AGM Statement and Board Chang

RNS Number : 2476Z

RIT Capital Partners PLC

17 July 2008

 



AGM Statement/Directorate

The following is an extract from the statement by Lord Rothschild at the Annual General Meeting of RIT Capital Partners on 17 July 2008.

'I would like to take this opportunity to announce a number of changes to your Company's Board.

First, I am pleased to say that Andrew Knight, who has served the Company as a non-executive director since 1996, has agreed to become Chairman of J. Rothschild Capital Management Limited, RIT's main operating entity. Andrew will join the Company in an executive capacity on the basis of three days a week. He will be retiring from the Board of RIT with effect from today, and will be taking on his new role from September.  I will continue as Chairman of RIT.  

Second, we are reorganising the way in which we oversee the management of the portfolio. A small investment committee will be formed comprising myself (as Chairman), Micky Breuer-Weil and David Haysey. Micky has been a non-executive director of the Company since 1998 and has been the principal investment adviser to my family's philanthropic foundation for a number of years. However, he has been closely involved with RIT's investment strategy and portfolio in recent years. I am pleased that Micky has agreed to serve in the role of Investment Director on the new Investment Committee. He will therefore cease to be a non-executive director and will be appointed as an executive director, with effect from today.

David Haysey, who joined in 2005, will serve on the Investment Committee, but will be retiring from the Board today.   I am most grateful to David for his contribution over the last three years in his role as Chief Investment Officer and look forward to continuing to work with him on the Investment Committee.

Third, the release of these two Board seats by Andrew Knight and David Haysey allows us to make two non-executive appointments, without having to increase the overall number of Directors.

I am pleased to announce that Sandra Robertson has agreed to become a non-executive director and serve on the Board's Valuations Committee. Her appointment will be effective from today. Sandra became the Chief Investment Officer of Oxford University Asset Management in 2007.  She spent the previous the ten years at Wellcome Trust, where she became the co-Head of Portfolio Management.

In addition Ian Wace, the co-founder of the hedge fund, Marshall Wace, has also agreed to join the Board as a non-executive director from today. Prior to forming Marshall Wace in 1997, Ian was Global Head of Equity and Derivative Trading at Deutsche Morgan Grenfell.'

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Further information in respect of the two new directors:

Sandra Robertson

Sandra became the Chief Investment Officer of Oxford University Asset Management in 2007. For the ten years prior to Oxford, she was at Wellcome Trust where she became the co-Head of Portfolio Management.

As well as being an independent non-executive director from 17 July 2008, Sandra will be a member of the Company's Valuations Committee.

Additional disclosures relating to Sandra Robertson, pursuant to the UKLA Listing Rules and Disclosure Rules:

• Ms Robertson is not currently a director of any other publicly quoted companies and there are no past directorships of public companies held in the past five years.

2.   There are no details requiring disclosure under paragraphs 9.6.13R (2) to (6) of the UKLA Listing Rules.

3.   Ms Robertson has no beneficial interest in the ordinary shares of the Company.

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Ian Wace

In 1997, Ian Wace co-founded Marshall Wace Asset Management. He is currently a Partner and the CEO and CIO of Marshall Wace LLP, one of Europe's leading hedge fund institutions with approximately $13bn under management.

Ian was formerly Global Head of Equity and Derivative Trading at Deutsche Morgan Grenfell. Prior to joining Deutsche Morgan Grenfell in 1995, he worked for eleven years at SG Warburg & Co Ltd, latterly as Head of European Equity Sales, then as Head of Proprietary Trading and from 1994 Head of International Trading.

Ian's appointment as an independent non-executive director will be effective from 17 July 2008.

Additional disclosures relating to Sandra Robertson, pursuant to the UKLA Listing Rules and Disclosure Rules.

• Mr Wace is not currently a director of any other publicly quoted companies and there are no past directorships of public companies held in the past five years.

2.   There are no details requiring disclosure under paragraphs 9.6.13R (2) to (6) of the UKLA Listing Rules.

3.   Mr Wace has no beneficial interest in the ordinary shares of the Company.

Contact: Duncan Budge, 020 7514 1928

 

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