Leadership

Board of Directors

• 

  Roger Devlin

  Chairman

  Experience and external appointments:

  Roger was independent on appointment and has extensive business, leadership and governance experience, having held executive and non-executive roles in a variety of sectors including corporate finance, gaming, leisure, pubs and brewing, sport and transport.

  Roger is a highly experienced board director, having previously served as Chairman of William Hill PLC and Chairman of Marston’s PLC. 

  Roger is also the Chair of the Horserace Betting Levy Board, an appointment made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

  Skills and contribution:

  Roger’s wealth of experience gives him a strong understanding of corporate governance, shareholder and stakeholder views, banking and finance, customer propositions and leadership.

  Roger’s expertise and personal qualities enable him to effectively lead the Board and drive change within the business. Roger ensures that the Board functions effectively by facilitating open and productive debate, providing constructive challenge and by demonstrating objective judgement.

  • Date of appointment: 1 June 2018
  • NNomination Committee (Chair)
  • CFTrustee of the Persimmon Charitable Foundation
• 

  Dean Finch

  Group Chief Executive

  Experience and external appointments:

  Dean is a widely experienced senior executive with a strong commercial, financial and operational track record spanning a 40-year career in Europe and North America.

  Prior to joining Persimmon, Dean was the Chief Executive Officer of National Express Group plc. Other previous appointments include Group Chief Executive of Tube Lines, and Group Finance Director and Group Chief Operating Officer at FirstGroup plc.

  In addition to his executive responsibilities, Dean is a Non-Executive Director of the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and a Non-Executive Director of Diploma Plc.

  Skills and contribution:

  Dean is a seasoned, well-respected and proven Chief Executive with an exceptional record and extensive housebuilding experience. He has led the Group’s programme of transformative change in its drive to be Britain’s leading homebuilder; delivering substantial strategic and operational improvements, while driving the development and implementation of the Group’s strategy and culture, with a focus on build quality, customer care, stakeholder value and strong long-term returns for investors.

  Dean is also a qualified chartered accountant.

  • Date of appointment: 28 September 2020
  • CFTrustee of the Persimmon Charitable Foundation
  • SSustainability Committee (Chair)
• 

  Andrew Duxbury

  Chief Financial Officer

  Experience and external appointments:

  Andrew brings significant and relevant industry experience to the Board, having previously served as Group Finance Director at Galliford Try Holdings plc. During his career at Galliford Try, Andrew held various finance roles for over ten years, including roles in Galliford Try’s former housebuilding operation, Linden Homes. Prior to that, Andrew spent 16 years at PwC, leading a portfolio of significant clients across a range of sectors including construction and housebuilding.

  Skills and contribution:

  Andrew has extensive financial, operational, risk management and commercial skills, and a wealth of construction and housebuilding industry experience. Working closely with the Group Chief Executive, Andrew drives the development and implementation of the Group’s strategy and culture. Andrew has a strong focus on financial discipline, to support delivery of our growth strategy.

  Andrew’s experience is a valuable asset to the Group as we continue to provide good quality homes for families across the UK and position the business for future growth while delivering sustainable value to our stakeholders and shareholders.

  Andrew is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

  • Date of appointment: 17 June 2024

• 

  Annemarie Durbin

  Senior Independent Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Annemarie is the Chair of Yorkshire Building Society and has over 35 years’ broad-based retail, commercial, corporate and institutional banking experience gained across the UK, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

  Annemarie spent the bulk of her executive career at Standard Chartered, where she held a variety of global business and functional roles including being CEO of a FTSE 250 equivalent listed company in Thailand, culminating in membership of the Group Executive Committee.

  Annemarie has previously held a variety of non-executive positions including Remuneration Committee Chair of Petershill Partners plc, Senior Ringfence Director and Remuneration Committee Chair of Santander UK plc, Chair of Cater Allen Limited, Remuneration Committee Chair of WH Smith PLC, and Chair of Merryck & Co. Ltd.

  Skills and contribution: 

  Annemarie is a highly experienced international business executive, with a strong background in financial services, diversity & inclusion, transformation, corporate governance and human resources. Annemarie’s broad experience, combined with her strong understanding of shareholder and stakeholder views, enables Annemarie to provide both constructive challenge and sound advice to the Board.

  Annemarie is a qualified lawyer, coach and conflict mediator.

  • Date of appointment: 1 July 2020
  • RRemuneration Committee (Chair)
  • NNomination Committee
• 

  Andrew Wyllie CBE

  Independent Non-Executive Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Andrew is an experienced construction sector executive and was Chief Executive of Costain Group PLC for 14 years. Previously, Andrew was Managing Director of Taylor Woodrow Construction and a member of the Group Executive Committee at Taylor Woodrow Plc. During his career, Andrew has worked on a variety of major contracts and projects in Saudi Arabia, Ghana, the Falklands, Malaysia and the UK.

