Directorate Change

RNS Number : 9308E

Smith (DS) PLC

09 July 2019

 

DS Smith Plc

Directorate changes

9 July 2019

DS Smith Plc today announces that Kathleen O'Donovan will retire from the Board with effect from the conclusion of the 2019 AGM on 3 September. It also announces the appointment with effect from 9 October 2019 of Celia Baxter to the Company's Board as a Non-Executive Director. She will also join the Audit Committee, the Nomination Committee and will chair the Remuneration Committee.

Celia is a non-executive director at Senior plc, NV Bekaert SA and RHI Magnesita N.V. At Senior plc she is also the remuneration committee chair and the senior independent director and she is also remuneration committee chair at RHI Magnesita. Her early executive career was with Ford Motor Company and KPMG.  She has held HR positions with Hays plc, Enterprise Oil Plc, Tate & Lyle Plc and most recently was Director of Group HR at Bunzl plc.

Commenting on Kathleen's retirement and Celia's appointment, Gareth Davis, Chairman, said:

"On behalf of the Board and the Company, I would like to thank Kathleen for her hard work and commitment to the Board and the Company during her nearly seven year tenure, a period of tremendous growth and change for the Company. The Board would like to wish Kathleen continued success in the future.

At the same time I welcome and look forward to working with Celia on the DS Smith Board and to gaining the benefit of her extensive business knowledge, as well as her experience as a remuneration committee chair. I am sure that she will make a very positive contribution."

There is no further information to disclose in relation to Celia Baxter's appointment in accordance with LR 9.6.13. As Kathleen O'Donovan is retiring from the Board from the conclusion of the Company's  2019 AGM on 3 September, the resolution referred to in the 2019 Notice of Annual General Meeting concerning her proposed re-election will not be put to that meeting.

Iain Simm

Group General Counsel and Company Secretary

Enquiries

DS Smith Plc                                                                    [phone]

Investors

Hugo Fisher, Group Communications Director

Rachel Stevens, Investor Relations Director

Media

Greg Dawson, Corporate Affairs Director

 

END

 

 

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