Charles was appointed a non-executive director in October 2008 and as Chairman in April 2009. With wide business experience of both the UK and overseas, his executive career was latterly with Daily Mail and General Trust plc, where he was chief executive from 1989 until he retired from that role and the board in September 2008.

Other appointments: He is a non-executive director of SVG Capital plc.

George was appointed to the board in 1999 and took up his current appointment as Chief Executive in April 2005. In his former roles at ABF, he was Managing Director of Westmill Foods, Allied Bakeries and George Weston Foods Ltd (Australia).

Other appointments: He is a non-executive directorof Wittington Investments Limited and a trustee ofthe Garfield Weston Foundation.

John was appointed as Finance Director in May 1999. He was previously the finance director of Bunzl plc and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales.

Other appointments: He is a non-executive director of Compass Group PLC, a trustee of Voluntary Service Overseas and deputy chairman of the charity FareShare.

Peter was appointed a director in February 2007 and brings extensive experience of international financial matters. Formerly, he was senior partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in the UK. He served for two years as chairman of Coopers & Lybrand International and as a member of the global leadership team of PwC. He was also chairman of RAC plc and a non-executive director of Safeway plc.

Other appointments: He is chairman of Savills plc and Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust plc, and a non-executive director of NM Rothschild & Sons Limited. He is also chairman of the Land Restoration Trust.

He was appointed a director in November 2006. Lord Jay has broad experience of government and international business. During his career in public service he was British Ambassador to France from 1996 to 2001 and Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office from 2002 to 2006.

Other appointments: He is a non-executive director of Candover Investments plc, Valeo (the French-based automobile parts company) and of Electricité de France. He has been an independent member of the House of Lords since 2006 and is chairman of the House of Lords Appointments Commission. He also chairs the Trustees of the international medical aid charity Merlin, and is a member of the British Library Advisory Council.

Galen has been a director since 1964 and brings a wealth of international retail and food business experience to the Company.

Other appointments: He is executive chairman of George Weston Limited, Canada. He is also chairman of Selfridges Group Limited, a non-executive director of Wittington Investments Limited and a trustee of the Garfield Weston Foundation.

Javier was appointed a director in November 2006. He spent the earlier part of his career with Bacardi Group, where latterly he served as president and chief executive officer. He has extensive experience of consumer brands on an international basis and in international financing.

Other appointments: He is currently a partner at Lion Capital LLP, a London-based private equity firm.

Tim was appointed a director in November 2004 and has been Senior Independent Director since December 2007. Tim has extensive experience of retailing. Until 2009, he was chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers plc, following its demerger from Six Continents PLC where he also held the position of chief executive. Previously he had been a partner of Panmure Gordon & Co before joining Bass PLC in 1990.

Other appointments: He is a non-executive director of two pub and brewing companies, Hall & Woodhouse Limited, and Timothy Taylor & Company Limited, and also Triple Point VCT 2011 PLC.