Directors and Officers

Stewart Gilliland portrait
Stewart Gilliland

Chair

Stewart Gilliland (64) was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Company in April 2012 and Chair in July 2018. Stewart is also Chair of the Nomination Committee. From 2006 to 2010 he was Chief Executive Officer of Müller Dairy (UK) Ltd. Prior to that, he held positions at Whitbread Beer Company and at Interbrew SA in markets including the UK, Ireland, Europe and Canada. He is currently a Non-Executive Director and member of the Audit Committee and Nomination Committee at Tesco plc, a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Natures Way Foods Limited and a Non-Executive Director of Chapel Down Limited. He is a former Non-Executive Director of Booker Group plc, Mitchells & Butlers plc, Sutton & East Surrey Water plc, Vianet Group plc and Tulip Limited.

David Forde portrait
David Forde

Group Chief Executive Officer

David Forde (53) was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer in November 2020. Prior to joining the Company, David was the Managing Director of Heineken UK, a leading producer of beer and cider brands in the UK market, as well as a significant pub operator, with approximately 2,500 outlets in its estate. David worked with Heineken for 31 years and had extensive experience in senior leadership positions across the business. He started his career with the Sales and Marketing team at Heineken Ireland, before gaining international experience in the Netherlands and then Poland, where he was Marketing Director. Progressing to senior leadership, David was appointed General Manager of Heineken UK in 2007 and played a key role in Heineken's acquisition of Scottish & Newcastle in 2008 and the subsequent integration of the two businesses. In 2009, David returned to Heineken Ireland as Managing Director, before being appointed Managing Director of Heineken UK in 2013.

Patrick McMahon portrait
Patrick McMahon

Group Chief Financial Officer

Patrick McMahon (41) was appointed Group Chief Financial Officer in July 2020. He has held a number of senior management positions within the food and beverage sector across the UK, Ireland and North America over the past 15 years. Having originally joined C&C in 2005 his previous roles include Group Finance Director, Finance Director of a number of C&C’s business units and most recently, Group Strategy Director prior to his appointment as Group CFO. Patrick is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, having trained at KPMG.

Andrea Pozzi portrait
Andrea Pozzi

Group Chief Operating Officer

Andrea Pozzi (49) is the Group’s Chief Operating Officer with responsibility for the Group’s manufacturing, logistics, procurement and IT functions as well as leading the Group’s businesses in Great Britain and the export business. He joined C&C in 2010 and has had a number of roles within the Group, including Group Manufacturing Director and Managing Director International (EMEA and GB). Before joining C&C, Andrea held various management positions with the Carlsberg Group, Scottish & Newcastle and Masterfoods.

Vineet Bhalla portrait
Vineet Bhalla

Independent Non-Executive Director

Vineet Bhalla (48) was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Company in April 2021. Vineet is a highly experienced digital professional, with over 25 years of experience across defence, consumer goods, health and retail sectors. Until March 2021, Vineet was Chief Technology Officer and a Senior Vice President at Burberry plc. He previously held global roles for Unilever as Head of IT for their digital marketing and research and development divisions and had led data-driven and digital transformations at scale. Prior to Unilever, Vineet held global technology positions at Diageo enabling data driven transformation of their UK and Ireland Customer Development Teams. Vineet also currently holds a Non-Executive Director at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and serves as Chair of the Trust’s People and Culture Committee. Vineet brings strong digital transformation skills to the Board.

Jill Caseberry portrait
Jill Caseberry

Independent Non-Executive Director

Jill Caseberry (56) was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Company in February 2019, a member of the Remuneration Committee in March 2019 and a member of the ESG Committee in September 2020. Jill has extensive sales, marketing and general management experience across a number of blue chip companies including Mars, PepsiCo and Premier Foods. Jill is a Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit and Nomination Committee at Bellway plc and at Halfords plc. Jill is also a Non-Executive Director and a member of the Remuneration Committee at Bakkavor plc and Senior Independent Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit and Nomination Committees of St. Austell Brewery Company Limited. Jill brings considerable experience of brand management and marketing to the Board.

