
Joined the Board as an independent non-executive director and Chair-designate in January 2017. Appointed Chair in April 2017. Gerry started his career in the food and drinks sector and received his PhD in food technology. His significant business and board level experience and a detailed understanding of UK corporate governance requirements, enable him to provide the Board with valuable leadership. He has held chief executive roles at Greencore Group plc, Exel plc, Carlton Communications plc and Kingfisher plc and has also been an investor and independent director in a number of international listed companies including Intertrust NV, British American Tobacco plc, Reckitt Benckiser plc, Merlin Entertainments plc, Abbey National plc and Novar plc. Gerry is currently the Chair of Burberry Group plc, and until September 2019 was the Chairman of The Blackstone Group’s principal European entity, having joined the firm in 2008 as a Senior Managing Director in its Private Equity group.
Chair of the Nominations Committee