Larry Pentz

Chairman, BS ChE MBA

Larry Pentz was appointed to the Board in 2008 and became Chairman in 2014. Larry is Chairman of the Nominations Committee. Larry has over 30 years’ service within multinational corporations in a variety of operational and general management positions, with extensive experience in developing strategy for and successfully leading international growth businesses.

Larry has been instrumental in the acquisition and integration of multiple catalyst and chemical companies for Johnson Matthey Plc, and was formerly executive director responsible for Emission Control Technologies of Johnson Matthey Plc.

Larry retired as an executive director of Johnson Matthey Plc during 2016 where he held board-level responsibility for Johnson Matthey’s Process Technologies and Fine Chemicals divisions. Larry is Non-Executive Chairman of Scapa Group plc.

Jakob Sigurdsson

Chief Executive Officer , BSc MBA

Jakob Sigurdsson was appointed to the Board in October 2017. Jakob has more than 20 years’ experience in large multinational companies, both listed and private, including nine years with Rohm & Haas (now part of Dow Chemical) in the US, as well as Chief Executive of food manufacturer Alfesca in Europe and as Chief Executive of Promens. His executive responsibilities have spanned marketing, supply chain, business development, strategy and M&A, with particular emphasis on growth in new or developing markets.

Between September 2016 and June 2017, Jakob was Chief Executive Officer of VÍS, the largest Icelandic insurance and re-insurance company. Jakob holds a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Iceland and an MBA from Northwestern University in the US.

Richard Armitage

Group Finance Director, FCMA

Richard Armitage, FCMA, was appointed to the Board in May 2018. He was previously Group Finance Director of Samworth Brothers, a UK based branded and own-label food manufacturer, which he joined in 2014. Prior to Samworth Brothers he was Chief Financial Officer of McBride plc. His other roles include Finance Director for Premier Foods plc’s Grocery and Chilled Divisions, and at Courtaulds, ICI and Boots plc. Richard trained through the Courtaulds and ICI Management Development programmes.

Martin Court

Executive Director, BSc (Eng) PhD

Martin Court was appointed to the Board as an executive director in April 2015. Martin joined Victrex in February 2013 as Managing Director of Invibio, Victrex’s medical business. Martin has significant proven international experience in the medical and high performance materials and chemicals industries, including with Cytec Industries, and in a number of senior roles at both ICI and UCB. He is an INSEAD alumni and holds a doctorate in the field of surface chemistry and fracture mechanics and a BSc (Eng) degree in mineral technology from Imperial College of Science and Technology.

Jane Toogood

Non-executive Director , MA Hons

Jane Toogood was appointed to the Board in September 2015. Jane has a wealth of experience across a number of business management, senior commercial and business development roles within the global chemical industry, including Borealis, ICI and Uniqema, and also held a Non-Executive Director role with NHS Harrogate and District Foundation Trust. Jane holds an MA in natural sciences (chemistry) from the University of Oxford.

Jane is the Sector Chief Executive, Efficient Natural Resources at Johnson Matthey Plc.

Janet Ashdown

Non-executive Director, BSc#+

Janet was appointed to the Board on 9 February 2018. Janet has over 30 years’ experience of the international energy sector in a variety of senior executive roles at BP plc, most recently as Director, BP Oil UK Limited, and Head of UK Retail and Commercial Fuels. Janet is currently Non-Executive Director and Senior Independent Director of Marshalls plc and is chair of its remuneration committee.

Brendan Connolly

Non-executive Director, BSc

Brendan has over 35 years’ experience in the international oil and gas industry serving in a number of senior executive roles. Until June 2013, Brendan was a senior executive at Intertek Group plc and had previously been chief executive officer of Moody International (which was acquired by Intertek in 2011). Brendan is a non-executive director and Senior Independent Director of Synthomer plc, in addition to being chairman of their Remuneration Committee and member of their Audit and Nomination Committees. Brendan is also a non-executive director of two private equity backed companies, one of which he chairs.

David Thomas

Non-executive Director, MA FCA

David was appointed to the Board in May 2018 and Chairs the Audit Committee. David was Chief Financial Officer at Invensys plc from 2011 until his retirement in 2014, having held senior roles across the business since 2002. Prior to joining Invensys, he was a Senior Partner in Ernst & Young (E&Y), specialising in long-term industrial contracting businesses and is a former member of the Auditing Practices Board.