Babcock International Group PLC (LON: BAB) has today announced a number of forthcoming changes to its Board.
Executive changes
After 16 years working for Babcock, Archie Bethel has advised the Board of his intention to retire from his role as Director and Group Chief Executive. The Company has initiated the process to appoint his successor. Archie will remain in his role as Chief Executive and continue to drive the Company’s strategic and operating plans, until his successor is in place. Archie’s remuneration arrangements will remain in line with Babcock’s Remuneration Policy and will be the subject of a future announcement at the appropriate time.
Ruth Cairnie, Babcock International Group Chair, said:
“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Archie for his service to Babcock, during which time he was instrumental in growing Babcock from a small cap to a leading defence business. Archie has been a proven and respected leader, whose knowledge and understanding of the sector is second to none.”
Archie Bethel, Group Chief Executive, said:
“Having served at Babcock for 16 years, I feel that this is the right time to retire. In the meantime, I am focused on positioning the Company for further success in the future. It has been an honour and privilege to serve at Babcock and I am proud of what the Company has achieved.”
Non-Executive changes
Following Ian Duncan’s decision to retire from the Board, having served his nine-year term, the Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Russ Houlden as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 1 April 2020.
Russ has been Chief Financial Officer of United Utilities Group PLC (UU) since October 2010 and, in addition, Chairman of the Audit Committee of Orange Polska, a leading telecommunications company in Poland. Russ has also been, since 2014, Chairman of the Financial Reporting Committee of The 100 Group, a group which represents the collective views of the FTSE100 on financial reporting matters. As announced this morning, in order to free up sufficient time for his non-executive roles, Russ will be stepping down from The 100 Group in March 2020 and from his CFO role at the UU AGM in July 2020.
Initially, Russ will join Babcock as a Non-Executive Director, but he will become the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee following Babcock’s AGM in July 2020, when Ian Duncan will step down from the Babcock Board.
The Board is also undertaking a search for a successor to Sir David Omand as Senior Independent Director, which is progressing well.
Babcock’s AGM will see the retirement from the Board of Jeff Randall, Babcock’s current Chair of the Remuneration Committee. Jeff will step down from the Chair of the Remuneration Committee with effect from 1 April 2020, from which time Kjersti Wiklund will take over the role. Kjersti joined the Board on 1 April 2018 and is the current Chair of the Remuneration Committee for Trainline plc.
The Board would like to thank Ian and Jeff for their contribution to Babcock and to wish them well for the future.
