– UK, London – Clarkson PLC (LON:CKN) today announced the appointment of William (Bill) Thomas as Chair with effect from 13 February 2019. Bill will also chair the Nomination Committee, and serve as a member of the Remuneration Committee.
Peter Backhouse, who led the Chair search as Senior Independent Director, said, “Following a thorough and independent search process, I am delighted that Bill has decided to join Clarksons. In addition to significant leadership and Board experience, Bill will make a significant contribution with his experience of international people-intensive organisations, customer focussed service industries and relationship-based transactions with major clients. His proven track record in technology services, will also be extremely valuable as we seek to further develop our strategy in this area to drive innovation in the industry.”
Ed Warner, Acting Chair since 26 March 2018 whilst James Hughes-Hallett recovers from an illness, has stepped down from the Board (with effect from 13 February 2019) having served beyond his scheduled departure date to provide stewardship during the search for a new Chair. James Hughes-Hallett remains a Non-Executive Director and will serve as a member of the Audit Committee, Nomination Committee and Remuneration Committee. James was independent when appointed to the chairmanship, and the Board has determined that he will be classed as independent going forward.
Commenting further, Peter Backhouse added “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ed for his commitment and contribution to the Board over the last 10 years. His guidance, knowledge and stewardship have been invaluable during his tenure, and the Board wishes him well for the future. I would also like to thank James for his invaluable contribution to the Company in his three years as Chairman. We are extremely pleased that he will continue to serve on the Board as a Non-Executive Director given his in-depth knowledge of the industry and deep understanding of Clarksons.”
About Bill Thomas
Bill brings extensive international technology and management experience to the Board, gained through both his executive and non-executive careers. Bill currently chairs Spirent Communications plc, listed on the London Stock Exchange, and Node4, an unquoted IT infrastructure and services provider. He also serves as an independent Non-Executive Director of The Co-operative Bank p.l.c., where he chairs the Remuneration Committee and is a member of both the Risk Committee and the Nomination Committee. He is a member of the International Advisory Board of cyber security specialist FireEye, Inc.; and chairs the Board of Trustees of the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity.
Bill has previously served as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of GFI SARL, XChanging plc, Balfour Beatty plc and VFS Global. His executive career included senior roles at Hewlett Packard and EDS.
Bill Thomas said, “I am privileged to be asked to join Clarksons as the Chair. Clarksons is a market leader in the shipping industry with a strong financial position having delivered 15 consecutive years of dividend growth. Clarksons has a long heritage and is led by an outstanding executive management team. Clarksons’ focus on continuing to innovate and develop new services for clients make this an exciting time to be joining the business, and I look forward to working with the Board and the executive team.”
About Clarkson PLC
Clarkson PLC is the world’s leading provider of integrated services and investment banking capabilities to the shipping and offshore markets, facilitating global trade.
Founded in 1852, Clarksons offers its diverse and growing client base an unrivalled range of shipbroking services, sector research, on-hand logistical support and full investment banking capabilities in all key shipping and offshore sectors.
The Company has delivered 15 years of consecutive dividend growth. The highly cash generative nature of the business, supported by a strong balance sheet, has enabled Clarksons to continue to invest to position the business to capitalise on the upturn in its markets.
Clarksons is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker CKN and is a member of the FTSE 250 Index.
For more information : https://www.clarksons.com
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