Ocado Group plc (LON:OCDO) has announced that Julia M Brown has been appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director with effect from 1 January 2023. Julia will also be a member of the People Committee and the Remuneration Committee, such appointments taking place on the date of her appointment to the Board.
Julia served as the Chief Procurement Officer of Mars Wrigley, a division of Mars, Incorporated, until 2021, and prior to this she held senior roles at Carnival Corporation & plc, Mondelēz International, Inc. and Kraft Foods Inc. Julia brings a wealth of experience in strategic procurement across diverse consumer products and significant leadership experience in global supply chain operations.
Rick Haythornthwaite, Chairman, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Julia to the Board. Her experience as a senior executive at some of the world’s most important consumer-facing companies, as well as her extensive board experience, will strengthen further our corporate governance and oversight, helping us navigate the current macro challenges and take advantage of our substantial, and increasing, growth opportunities”.
Tim Steiner, Chief Executive Officer, said:
“Julia’s breadth of business experience, and her deep understanding of the North American consumer in particular, will be hugely valuable to us as we progress through a period of rapid growth, successfully rolling out the Ocado Smart Platform, innovating at pace, and helping partners around the world take advantage of continued strong growth in e-commerce. I am very excited to welcome her to the Board”.
Board Committee changes
Further to its announcement on 14 July 2022 regarding changes to Board Committee composition, Ocado announces some further changes to the Committee chairs.
With effect from the conclusion of the Company’s Annual General Meeting on 2 May 2023, Julie Southern will assume the role of Remuneration Committee Chairman from Andrew Harrison, who will carry on as a member of the Remuneration Committee and chairman of the People Committee. Further, John Martin will become Chairman of the Audit Committee as Julie Southern steps down from this position but remains a member of this Committee.
Notes:
1. Julia M Brown’s most recent role was Chief Procurement Officer at Mars Wrigley, a division of Mars, Incorporated, and prior to this she was Chief Procurement Officer at Carnival Corporation & plc and held senior roles at Mondelēz International, Inc. and Kraft Foods Inc., The Clorox Company, The Gillette Company, Inc. and Diageo plc. She is a non-executive director of The Honest Company, Inc., the natural beauty brand, Solos Brand, Inc., a lifestyle products company, and Molson Coors Beverage Company, the multinational drink and brewing company. Julia also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, an organisation for the procurement and supply management profession based in the UK. Julia holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.
2. For the purposes of Listing Rule 9.6.13(1), Julia M Brown is currently a non-executive director of The Honest Company, Inc., Solo Brands, Inc. and Molson Coors Beverage Company. There are no further details to be disclosed relating to Julia under Listing Rule 9.6.13R.
3. As Non-Executive Director Julia M Brown will be paid an annual fee of £76,600 per annum, and an additional fee of £7,800 in respect of her membership of the Remuneration Committee, in line with the Directors’ Remuneration Policy.
Commenting on her decision to join the Ocado Board, Julia said:
“Ocado Group has been on an extraordinary journey over the past two decades from start-up UK online grocer to established FTSE100 global technology company. I am thrilled to be able to bring my experience working at some of the biggest and most successful global consumer companies to this amazing business. I look forward to playing my part in the next phase of this exciting journey, helping to shape the rapidly-growing, successful, world-leading Ocado of tomorrow”.
