Directors Biographies

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John Standen

John Standen, Non-Executive Chairman

John Standen is a Durham graduate and is a member of the Securities Institute. He spent the majority of this career in corporate finance and was Chief Executive of Corporate Finance for BZW from 1993 to 1995. He retired from Barclays plc in 1998 and has since been a non-executive Chairman or Director of a number of quoted companies. He is currently non-executive Chairman of Biome Technologies plc and, in a voluntary capacity, Chairman of the Council of the University of Hull.


Don Kenny

Don Kenny, Group Chief Executive

Don Kenny was appointed Group Chief Executive with effect from 1 October 2011. He is a qualified accountant and prior to joining the Group was with Carillion plc, serving as an Executive Director on the main Board from 2006. Before joining Carillion plc, he held executive management positions with Johnson Controls, Sulzer Corporation and the Mowlem Group.


Alan Merrel

Alan Merrell, Group Finance Director

Alan Merrell has been Group Finance Director since May 1998. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1984. Prior to joining the Group he had spent the previous 12 years in the transportation industry with TNT Post Group where he held a number of financial roles, both in the UK and overseas, before becoming Finance Director for its international business operation.


Jan Astrand, Non-Executive Director

Jan Astrand, a Swedish national, is currently a Non-Executive Director of Northgate Plc. He was previously Chairman of CRC Group plc until January 2007, and prior to this, he was Chairman of Car Park Group AB in Stockholm and also Senior Independent Director of PHS Group Plc. From 1994 to 1999 he was President and Chief Executive of Axus (International) Inc. (previously known as Hertz Leasing International), and from 1989 to 1994 he was Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer of Hertz (Europe) Ltd.


Andrew Wood, Non-Executive Director

Chairman of the Audit Committee and member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees

Andrew Wood is currently a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Berendsen Plc. He was previously Group Finance Director of BBA Aviation plc, from which he retired in April 2010, and prior to this he was Group Finance Director of Racal Electronics PLC. He is a chartered management accountant.