Previously non-Executive Chairman of Logicor, Carillion Plc, and BakerCorp Inc; Chairman designate Williams & Glyn; Senior Independent Director Saga Plc
Philip has been CEO of two PLCs, one of which was FTSE50, as well as chairman of companies in both the UK & the US, publicly & private equity owned.
He was CEO of United Utilities PLC ‘06-‘11. United Utilities is one of the largest utility companies in the UK, ranked mid-way in the FTSE100, with a market cap of approximately £6bn after returning £1.5bn to shareholders in ‘08. During his tenure Philip restructured and strengthened management, created strategic focus through several disposals, created a strong and credible capital structure, and improved operational performance.
In ‘03 Philip was appointed CEO of P&O Nedlloyd, one of the largest container shipping companies in the world, and a joint venture between P&O and Royal Nedlloyd. He led the company to its successful listing as Royal P&O Nedlloyd BV in Amsterdam in April ‘04. Under his leadership operating profit increased from $77m in ‘03 to approximately $550m in ‘05. In August ‘05, the company was acquired at a share price of €57 compared to a price of less than €15 in ‘03.
He was previously Chief Operating Officer at Reuters Group plc, which he joined in ‘99. From ’90-’99 he was at DHL, the global market leader for cross-border express delivery, becoming Chief Operating Officer for Europe and Africa.
He was chairman of Carillion PLC, the international construction and service business, ’14-18. He held the same role at BakerCorp, the Permira owned industrial services company based in Dallas, Tx ’11-’18 & at Corsair Infrastructure Management based in NY ’16-’18. He was chairman of Logicor in ’17, prior to an IPO planned for later that year. Logicor is a leading European logistics real estate business that was owned by Blackstone; it was actually sold to CIC for £12.5bn prior to the IPO. He was chairman designate of Williams & Glyn, the UK “challenger” bank that was being divested by RBS, ‘13-‘16. He was Senior Independent Non Executive (SID) Director at Saga plc ‘14-‘17. He has previously been Chairman of Clarkson PLC, as well as a non-executive director of SKF in Sweden and the Lloyds Banking Group plc.
He holds an MBA from the London Business School and a BA(Hons) from the University of Wales. He is an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University. He is a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute
He is also personally involved in several philanthropic projects in southern Africa. Philip was chairman of Sentebale ’11-’18, it is a charity set up by Prince Harry & Prince Seeiso to focus on disadvantaged young people in Lesotho; it now operates in Botswana & Malawi as well. He is also co founder of Hope Through Action, working amongst disadvantaged youth in townships in the Western Cape region of South Africa.
Philip has been an adviser to UK Prime Minister on corporate responsibility ’11- ‘17. He is a member of the advisory board of London Business School’s Business for Development Institute. He was a director of Business in the Community ‘08-’14, a trustee of the Philharmonia Orchestra ‘02-’14 & chairman of the Bible Society ’12-’15. ’12-’15.
In ‘14 Philip was awarded a CBE by HM Queen Elizabeth II for services to business & charity, in the UK & in South Africa. He was born in 1953 and is married with two daughters & five grandchildren.
