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 such as 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, Chairman of Marston’s PLC and as Senior Independent Director at the Football Association.

  In May 2022 Roger was appointed to the Board of The Sutton Trust, a charity designed to improve social mobility and address educational disadvantage.

  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 makes a valuable contribution towards the development and execution of the Group’s strategy and 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
  • Age: 66
• 

  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 30 year career in Europe and North America. Dean is also a qualified chartered accountant.

  Dean was the Chief Executive Officer of National Express Group plc from 2010 to 2020, and during his tenure built the business into Britain’s leading transport group. Prior to that Dean was Group Chief Executive of Tube Lines and Group Finance Director and Group Chief Operating Officer at FirstGroup plc, where he also held a number of other senior roles.

  In May 2021 Dean was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Diploma Plc.

  Skills and contribution:

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

  • Date of appointment: 28 September 2020
  • CFTrustee of the Persimmon Charitable Foundation
  • SSustainability Committee (Chair)
  • Age: 57
• 

  Andrew Duxbury

  Chief Financial Officer

  Experience and external appointments:

  Andrew brings significant and relevant industry experience to the Board, having served as Group Finance Director at Galliford Try, one of the UK’s leading stock exchange listed companies since March 2019. During his career at Galliford Try, Andrew has held various finance roles for over ten years, including roles in Galliford Try’s former housebuilding operations, 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. Andrew is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

  Skills and contribution:

  Andrew brings an extensive financial background, with a wealth of experience operating in the construction and housebuilding industries. Andrew 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.

  • Date of appointment: 17 June 2024
  • Age: 49

• 

  Nigel Mills

  Senior Independent Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Nigel is the Senior Independent Director at both John Wood Group Plc and Greggs plc. 

  Nigel has extensive experience in advising some of the UK’s largest companies, having held a variety of executive positions in the banking sector including Senior Advisor at Citigroup Global Markets, Chairman of Corporate Broking at Citi and Chief Executive of Hoare Govett.

  Skills and contribution:

  Nigel has strong commercial judgement, drawing on a 30-year executive career advising quoted companies. Nigel has broad experience of financial markets, strategy, risk, shareholder attitudes and corporate governance, which enable him to provide sound advice to the Board.

  • Date of appointment: 4 April 2016
  • NNomination Committee
  • RRemuneration Committee
  • Age: 68
• 

  Annemarie Durbin

  Independent Non-Executive Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Annemarie has 30 years’ broad-based retail, commercial, corporate and institutional banking experience across Asia, Africa and the Middle East and is an experienced executive coach and mentor. Annemarie is the Chair of Yorkshire Building Society and Remuneration Committee Chair of Petershill Partners plc. Annemarie spent the bulk of her executive career at Standard Chartered, a FTSE 100 international bank, 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 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 banking, diversity & inclusion, transformation, corporate governance and human resources. Annemarie is a qualified lawyer, coach and conflict mediator. Annemarie’s experience and knowledge are valuable additions to the Board as the Group continues to implement its programme of business improvement.

  • Date of appointment: 1 July 2020
  • RRemuneration Committee (Chair)
  • NNomination Committee
  • Age: 60
• 

  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, until his retirement in 2019. 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 currently serves as the Senior Independent Director of Yorkshire Water and as Remuneration Committee Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was previously a Non-Executive Director of BMT Group Ltd and Scottish Water, and President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

  Andrew has an MBA from London Business School and is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. For his services to engineering and construction, Andrew was awarded a CBE.

  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.

  • Date of appointment: 4 January 2021
  • A&RAudit & Risk Committee
  • NNomination Committee
  • Age: 61

• 

  Alexandra Depledge MBE

  Independent Non-Executive Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Alex is a technology entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO 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 recognition of Alex’s achievements and entrepreneurial success, she has won various awards and was made an MBE for her services to the Sharing Economy.

  Alex previously sat on the board of the London Economic Action Partnership, the local enterprise partnership chaired by the Mayor of London, which is responsible for over £100m of investment into London’s culture and communities.

  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.

  • Date of appointment: 1 May 2023
  • NNomination Committee
  • RRemuneration Committee
  • Age: 43
• 

  Colette O’Shea

  Independent Non-Executive Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Colette has a wealth of property market investment and development expertise gained in 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, having held the position of Chief Operating Officer between 2020 and 31 March 2023. 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.

  On 9 April 2024, Colette was appointed interim Chief Operating Officer of Wellcome Genome Campus, part of Wellcome Trust.

  Skills and contribution:

  With extensive industry experience, and a particular expertise in planning, Colette’s contribution to the Board is valued. 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 at present and in the longer-term.

  • Date of appointment: 1 May 2023
  • NNomination Committee
  • A&RAudit & Risk Committee
  • WWorkforce Non-Executive Director
  • Age: 55
• 

  Paula Bell

  Independent Non-Executive Director

  Experience and external appointments:

  Paula has extensive board experience, serving both as an Executive and Non-Executive Director of large UK publicly listed organisations. Since 2016, Paula has held the position of Chief Financial & Operations Officer of Spirent Communications Plc. Paula has also been a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at Keller Group Plc since 2018 and was previously a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at Laird Plc from 2013 to 2018.

  Prior to Spirent Communications Plc, Paula was Chief Financial Officer at John Menzies Plc and Group Financial Director at Ricardo Plc, as well as holding senior finance roles at BAA Plc, AWG Plc and Rolls Royce Group Plc. Paula has wide sector experience including construction, property and manufacturing environments.

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

  Skills and contribution:

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

  • Date of appointment: 1 September 2024
  • A&RAudit & Risk Committee (Chair)
  • NNomination Committee
  • Age: 57

• Shirine Khoury-Haq

  Independent Non-Executive Director

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

  On 30 September 2024 Shirine Khoury-Haq retired from the Board. Shirine received her fee up to and including her leave date. Shirine will receive no further remuneration from the Company.

  Full details of Shirine’s remuneration will be disclosed in the Directors’ Remuneration Report for the year ending 31 December 2024.