Derwent London plc is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Breuer to the Board as an independent Non-Executive Director with effect from 1 February 2021. Subject to shareholder approval, Mark will succeed John Burns as Non-Executive Chairman following conclusion of the 2021 Annual General Meeting when John will retire.
Mark is highly experienced in business and corporate finance having operated at senior levels in the UK and abroad. He worked in investment banking for thirty years and, in 2017, retired from a 20-year career at JP Morgan in London, where he held the position of Vice Chairman Global M&A and was a member of the Global Strategic Advisory Council. During his career, he served in numerous client facing and management roles advising on strategy, finance and corporate development to both domestic and international clients. Mark is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, having qualified in 1987, and has a B.A. from Vassar College in the US.
Mark currently serves on the Board of DCC plc, as the Senior Independent Director, and as a Non-Executive Director of Arix Bioscience plc. There are no further details required to be disclosed under LR 9.6.13 of the FCA Handbook.
John Burns, Chairman commented:
"I am delighted that Mark will join the Board of Derwent London. I am sure he will prove to be a valued and respected addition and a highly effective Chair. I hand over with every confidence in Mark’s future success and that of the Company."
Paul Williams, Chief Executive commented:
"We welcome Mark to the Board and look forward to working alongside him. Mark brings a wealth of experience across many fronts and I am confident he will make a valuable contribution to the Company. I should also like to take this opportunity to thank John, our founder CEO and Chairman in the last two years, for his exceptional contribution to Derwent London, its shareholders, employees and other stakeholders, as well as to me personally. We wish him a happy retirement.”
Mark Breuer, Chairman Designate commented:
“I am honoured to have been selected as Chairman Designate of Derwent London, a company I have long admired. I look forward to working with Paul and the Board at an important time for the Company and all its stakeholders. The business has proven highly resilient through the pandemic and I am excited about its future.”