Imperial Brands Regulatory News (IMB)

IMPERIAL BRANDS PLC

Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) No. 549300DFVPOB67JL3A42

31 August 2021

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

Imperial Brands PLC is pleased to announce that Ngozi Edozien and Diane de Saint Victor will join the Board as Non-Executive Directors, with effect from 15 November 2021.

Ngozi brings to the Board over 30 years' experience in general management, finance, consultancy, and business development gained at multinational companies in Europe, USA and Africa.

She has considerable experience of consumer goods, having spent six years on the Board of PZ Cussons and four years on the Board of Vlisco PLC, and is currently a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Guinness Nigeria, a listed subsidiary of Diageo.

The Board will benefit from Ngozi's significant experience of delivering transformation across a range of industries and geographies. During a nine-year career with Pfizer Inc., she led strategy and planning for Pharmaceuticals, based in New York, before taking up a Regional Director role in Africa. Prior to Pfizer, she spent five years with McKinsey, working mainly in the consumer goods and pharmaceuticals sectors.

She gained strong commercial experience over five years with Actis, the Africa-focused private equity business, where she originated and led deals in West Africa.

Ngozi is the Founder and Managing Director of Invivo Partners Limited, a Nigerian VC Firm. In addition to her membership of the Board of Guinness Nigeria, she is a current Non-Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC and of Barloworld Ltd.

Diane will bring strong legal, regulatory and ESG experience, having held a number of General Counsel and other key roles in an international career spanning more than 30 years.

Her 13-year tenure as General Counsel & Company Secretary for ABB, the global technology company based in Switzerland and her General Counsel role at Airbus before that are reinforced by her prior listed UK Board experience as a Non-Executive Director at Barclays plc.

Diane has experience of transforming organisations in sectors undergoing change, most notably at ABB where she was an Executive Committee member.

Diane also brings a wealth of regulatory and government relations experience, having served as Vice President Government Relations, Europe at Honeywell International Inc. and as part of the US Government Relations Team in Washington for General Electric Company.

Diane is currently a Non-Executive Director at Transocean Ltd, an international oil drilling business, and is also a Non-Executive Director of Natixis S.A., the French financial services firm.

Chair Thérèse Esperdy said: "I am delighted to welcome both Ngozi and Diane to the Board. They will bring considerable international experience across our developed and developing markets.

"Ngozi's unique background spanning business development, consulting and private equity brings a strong value creation mindset to the Board and her brand and consumer experience as both an executive and director are highly relevant.

"In addition to Diane's formidable international background in legal, compliance, governance and sustainability matters, her significant experience in government and regulatory affairs in our key markets and her strong credentials in technology, innovation and IP will complement our existing Board skills.

"These appointments reflect our continued drive to enhance our Board capabilities to bring insight and experience from relevant markets and sectors, whilst focusing on all aspects of diversity to ensure we have the best possible mix of skills, experience and perspective to drive the business forward."

Committee memberships will be confirmed at a later date.

This announcement is made in accordance with LR 9.6.11. 

ENDS