Larry Pentz

Chairman, BS ChE MBA

Nationality: US citizen

Tenure: Chairman for five years (appointed 1 October 2014). On the Board since 28 July 2008.

Career: Over 30 years at Johnson Matthey Plc in a variety of senior roles. He was instrumental in the acquisition and integration of multiple catalyst and chemical companies and was an executive director responsible for the Emission Control Technologies business 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 chemical divisions, as well as group-level responsibilities for operational excellence and environmental, health and safety.

Relevant skills and experience: 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.

External appointments: None

Jakob Sigurdsson

Chief Executive Officer , BSc MBA

Nationality: Icelandic

Tenure: Appointed to the Board October 2017.

Career: 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. Between September 2016 and June 2017, Jakob was chief executive officer of VÍS, the largest Icelandic insurance and re-insurance company.

Relevant skills and experience: Jakob holds a BSc in chemistry from the University of Iceland and an MBA from Northwestern University in the US. His executive responsibilities have spanned marketing, supply chain, business development, strategy and M&A, with particular emphasis on growth in new or developing markets.

External appointments: Jakob will become a non-executive director at Coats Group plc from 1st October 2020.

Richard Armitage

Group Finance Director - Chief Financial Officer, FCMA

Nationality: British

Tenure: Appointed to the Board May 2018.

Career: Group finance director of Samworth Brothers, a UK-based branded and own-label food manufacturer, which he joined in 2014. Prior to Samworth Brothers Richard 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.

Relevant skills and experience: Richard trained through the Courtaulds and ICI management development programmes.

External appointments: Richard is a non-executive director at NWF Group plc .

Martin Court

Executive Director - Chief Commercial Officer, BSc (Eng) PhD

Nationality: British

Tenure: Appointed to the Board April 2015.

Career: Martin joined Victrex in February 2013 as Managing Director of Invibio, Victrex’s medical business. Martin is now the Company’s Chief Commercial Officer. 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.

Relevant skills and experience: Martin is an INSEAD alumnus 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.

External appointments: Martin is an executive director on the board of Magma Global Limited and Surface Generation Limited.

Jane Toogood

Non-executive Director , MA Hons

Nationality: British

Tenure: Appointed to the Board September 2015.

Career: Borealis, ICI and Uniqema, and also held a non-executive director role with
NHS Harrogate and District Foundation Trust.

Relevant skills and experience: Jane has a wealth of experience across a number of business management, senior commercial and business development roles within the global chemical industry and holds an MA in natural sciences (chemistry) from the University of Oxford.

External appointments: Jane is the sector chief executive, efficient natural
resources at Johnson Matthey Plc.

Janet Ashdown

Non-executive Director, BSc

Nationality: British

Tenure: Appointed to the Board February 2018.

Career: Janet has a distinguished career working for BP plc for over 30 years, holding a number of international positions most recently as director, BP Oil UK Limited and also head of UK retail and commercial fuels and non-executive of SIG Plc.

Relevant skills and experience: Janet has over 30 years’ experience of the international energy sector in a variety of senior executive roles.

External appointments: Janet is currently non-executive director and senior independent director of Marshalls plc and is chair of its remuneration committee. She is also an independent non-executive director of RHI Magnesita N.V.

Brendan Connolly

Non-executive Director, BSc

Nationality: British

Tenure: Appointed to the Board February 2018.

Career: 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). Prior to Moody, he was managing director of Atos Origin UK, and spent more than 25 years of his career with Schlumberger in senior international roles over three continents.

Relevant skills and experience: Brendan has over 35 years’ experience in the international oil and gas industry serving in a number of senior executive roles.

External appointments: Brendan is a non-executive director and senior independent director of Synthomer plc, in addition to being chairman of its remuneration committee and member of its audit and nomination committees. Brendan is also on two private equity boards, one of which he chairs.

David Thomas

Non-executive Director, MA FCA

Nationality: British

Tenure: Appointed to the Board May 2018.

Career: David was chief financial officer at Invensys plc from 2011 until his retirement in 2014, having held senior roles across the business since 2002.

Relevant skills and experience: 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.

External appointments: David is a non-executive director and chair of the audit committee at Dialight Plc.

Ros Rivaz

Non-executive Director, BSc Hons, Honorary DSc

Tenure: appointed as a Non-Executive Director and the Senior Independent Director of the Board, effective 1 May 2020.

Career: Ros’s Executive career spans nearly 30 years, a Chemistry graduate and honorary Doctor from Southampton University, her last major Executive role was as Chief Operating Officer for Smith & Nephew plc.  Ros has a strong track record as both a Non-Executive and Executive Director. Previous Non-Executive roles include Boparan Holdings, RPC Group and Rexam plc.

Relevant skills and experience: Ros has a strong track record as both a Non-Executive and Executive across a range of listed companies, many of them with geographic and end market exposure which are similar to Victrex.

External appointments: Ros is currently a Non-Executive Director and Senior Independent Director at Computacenter plc, where she chairs the Remuneration Committee; a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Convatec Group plc,  a Non-Executive Director at the Ministry of Defence (Defence, Equipment & Support) and a Non-Executive Director at Aperam SA.