Board of Directors
The Board's main roles are to create value for shareholders, to lead the Group, to approve the Group's strategic objectives, and to ensure that the appropriate financial and other resources, as required, are made available to enable the Group to meet set objectives. All Directors have a wide range of experience and skills, bringing independent judgment to bear on issues of strategy, performance, resources, and standards of conduct.
Andrew Martin
Chairman
Appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in May 2016 before being appointed as Chairman in January 2021.
Key strengths
Wide-ranging and extensive financial background.
Extensive experience of the travel, hospitality and support services sectors.
Experience
Andrew was the Group Chief Operating Officer for Europe and Japan for Compass Group PLC until 2015,
and prior to that, he served as their Group Finance Director for eight years until 2012. Before he joined the Compass Group, he was the Group Finance Director at First Choice Holidays plc (now TUI Group). Andrew also
previously held senior financial positions with Forte plc and Granada Group plc and was a partner at Arthur
Andersen. He was previously a Non-Executive Director of easyJet plc and Chair of their Finance Committee until August 2020. Andrew is a qualified accountant and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
Current external appointments
Non-Executive Chairman of Hays plc and Chair of their Nomination Committee
Non-Executive Director of the John Lewis Partnership Board and Chair of their Audit and Risk Committee
Committee membership
Nomination Committee (Chair)
André Lacroix
Chief Executive Officer
Appointed to the Board as Chief Executive Officer in May 2015.
Key strengths
Excellent track record of delivering long-term growth strategies and shareholder value globally across
diverse territories.
Strong leadership skills.
Experience
From 2005 to 2015, Andre was Group CEO of Inchcape plc, during which time he strengthened its position in
the global automotive market with a track record of delivering double-digit earnings growth with strong cash generation and created significant shareholder value as its market capitalisation more than doubled during his tenure as Chief Executive. He was previously Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Euro Disney S.C.A., President of Burger King International’s operations and formerly the Senior Independent Director of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc from October 2008 to December 2018.
Current external appointments
None
Committee membership
None
Colm Deasy
Chief Financial Officer
Appointed to the Board as Chief Financial Officer in March 2023.
Key strengths
Varied and broad finance experience.
Extensive international general management experience in successful companies.
Experience
Colm Deasy joined Intertek in 2016 as our Group Treasurer, adding the Tax Director role, was then our Regional Managing Director for Asia Pacific and before his promotion was President Global Transportation Technologies, Building & Construction and People Assurance. Prior to Intertek, Colm worked in banking and Insurance in EMEA, before coming to the UK to take up senior roles in finance and general management.
Current external appointments
None.
Committee membership
None.
Graham Allan
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board in October 2017.
Key strengths
Extensive international consumer and retail experience.
Wide-ranging knowledge of the Asian market.
Strong management knowledge and extensive board level experience.
Experience
Graham was Group Chief Executive of Dairy Farm International Holdings Limited, an Asian retailer
headquartered in Hong Kong, from 2012 to 2017. In 1992, he joined Yum! Restaurants International
(formerly PepsiCo Restaurants International) where he held several senior positions before assuming the role of President and CEO in 2003, leading the development of global brands KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell in more than 120 international markets. Prior to his tenure at Yum! Restaurants, he worked as a consultant including at McKinsey & Co Inc. He was previously a Non-Executive Director of Yonghui Superstores Co. Ltd in China and a
Commissioner of Hero Group, an Indonesian retailer.
Current external appointments
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director of InterContinental Hotels Group PLC and a member of their Audit, Nomination and Remuneration Committees,
Non-Executive Director of Associated British Foods plc, Chair of their Remuneration Committee and a member of their Audit and Nomination Committees,
Chairman of Bata International,
Non-Executive Director of Americana Restaurants International PLC and a member of their Nomination and Remuneration Committees
Director of Ikano Retail Pte Ltd.
Advisor to Nando’s Ltd.
Committee membership
Nomination and Remuneration Committee
Gurnek Bains
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board in July 2017.
Key strengths
Wide-ranging experience working with senior leaders internationally providing an important voice on people.
Experience
Gurnek was the co-founder of YSC Ltd, a premier global business psychology consultancy. He led the
business as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman for 25 years to a position of global pre-eminence, and
a client base comprising over 40% of the FTSE 100. Gurnek has worked extensively with multinational organisations in the areas of culture change, vision and values, executive coaching and assessment, board
development and strategic talent development.
He has a doctorate in Psychology from Oxford University.
Current external appointments
A Trustee of the School of Social Entrepreneurs
Managing Partner of Global Future Partnership LLP
Chair of Akram Khan Dance Company
Committee membership
Nomination and Remuneration Committee
Lynda Clarizio
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board in March 2021.
Key strengths
Strong track record of leadership in complex organisations.
Significant experience in digital measurement and broader technology.
Extensive board-level experience.
Experience
Lynda was President of U.S. Media at Nielsen Holdings plc, a global measurement and data analytics company, where she worked from 2013 to 2018. Her prior experience includes CEO, President and other leadership positions at AppNexus, Inc., INVISION, Inc., AOL Inc. and Advertising.com. She previously was a partner in the law firm Arnold & Porter, where she practised law from 1987 to 1999.
Current external appointments
CDW Corporation
Emerald Holding, Inc.
Taboola.com Ltd
Simpli.fi Holdings, Inc.
Cambri Oy
Vice-Chair of Human Rights First (a non-profit international human rights organisation)
Committee membership
Audit Committee
Tamara Ingram
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board in December 2020.