  Andrew is currently a Non-Executive Director of Arup Group Limited, the Senior Independent Director of Yorkshire Water and Remuneration Committee Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Andrew was previously a Non-Executive Director of BMT Group Limited and Scottish Water, and President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

  Skills and contribution:

  Andrew has a long and successful track record within the construction industry and brings highly relevant sector experience to the Board. Andrew’s industry knowledge, expertise and perspective are valuable to the Board as the Group continues to build a sustainable business, delivering value to our stakeholders and shareholders.

  Andrew has an MBA from London Business School and is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

  Andrew was made a CBE for his services to engineering and construction.

  • Date of appointment: 4 January 2021
  • A&RAudit & Risk Committee
  • NNomination Committee
• 

  Alexandra Depledge MBE

  Independent Non-Executive Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Alex is a technology entrepreneur and founder of Resi.co.uk, the UK’s largest residential architectural practice and a leading property technology business. Prior to establishing Resi.co.uk, Alex co-founded Hassle.com, Europe’s largest domestic cleaning online marketplace.

  In June 2025 Alex was appointed as the first ever Entrepreneurship Advisor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to advise on the government’s entrepreneurship landscape and focus on addressing the key barriers faced by businesses seeking to start up and scale up in the UK.

  Additionally, Alex previously sat on the board of the London Economic Action Partnership, a local enterprise partnership chaired by the Mayor of London.

  Skills and contribution:

  Alex’s appointment adds highly relevant skills to the Board, with her valuable property-related technology and innovation experience. Alex’s impressive entrepreneurial track record of building and scaling consumer-facing technology businesses adds further depth to the Board’s capabilities.

  Alex was made an MBE for her services to the sharing economy.

  • Date of appointment: 1 May 2023
  • NNomination Committee
  • RRemuneration Committee

• 

  Colette O’Shea

  Independent Non-Executive Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Colette is the Chief Operating Officer of the Wellcome Genome Campus, part of Wellcome Trust.

  Colette has a wealth of property market investment and development expertise gained during her 20-year career with one of the UK’s leading real estate businesses, Land Securities Group PLC (‘LandSec’). Colette spent the majority of her executive career with LandSec, culminating in her appointment as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to this, Colette held a number of senior executive positions at LandSec, including Managing Director, London & Retail; and Head of Development. Colette has also previously served as a Non-Executive Director of a leading housing association.

  Skills and contribution:

  With extensive industry experience, and a particular expertise in planning, Colette makes a valuable contribution to the Board. As well as a respected leader, Colette brings a wealth of development and investment knowledge, which assists the Group with the sector-related challenges that it faces.

  • Date of appointment: 1 May 2023
  • NNomination Committee
  • A&RAudit & Risk Committee
  • WDesignated Workforce Non-Executive Director
• 

  Paula Bell

  Independent Non-Executive Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Paula has extensive FTSE 100 & 250 board experience, having served both as an executive and non-executive director of large global organisations. Paula also has wide sector experience, including construction, property and manufacturing environments.

  Paula was the Chief Operating and Financial Officer of Spirent Communications Plc from 2016 until October 2025. During her executive career Paula also served as the Chief Financial Officer at John Menzies Plc and the Chief Financial Officer at Ricardo Plc. Paula also previously held senior leadership roles at BAA Plc, AWG Plc and Rolls Royce Group Plc.

  Paula is currently a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at Keller Group Plc, and was previously a Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Audit Committee and Senior Independent Director at Laird Plc.

  Skills and contribution:

  Paula is a highly experienced executive and non-executive director, with a track record of delivery of both strategic and operational agendas for large and complex global businesses. Paula’s extensive professional experience in business strategy, operations, change management and M&A, combined with her significant Audit & Risk Committee Chair experience, make Paula an excellent member of the Board.

  Paula is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

  • Date of appointment: 1 September 2024
  • A&RAudit & Risk Committee (Chair)
  • NNomination Committee
• 

  Anand Aithal

  Independent Non-Executive Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Anand has extensive board experience and is currently a Non-Executive Director at Saga Plc and Polar Capital Holdings Plc. Anand also serves on a not-for-profit board at the Institute for Government.

  Previously, Anand served on the boards of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and Nationwide Building Society, and was the lead Non-Executive for the Cabinet Office.

  Anand has over thirty years’ experience in financial, business and professional services and co-founded Amba Research, a data analytics and financial research business. Anand has also previously been a managing director at Goldman Sachs.

  Skills and contribution:

  Anand brings a wealth of financial and business experience to the Board, having been an executive, non-executive and entrepreneur in a number of sectors.

  Anand’s international career has seen him work in Singapore, Hong Kong, India, the United States, Sri Lanka, and Costa Rica, providing him with a broad business perspective. This global exposure, combined with his multifaceted experience, makes Anand an important addition to the Board.

  Anand has an MA in Economics from the University of Cambridge.

  • Date of appointment: 1 January 2025
  • NNomination Committee
  • RRemuneration Committee

• Nigel Mills

  Senior Independent Director

  The following information is provided in accordance with section 430(2B) of the Companies Act 2006:

  On 1 May 2025, Nigel Mills retired from the Board. Nigel received his fee up to and including his leave date. Nigel will receive no further remuneration from the Company.

  Full details of Nigel’s remuneration will be disclosed in the Directors’ Remuneration Report for the year ending 31 December 2025.