Board of Directors

The Board of Sanderson Group plc consists of three executive and two non-executive directors.  All executive directors are subject to election by shareholders at the first opportunity after their appointment and to re-election at regular intervals thereafter.

The Board meets on a monthly basis and retains full and effective control of the Group.  Additional meetings are arranged as appropriate to consider Group strategy, acquisition and disposal strategies, internal controls and risk analysis, and the annual budget.

Day to day management of the Group's activities is undertaken by a senior management team comprising three senior directors together with the executive directors.

Directors:

Christopher Winn Chairman

Educated at Grammar School and Nottingham University, Christopher worked for British Olivetti until 1974 when he joined the ACT Group - ACT Group became the second UK IT company to be listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1979. He served on the Group Plc Board between 1983 and 1994, undertaking a number of senior roles and, in 1995, he joined the former Sanderson Group, becoming Group Chief Executive later in that year. In 1999, he led a management buyout or ‘take private’ of the former Sanderson Group with the support and backing of the Alchemy Plan. Following restructuring and the demerger of the original Group, the business, which was focused primarily on UK commercial markets and which retained the Sanderson Group name, gained admission to the London Stock Exchange AIM market in December 2004.

Adrian Frost Finance Director

A graduate of Sheffield University, Adrian qualified as a Chartered Accountant whilst working for RSM Robson Rhodes. In 1996, he joined Hadley Industries plc as Group Financial Controller. Adrian joined Sanderson in 2000, shortly after the management buyout, and worked closely with the Board in restructuring the former Group into three separate businesses – Sanderson, Civica and Talgentra. Adrian was appointed Finance Director of Talgentra following the formal demerger of the Group, and rejoined Sanderson Group plc in May 2005.

Ian Newcombe Managing Director, Multi-Channel Solutions

Ian has over 30 years' experience in software and IT services. Beginning his career in electronics, he moved into the computer industry in 1979 when he joined ACT Group plc, where as a local board member, he helped establish an international IT support and software services business. In 1996, Ian joined Mitsubishi Electric of Japan at UK board level. As International Project Director, he was instrumental in the formation of an ISP (Internet Service Provider) and online financial services business, successfully launching a range of innovative products in the UK and Europe. In 1999, he was appointed Consulting Director of Talgentra Ltd, now an Experian plc company, where he developed a new consulting services business which rapidly expanded overseas. In 2005, Ian became Managing Director of what is now the enlarged multi-channel sales division of Sanderson.

Philip Kelly Non-Executive Director

Philip Kelly is a Non-Executive Director of Radius Solutions (UK) Limited (formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of Radius plc, which was taken private with funding from the Alchemy Plan in 1998). He is also a Non-Executive Director of Coalition Holdings Limited, a provider of technical and desktop services. He has over 20 years' experience as the Chief Executive of private and publicly quoted software companies supplying the commercial and public sectors in the UK, Europe and the USA. Philip had previously worked for Digital Equipment and 3i Consultants. Philip was nominated for appointment to the Board by Alchemy Partners.

John Paterson Non-Executive Director

John Paterson has extensive City experience as an investment analyst. He was Managing Director of Albert E Sharp Securities stockbrokers from 1993 until the acquisition of Albert E Sharp by Old Mutual in 1998, and he was instrumental in setting up Arden Partners in 2002 where he was a Director until November 2004.

Senior Management Team

Paul Bywater Managing Director, Manufacturing Solutions

Paul has wide-ranging experience of manufacturing. He began his career as an engineering apprentice, then draughtsman and production engineer, before studying for a degree in production engineering and business studies. Graduating with a first from Sheffield, he embarked upon a career in IT. He started working with manufacturing ERP systems and successfully managed an ERP implementation before he joined Sanderson in 1986. Paul has held a number of positions at Sanderson including Analyst Programmer, Support Manager, Manufacturing Consultant, Systems Director, Development Director and Product Strategy Director. Promoted to Managing Director of the Production and Print business in 2009, Paul’s vast knowledge of manufacturing IT is invaluable.

Roger Stares Managing Director, Food and Drink Manufacturing Solutions

Roger qualified in electrical engineering with Newman Industries, an electric motor manufacturer, and then joined its IT department as an Analyst Programmer. In addition to servicing the group, the IT department became a computer bureau and IT solutions provider, working with a wide range of businesses before being acquired by Sanderson in 1987. Roger has been instrumental in the design and development of the Sanderson food & drink solution. He has over 25 years’ experience in supplying IT business solutions to the food & drink marketplace, with initial installations at Lucas Ingredients (now Kerry Ingredients) and Elizabeth Shaw. Whilst at Sanderson, Roger has held the positions of Technical Director and Director & General Manager. In 2007, he was promoted to Managing Director of the Sanderson Food & Drink business.

Paul Davis Managing Director, Mail Order Solutions

Paul’s involvement in the IT industry spans nearly 30 years. He started his career at British Olivetti and then moved to systems house Marchant Computers, where he managed the development of a suite of wholesale distribution software and over 100 customer installations. He progressed from salesman to shareholder and Managing Director, and grew the business from £300,000 to over £2 million turnover before it was acquired by Sanderson in 1995. Paul has held a number of roles within Sanderson. His expertise lies in the day-to-day integration and management of acquisitions, business development and account management. Paul has managed large sales accounts with major customers such as Glynwed Group, National Packaging, Thorntons and MandMDirect, one of the UK’s largest and most successful online clothing retailers.