Key strengths
A long-standing leadership career in advertising, marketing and digital communication.
A deep understanding of consumer brands and digital strategy.
Experience
Tamara has held leadership roles within WPP since 2005, and was the Global Chair of Wunderman
Thompson (a subsidiary of WPP plc). Her executive experience includes senior roles at Kantar Group,
McCann Erickson and Saatchi & Saatchi UK, where she held the roles of CEO and Executive Chair. Tamara
was previously a Non-Executive Director of the Sage Group plc and Serco Group plc.
Current external appointments
Non-Executive Director of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
Non-Executive Director of Marks and Spencer Group plc
Committee membership
Remuneration Committee
Jez Maiden
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in May 2022.
Key strengths
Wide-ranging and extensive financial background. Extensive experience in a diverse range of industries and sectors across all geographies.
Experience
Jez was the Group Finance Director for Croda International Plc, the FTSE100 global speciality chemicals company, from 2015 to April 2023. Before he joined Croda International Plc, he was the Group Finance Director at National Express Group PLC from 2008. Jez was also previously the Group Finance Director at Northern Foods Plc and Chief Financial Officer at British Vita Plc. He was previously the Senior Independent Director, Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees at Synthomer Plc and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee and a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees at PZ Cussons Plc. Jez is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Current external appointments
Senior Independent Director of Travis Perkins plc,
Non-Executive Director of Smith & Nephew plc
and a member of their Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee,
Non-Executive Director of the Centre for Process Innovation Ltd
Committee membership
Audit Committee
Kawal Preet
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in December 2022.
Key strengths
Strong executive experience in fast-paced and complex organisations.
Significant experience in transportation and airline industries.
Strong regional experience in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
Experience
After a career of over twenty-five years at FedEx Express in various roles spanning service quality assurance, ground operations, and planning and engineering for the air and ground network, Kawal Preet is currently President, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, a position she has held since 2020. In that role, Kawal has responsibility for a region encompassing 103 countries and territories with nearly 40,000 employees. After working for Tata Motors as a Graduate Engineer Trainee in India, Kawal joined FedEx Express in 1997 as an Associate Engineer in Singapore. Kawal was previously a Non-Executive Director of Asia Airfreight Terminal Co. Ltd, a private company from 2016 to 2020. Kawal Preet has a degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA.
Current external appointments
US-ASEAN Business Council
Junior Achievement, Asia Pacific
Committee membership
None
Gill Rider CB
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board in July 2015.
Key strengths
Successful global experience on the people agenda.
Extensive experience as a Non-Executive Director.
Strong experience on remuneration and sustainability issues.
Experience
Formerly, Gill was head of the Civil Service Capability Group in the Cabinet Office, reporting to the Cabinet
Secretary. Prior to that, she held a number of senior positions with Accenture, culminating in the post of
Chief Leadership Officer for the global firm. Previously Gill was a Non-Executive Director of De La Rue plc
and, until January 2020, Senior Independent Director of Charles Taylor Plc, where she also chaired their
Remuneration Committee. She is currently President of the Marine Biology Association and was also previously President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development.
Current external appointments
Chair at Pennon Group plc, where she also chairs their Nomination Committee.
Chair of South West Water (a subsidiary of Pennon Group plc)
Pro-Chancellor of the University of Southampton
Committee membership
Remuneration Committee (Chair) and Audit Committee
Apurvi Sheth
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in September 2023.
Key strengths
Breadth of executive experience and focus on innovation and value creation. Strong knowledge of the Asia and India region and emerging markets.
Experience
Apurvi has extensive executive experience spanning over three decades across numerous well-known international consumer brands in the food and beverage industry. Most recently she was the Managing Director, Southeast Asia at Diageo plc. Having spent the majority of her career in Asia and India, Apurvi brings her deep consumer experience across diverse markets including China, Japan, Australia, SEA and India to the Intertek Board.
Apurvi has also served as Marketing Director, APAC at PepsiCo International, Marketing Director of India at Coca-Cola and held various roles at Nestle SA. She previously served as a Non-Executive Director of Heineken Malaysia BHD.
Current external appointments
Strategic Advisor to various companies in Southeast Asia and India, across a wide range of sectors including food and beverage, retail and technology.
Non-Executive Director of SSP PLC and a member of their Remuneration and Nomination Committees
Committee membership
None
Jean-Michel Valette
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board in July 2017.
Key strengths
Extensive knowledge of the US market.
Strong leadership and board-level experience, with purpose-driven companies.
Experience
Jean-Michel has more than 30 years’ experience in management, US public company corporate governance, strategic planning and finance. He served as the Lead Director of The Boston Beer Company until May 2023 and was Chair of Sleep Number Corporation until May 2022. He previously held the position of Chairman of Peet’s Coffee and Tea, Inc. until November 2012, a US beverage company which was listed at the time and served as a Director and Chairman of its Audit and Valuation Committees until April 2022. Prior to this, Jean-Michel was Managing Director at the Robert Mondavi Winery before becoming Chair. In his earlier career, Jean-Michel was President and Chief Executive Officer of Franciscan Estates, Inc., a premium wine company. He currently serves as an independent adviser in the US to select branded consumer companies. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Current external appointments
Director of Sleep Number Corporation
Director, Audit Committee Chair and member of the Nominating/Governance Committee of The Boston Beer Company
Committee membership
Audit Committee (Chair)