Our PLC Board
SSP has brought together a Board of Directors who are highly experienced within the travel food and beverage market and the broader retail industry.
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Mike Clasper
Chairman
Date of appointment: Appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director on 1 November 2019, appointed Chair following the 2020 AGM in February 2020
Committee memberships: Nomination Committee (Chair)
Key Skills and Competencies:
Mike is a highly capable industry leader with extensive sector experience, particularly in the airport and aviation services industries. Mike believes high corporate governance standards underpin a well-run, successful board and business, and that the Board should lead by example in driving culture. His leadership and business insights have been and remain critical in guiding the Board and supporting the Executive team as the Group navigates through the Covid-19 recovery phase and transition of executive leadership.
External appointments:
Chair of Bioss International Ltd, Trustee of Heart Cells Foundation, member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Advisory Board member for Arora International and member of The Vice Chancellor’s Circle at the University of Sunderland.
Previous experience:
Mike was formerly CEO at BAA plc, Operational Managing Director at Terra Firma Capital Partners Limited and held various senior management roles at Procter & Gamble Limited. He is also the former Chair of Coats Group plc, HM Revenue & Customs and Which? Limited and former Senior Independent Non-Executive Director of Serco Group plc and ITV plc.
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Patrick Coveney
Group CEO
Patrick joined SSP in April 2022 as Group CEO. He previously spent 14 years as Group CEO of Greencore Group plc, a leading producer of convenience foods in the UK and Ireland, having joined in 2006 as CFO. Prior to Greencore, he worked for nine years at McKinsey & Company in Europe and North America, latterly as Managing Partner for Ireland. Patrick serves as a non-executive director of Glanbia plc and Core Media. He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University (earning an M.Phil and D.Phil in Management Studies) and holds a B.Comm (First Class) from University College Cork.
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Jonathan Davies
Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
Date of appointment: Appointed to the board of SSP Group plc on 16 June 2014. Appointed as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer in September 2021.
Committee memberships: N/A
Key Skills and Competencies:
Jonathan brings extensive financial, strategic and commercial experience to the Board with over 25 years working within retail and FMCG companies. Jonathan’s tenure within the Group gives him a deep knowledge of the business, which, along with his extensive capital markets experience, enables him to provide clear financial, operational and strategic oversight to the Company. In particular, during the last year, Jonathan’s executive leadership has been key in delivering the successful Rights Issue (and associated debt amendment processes) as well guiding the business through its recovery phase as it returned to positive EBITDA (on a pre-IFRS basis) at the end of the 2021 financial year.
External appointments:
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Assura plc.
Previous experience:
Jonathan began his career in Unilever plc’s management development programme before joining OC&C as a start-up, where he was part of its rapid growth and development to become a leading international consulting firm. Jonathan then spent nine years at Safeway plc (with five years on the Executive Board as Finance Director).
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Carolyn Bradley
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Date of appointment: 1 October 2018, Carolyn became the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director following the AGM in February 2019
Committee memberships: Remuneration Committee (Chair), Audit Committee and Nomination Committee
Key Skills and Competencies:
Carolyn’s extensive experience in executive and non-executive marketing and retail roles brings a strong consumer focus to the Board. Over the year, she has continued to drive the focus on stakeholder interests through her role as Senior Independent Non-Executive Director and Remuneration Committee Chair (leading the successful consultation that led to strong support for our revised Remuneration Policy and new executive share plan at the 2021 AGM). More recently, Carolyn has provided strong support to the Chair in the recruitment process for the new Chief Executive Officer and independent Non-Executive Directors.
External appointments:
Non-Executive Director at Majid Al Futtaim Retail LLC, The Mentoring Foundation and B&M European Value Retail S.A. and Chair of TheWorks.co.uk plc, Trustee and Deputy Chair of Cancer Research UK and Advisory Board member of Cambridge Judge Business School.
Previous experience:
Carolyn spent over 25 years at Tesco, in various operating, commercial and marketing roles. She was also formerly a Non-Executive Director of Legal & General Group plc and Senior Independent Non-Executive Director at Marston’s plc.
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Ian Dyson
Independent Non-Executive Director
Ian joined the SSP Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director in April 2014. Ian brings significant financial and business experience to the Board.
Ian was formerly Chief Executive Officer (and then Non-Executive Director) of Punch Taverns plc, Chief Executive Officer of Spirit Pub Company plc, Group Finance & Operations Director at Marks & Spencer Group plc and Finance Director of The Rank Group plc. Prior to this he was Group Financial Controller of Hilton International Co. He joined Hilton from Le Meridien, a division of Forte Group plc, where he had been Finance Director. Ian has also been a Non-Executive Director of Misys plc.
