Board of Directors

Jeff Harris joined the Board in April 2010 and assumed the role of Chairman at the close of the Company's Annual General Meeting on 13 May 2010. Jeff was Senior Independent Director and Interim Chairman of Bunzl plc until he retired in 2010. Prior to that he was Chairman of Alliance UniChem plc from 2001 until 2005. He has been Chairman of Filtrona plc since 2005. Jeff is non-executive Director of WH Smith PLC.

Nick Salmon was appointed Chief Executive in July 2004. Prior to joining Cookson, Nick was Executive Vice President of Alstom SA.  Previously he was the Chief Executive Officer of Babcock International Group plc and held senior management positions at GEC and China Light & Power Company Limited. Nick is the Senior Independent non-executive Director of United Utilities plc.

Mike Butterworth was appointed to the Cookson Board in June 2005 and assumed the role of Group Finance Director in August 2005. Prior to joining Cookson, Mike was Group Finance Director of Incepta Group plc. He previously spent five years as Group Financial Controller at BBA Group plc. Mike is non-executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of St Ives plc.

François Wanecq joined the Board in February 2010. François has been the Chief Executive Officer of Cookson’s Ceramics Division since October 2005. Prior to joining Cookson he held a series of senior management roles at ArjoWiggins Group and from 1985 to 1995 he was Managing Director of the technical ceramics division of Saint-Gobain SA.

Jeff Hewitt joined the Board in June 2005 and is Chairman of the Audit Committee. Jeff was previously Deputy Chairman and Group Finance Director of Electrocomponents plc. He is a non-executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Cenkos Securities plc and a non-executive Director of Cyril Sweett Group plc and Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust PLC. He is also the external Chairman of the Audit Committee of John Lewis Partnership and the Chairman of Electrocomponents Pension Trustees Limited. Jeff is a chartered accountant.

John Sussens joined the Board in May 2004 and is Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and Senior Independent Director. John was previously Managing Director of Misys plc. He is currently Senior Independent non-executive Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee of Admiral Group plc. He is also a non-executive Director of Anglo & Overseas plc.

Jan Oosterveld joined the Board in June 2004. He spent the majority of his career at Royal Philips Electronics, latterly serving as a member of the Group Management Committee. Jan is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Crucell N.V., a non-executive Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Commitee of Candover Investments plc and a non-executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Barco N.V. Jan is also a Professor at IESE Business School in Barcelona.

Peter Hill joined the Board in February 2010. Peter is Chief Executive of Laird PLC. He was a non-executive Director of Meggitt PLC until March 2010. He previously held senior management positions with BTR plc (subsequently Invensys plc) and was an executive Director of Costain Group plc.

Dr Emma FitzGerald joined the Board in August 2011. Emma is Vice President, Global Retail Network for Shell International, a company she joined in 1992. She is a Trustee of Windsor Leadership Trust and holds a DPhil in Physical Sciences from Oxford University and an MBA from Manchester Business School.