Directorate Change

RNS Number : 9776I

Cookson Group PLC

23 March 2010

 



23 March 2010 

COOKSON GROUP plc

BOARD APPOINTMENT

Jeff Harris appointed as non-executive Director

and Chairman Designate

Cookson Group plc, the international materials science company, is pleased to announce that Mr Jeff Harris is to join the Board as a non-executive Director with effect from 1 April 2010 and will assume the position of Chairman with effect from the close of the Company's Annual General Meeting on 13 May 2010.

Jeff Harris is currently the Chairman of Filtrona plc, the international speciality plastic and fibre product supplier, a position he has held since 2005. He was a non-executive Director of Bunzl plc, the specialist distribution group, from 2000 until February 2010 and during this period served as the Senior Independent Director and more recently Interim Chairman. He was also a non-executive Director of Associated British Foods plc from 2004 until 2007 and of Anzag AG from 1999 until 2007.

Jeff spent the bulk of his executive career with Alliance UniChem Plc, the pan European pharmaceutical distributor and pharmacist, which he joined in 1985. From 1986 he was Finance Director and in 1991 he became Chief Executive, a position he held for 10 years. During this period revenues grew tenfold to £9bn and with profits rising commensurately, the business became a FTSE 100 company. In 2001 he moved up to become Chairman, a position from which he retired in 2003, just prior to the merger of Alliance UniChem with Boots plc.

Jeff holds a BSc Hons and is an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration for Kingston University. He is a Chartered Accountant.

Jeff will succeed Bob Beeston as Cookson's Chairman. Bob joined Cookson's Board as Chairman in 2003 and is to retire at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

John Sussens, Senior Independent Director of Cookson, who led the search on behalf of the Nominations Committee, said:

"We are delighted that Jeff Harris has agreed to join Cookson as our Chairman. His breadth of corporate experience, in both an executive and non-executive capacity, will be of great value to the Board and to the Company."

"I would also like to express my sincere thanks, and those of everyone within Cookson, to Bob Beeston.  Bob has served as Chairman with great distinction over seven years that have seen significant change, and he leaves the Company very well positioned to capitalise as our global markets recover."

Jeff Harris said:

"I am delighted to have been asked to chair Cookson's Board. It is a company with high quality businesses and strong positions in its chosen markets, and one that has clearly benefitted from strong leadership in recent years.  I greatly look forward to working with Nick Salmon and his executive team, and with the rest of the Board."

Bob Beeston said:

"It has been a great privilege to have been Chairman of Cookson. The Company has emerged from the challenges of the past eighteen months in good shape.  I am confident that, under Jeff Harris's chairmanship, Cookson will continue to make strong progress."

There are no further disclosures required in respect of Mr Harris under paragraph 9.6.13 of the Listing Rules.

- Ends -

For further information please contact:

Shareholder/Analyst Enquiries

Cookson Group plc                                         Nick Salmon, Chief Executive

Tel: [phone]                              Mike Butterworth, Group Finance Director

                                                                          Richard Malthouse, Group Secretary

Media Enquiries

Hogarth Partnership Ltd                                 John Olsen

Tel: [phone]                              Anthony Arthur

About Cookson Group plc:

Cookson Group plc is a leading materials science company operating on a worldwide basis in Ceramics, Electronics and Precious Metals markets.

The Ceramics division is the world leader in the supply of advanced consumable refractory products and systems to the global steel and foundry industries and a leading supplier of speciality ceramic products to the glass and solar industries. It is also a regional leader in the US, UK and Australia in the supply and installation of monolithic refractory linings.

The Electronics division is a leading supplier of advanced surface treatment and plating chemicals and assembly materials to the electronics, automotive, industrial and construction markets.

The Precious Metals division is a leading supplier of fabricated precious metals (primarily gold, silver and platinum) to the jewellery industry in the US, the UK, France and Spain, and also has significant precious metals recycling operations in Europe.                                                                         

 

END

 

 

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