Jim Clerkin portrait
Jim Clerkin

Independent Non-Executive Director

Jim Clerkin (66) was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Company in April 2017. Jim has over 40 years’ experience in the beer, wines, champagne and spirits industry. He has worked in the industry in Ireland, UK, France, Canada, Mexico and the United States at senior levels including managing director and CEO roles. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of global drinks to the Board including by way of his roles at Guinness Ireland, Diageo and Allied Domecq for North America. In 2008, Jim was asked to take over the Moet Hennessy (LVMH) wine and spirits business in the US as President and CEO. In 2015, the territory was extended to include North America. In 2020, he was appointed to a new role as President of Strategic Development and advisor to the global CEO. Jim has also served on the Board of the Distilled Spirits Council USA for twelve years. In additional to his professional career, Jim has also been the Chair of Co Operation Ireland (USA) which is a renowned peace and reconciliation charity.

Vincent Crowley portrait
Vincent Crowley

Independent Non-Executive Director

Vincent Crowley (66) was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Company in January 2016 and as Senior Independent Director in June 2019. He is a member of the Audit Committee and the Nomination Committee. Vincent was previously both Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Independent News and Media plc, a leading media company. He also served as Chief Executive Officer and subsequently as a Non-Executive Director of APN News & Media, a media company listed in Australia and New Zealand. He initially worked with KPMG in Ireland. Vincent is currently Chair of Altas Investments plc and a Non-Executive Director of Grafton Group plc. Vincent brings considerable domestic and international business experience across a number of sectors to the Board.

Emer Finnan portrait
Emer Finnan

Independent Non-Executive Director

Emer Finnan (52) was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Company in May 2014, became Chair of the Audit Committee in July 2015 and is a member of the Nomination Committee. She is President, Europe of Kildare Partners, a private equity firm based in London and Dublin, where she is responsible for investment origination in Europe. After qualifying as a chartered accountant with KPMG, she worked in investment banking at Citibank and ABN AMRO in London and then NCB Stockbrokers in Dublin. In 2005 she joined EBS Building Society in Ireland, becoming its Finance Director in early 2010. In September 2012, Emer re-joined NCB Stockbrokers to lead a financial services team in Ireland. She joined Kildare Partners in 2013. She brings considerable financial expertise to the Board.

Helen Pitcher OBE portrait
Helen Pitcher OBE

Independent Non-Executive Director

Helen Pitcher (63) was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Company in February 2019, Chair of the Remuneration Committee in March 2019 and a member of the ESG Committee in September 2020. Helen is currently Chair of a leading board effectiveness consultancy, Advanced Boardroom Excellence Ltd, Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, a Non-Executive Director at United Biscuits UK, Senior Independent Director at OneHealth Group Ltd and Chair of its Remuneration and Nominations Committees, President of INSEAD Directors Network Board (IDN) and a Chair of INSEAD Directors Club Limited. Helen is the President of KidsOut (a National Children’s Charity) and sits on the Advisory Board for Leeds University Law Faculty. Helen was previously Chair of the Queens Counsel Selection Panel, and a Board member and Remuneration Chair for the CIPD. In Helen’s earlier career she was part of Grand Metropolitan plc as a Divisional Director (Board Director, Clifton Inns Ltd). In 2015 Helen Pitcher was awarded an OBE for services to business. Helen brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of governance and board effectiveness in a variety of sectors, including the drinks industry, to the Board.

Jim Thompson portrait
Jim Thompson

Independent Non-Executive Director

Jim Thompson (60) was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Company, and a member of the Audit Committee in March 2019, and Chair of the ESG Committee in September 2020. Jim serves on the board of Directors of Millicom International Cellular SA. He has been a Guest Lecturer at the MBA Programmes at the University of Virginia, Columbia University and George Washington University. He holds an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia where he received the Faculty Award for academic excellence. He has previously worked at Southeastern Asset Management, Mackenzie and Bryant Asset Management. Jim brings substantial international investment management experience to the Company.

Mark Chilton portrait
Mark Chilton

Company Secretary & Group General Counsel

Mark Chilton (58) joined the Group in January 2019 as Company Secretary and Group General Counsel. Mark was Company Secretary and General Counsel of Booker Group plc from 2006 until 2018. Mark qualified as a solicitor in 1987.

Board Committees

Audit Committee

Emer Finnan (Chair)

Vincent Crowley

Jim Thompson

Nomination Committee

Stewart Gilliland (Chair)

Emer Finnan

Vincent Crowley

Helen Pitcher

Remuneration Committee

Helen Pitcher (Chair)

Jill Caseberry

Jim Clerkin

ESG Committee

Jim Thompson (Chair)

Jill Caseberry

Helen Pitcher

Patrick McMahon

Andrea Pozzi

Senior Independent Director

Vincent Crowley

For information on independence of the Directors, please see Directors’ Statement of Corporate Governance on pages 76 to 85.