Our leadership

Date of appointment
July 2024

Committee membership
Chair of the Nomination Committee and member of the Remuneration Committee.

Relevant skills and experience

• Chartered Accountant with extensive experience as both Chair and Non-Executive Director, having worked in and advised a wide range of public and private companies and been Chairman of, and advisor to, investment committees and capital providers.
• Record of supporting leadership teams to execute their operational strategies and in creating shareholder value.
• Former Chief Operating Officer and Finance Director of Sherwood International plc.

Current external appointment
Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at Caffyns plc and Independent Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at Empresaria Group plc.

Date of appointment
January 2020

Committee membership
None

Relevant skills and experience

• Significant financial, retail and commercial expertise, including as Chief Financial Officer of The Works, and, prior to that, as Commercial Director at Card Factory plc where he was responsible for the commercial function (buying, space and merchandising) and leadership of the commercial finance team. He played a key role in the successful IPO of Card Factory in 2014 and its subsequent growth and evolution as a listed business.
• Chartered Accountant, having started his career at PwC where he spent eight years working in the audit and corporate finance departments.
• Joined The Works as CFO in April 2018, overseeing the IPO and serving as an executive director of TheWorks.co.uk plc since the IPO in July 2018.

Current external appointments
None

Date of appointment
January 2024

Committee membership
None

Relevant skills and experience

• Significant commercial and financial experience in PLCs . Previously worked at Spirit Pub Company and National Grid, holding senior roles with responsibility for defining and directing financial and commercial reporting, business planning and financial control and risk.
• Chartered Accountant, having started her career at PwC where she spent five years working in the audit and tax departments. 
• Joined The Works in March 2019. Worked as both Head of Finance and Interim CFO before being promoted to Chief Financial Officer and joining the Board on 1 January 2024.

Current external appointments
None

Date of appointment
July 2018

Committee membership
Chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees.

Relevant skills and experience

• Extensive retail and consumer experience, including as co-founder of Tragus Holdings Ltd, owner of Café Rouge and Bella Italia restaurant chains and a Non-Executive Director of Bibendum Wine Holdings Ltd.
• Significant financial and commercial expertise as Chief Financial Officer of Tragus Holdings Ltd and CEO of Armajaro Asset Management LLP. He also held senior management roles at P&O.
• Chartered accountant.

Current external appointments
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at JD Wetherspoon plc, a Trustee of the Ascot Authority and from 1 September 2023, a Non-Executive Director of Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund plc. Director of Cadogan Group Limited and two related subsidiary companies.

Date of appointment
November 2024

Committee membership
Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit and Nomination Committees.

Relevant skills and experience

• Over 27 years' experience in international retail across the UK, Europe and Asia.
• A highly experienced value retail executive and advisor, having spent the last 17 years within the discount sector.
• Has held senior positions at prominent value retailers, most recently between 2013 and 2018 as Buying Director and Commercial Director with Action Holding BV, one of Europe's fastest growing non-food discount retailers, and, prior to that, Wilko, where he held several key Operating Board positions.
• Since 2018, has worked as a self-employed Retail Advisor, Consultant and Non-Executive Director, specialising in the value retail sector.

Current external appointments

Retained Senior Advisor to JJA, Europe's leading supplier of homeware products, and Non-Executive Chair of Rove, a SaaS start-up helping consumer brands to expand internationally. Through his retail advisory and consultancy business, Simon advises a range of European discount businesses and Private Equity clients on areas including strategy, positioning and international expansion