Nomination Committees. She has extensive corporate finance experience and is currently Deputy Chair of Mattioli Woods PLC and a Non-executive Director of Gateley (Holdings) Plc.
The Company has appointed Peter Mawson as a Non-executive Director and Chairman of the Nomination Committee, as well as a member of the Audit and Remuneration Committees and Senior Independent Non-executive Director.
Mr. Mawson was, until recently, Chief Executive of West Northamptonshire Development Corporation and is Non-executive Chairman of Nexus Planning Limited. He was previously Group Chief Executive of Donaldsons LLP, prior to its acquisition by DTZ, where he remained for two years undertaking post acquisition integration work.
The Company has appointed Gerald Jennings as a Non-executive Director and as a member of the Audit, Nomination and Remuneration Committees. ■