His early career was spent with Arthur Andersen where he was promoted to partner of the firm in 1994.
Ian is Senior Independent Director of ASOS plc, and a Non-Executive Director of Intercontinental Hotels Group plc. Ian is also Chairman of the Audit Committee of both ASOS plc and Intercontinental Hotels Group plc.
Ian qualified as a chartered accountant in 1986.
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Tim Lodge
Independent Non-Executive Director
Date of appointment: 1 October 2020
Committee memberships: Audit Committee (Chair designate) and Nomination Committee
Key Skills and Competencies:
Tim is an experienced public company CFO with a strong financial, accounting and audit committee background. He has significant international commercial experience and a track record in business transformations including advising businesses with complex global operations and supply chains in the food and beverage sector. His knowledge and experience position him well to promote the strategic and financial resilience of the Company whilst creating shareholder value.
External appointments:
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Serco Group plc and Senior Independent Director and Audit Committee Chair of Arco Limited. Director of An African Canvas (UK) Limited, Trustee of Gambia School Support and Chair of the Management Committee of The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers.
Previous experience:
Tim spent 26 years at Tate & Lyle plc in various finance roles, including six years as CFO. He subsequently held CFO roles with the COFCO International group. Tim has also been a Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair at Aryzta AG.
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Judy Vezmar
Independent Non-Executive Director, Designated Non-Executive Director for Workforce Engagement
Date of appointment: 1 August 2020
Committee memberships: Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee
Key Skills and Competencies:
Judy has extensive knowledge of running complex international businesses, bringing significant expertise to the Board in the field of data and analytics. This has been a welcome addition to the Board given the growing strategic investment in technology and automation. Further, since taking on the role as Designated Non-Executive Director for Workforce Engagement, Judy has developed the Board’s approach to both promoting the employee voice in the boardroom and cascading the Company’s culture from the Board throughout the business.
External appointments:
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of Ascential plc.
Previous experience:
Judy was previously CEO of LexisNexis International. Prior to that, she held several executive leadership roles within the Xerox Corporation in the United States and Europe. Judy has also been a Non-Executive Director of Rightmove plc, serving on its Nomination, Audit and Remuneration Committees.
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Apurvi Sheth
Independent Non-Executive Director
Date of appointment: 1 January 2022
Committee memberships: Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee
Key Skills and Competencies:
Apurvi has extensive executive experience spanning more than 30 years across various international food and beverage companies. She has spent the majority of her career in Asia and India and has strong knowledge of the region and emerging markets. Apurvi’s breadth of executive experience and focus on innovation and value creation complement the Board’s existing skills and experience as it looks to deliver on its strategy and purpose. Apurvi is also passionate about empowering women and the diversity and inclusion agenda as well as acting as a mentor to many women and organisations.
External appointments:
Strategic Advisor to various companies in Southeast Asia and India, across a wide range of sectors including food and beverage, retail and technology.
Previous experience:
Apurvi spent 13 years in various roles at Diageo plc including Managing Director, Southeast Asia. She has also served as Marketing Director, APAC at PepsiCo International, Marketing Director of India at Coca-Cola and held various roles at Nestle SA. Apurvi previously served as a Non-Executive Director of Heineken Malaysia BHD.
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Kelly Kuhn
Independent Non-Executive Director
Date of appointment: 1 January 2022
Committee memberships: Audit Committee and Nomination Committee
Key Skills and Competencies:
Kelly brings substantial business experience from her previous executive roles within the travel sector. She combines sizeable international P&L expertise with commercial acumen and a strong consumer focus. Kelly’s extensive experience in customer engagement across multiple markets will be a valuable addition to the Board as it continues to deepen its relationships with stakeholders. Furthermore, the Board welcomes Kelly’s strong background in executive sponsorship of responsible business programmes – including environmental as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion – as it looks to embed its new Sustainability and People Strategies.
External appointments:
Non-Executive Director and member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees of ISS A/S. Advisor to CWT (formerly Carlson Wagonlit Travel) and McChrystal Group’s European office. Member of various networks and advisory boards promoting women in the travel sector and diversity.
Previous experience:
Kelly spent 30+ years in various roles at CWT, including as Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, President of the EMEA and Asia Pacific businesses, and President for the company’s Military & Government division. She also served as President and Chief Operating Officer at both Navigant International and Arrington Travel Center before they were acquired by CWT and was previously a Non-Executive Director at LaSalle Hotel Properties.
