The Board

Arthur Copple

Chairman

Arthur Copple was appointed as Chairman in May 2018, having previously been a Director since 2011. He has specialised in the investment company sector for over 30 years. He was a partner at Kitcat & Aitken, an executive Director of Smith New Court PLC and a managing Director of Merrill Lynch. He is currently a director of Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust PLC and The University of Brighton Academies Trust.

Richard Jewson*

Director

Richard Jewson, Senior Independent Director, was appointed a director in 2001. He first worked in the timber and building material supply industry, becoming managing director of Jewson, the builders’ merchants, for twelve years from 1974, and then managing director and chairman of its parent company Meyer International PLC from which he retired in 1993. He is currently chairman of Raven Russia Limited and Tritax Big Box REIT PLC and a non-executive director of other private companies.

Nicholas Lyons

Director

Nicholas Lyons was appointed a Director in 2017. He worked in investment banking for 21 years, retiring in 2003 from Lehman Brothers as a Managing Director where he specialised in advising financial institutions on mergers and acquisitions and capital raising. He is currently Senior Independent Director at Pension Insurance Corporation and Chairman of Clipstone Logistics REIT plc. He was previously Chairman of Price Forbes Holdings Limited and of Miller Insurance Services LLP and a non-executive director of Catlin Group Limited, Friends Life Group Limited and of other private companies.

June de Moller

Director

June de Moller was appointed a Director in 2005. She is a non-executive Director of Derwent London PLC and a former managing Director of Carlton Communications PLC. She was previously a non-executive Director of J Sainsbury PLC, Cookson Group PLC and BT PLC.

Lesley Sherratt

Director

Lesley Sherratt was appointed a Director in 2015. She was formerly Investment Director for the Save & Prosper and Fleming Flagship range of funds, and CEO & CIO of Ark Asset Management Ltd. She has over twenty years experience investing in the financial sector, including investment trusts, and served as a director and Chair of US Small Companies Investment Trust. She is currently a director of a private foundation, lectures in global business ethics at King‘s College London and is the author of ‘Can Microfinance Work? How to Improve its Ethical Balance and Effectiveness‘.

Richard Wyatt

Director

Richard Wyatt was appointed a Director in 2017. He is a former Group Managing Director at Schroders, Lazard and a Vice Chairman at Rothschild. He was Chairman of the media agency Engine Group and served on the Regulatory Decisions Committee of the FSA. He is currently Chairman of Loudwater Partners Limited and Jack Wills Limited and a director of a number of other companies.