Directors and Officers


Stewart Gilliland portrait
Stewart Gilliland

Interim Executive Chairman

Stewart Gilliland (63) was appointed a non-executive Director of the Company in April 2012, Chairman in July 2018 and interim Executive Chairman in January 2020. Stewart is also Chairman of the Nomination Committee. From 2006 to 2010 he was Chief Executive Officer of Müller Dairy (UK) Ltd. Prior to that, he held positions at Whitbread Beer Company and at Interbrew SA in markets including the UK, Ireland, Europe and Canada. He is currently Chairman of Curious Drinks Limited, a non-executive Director and member of the Audit Committee and Nomination Committee at Tesco plc and a non-executive Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee at Natures Way Foods Limited. He is a former non-executive Director of Booker Group plc, Mitchells & Butlers plc, Sutton & East Surrey Water plc, Vianet Group plc and Tulip Limited.

Jonathan Solesbury portrait
Jonathan Solesbury

Group Chief Financial Officer

Jonathan Solesbury (54) was appointed Group Chief Financial Officer in November 2017. A former SABMiller plc Director of Group Finance, Jonathan held a number of senior roles during his 22 year tenure with the global drinks company. He oversaw the acquisition and subsequent integration of SABMiller’s Colombian business and transformation programme in Latin America and served as an executive Director on many boards across multiple jurisdictions and as Chief Financial Officer for the Latin American and Asian regions. He has extensive international and emerging market experience and played a prominent role in building SABMiller plc into one of the world’s largest and most successful beverage companies.

Andrea Pozzi portrait
Andrea Pozzi

Group Chief Operating Officer

Andrea Pozzi (48) is the Group’s Chief Operating Officer with responsibility for the Group’s manufacturing, logistics, procurement and IT functions as well as leading the Group’s businesses in Great Britain. He joined C&C in 2010 and has had a number of roles within the Group, including Group Manufacturing Director and Managing Director International (EMEA). Before joining C&C, Andrea held various management positions with the Carlsberg Group, Brasseries Kronenbourg and Masterfoods.

Jill Caseberry portrait
Jill Caseberry

Independent Non-executive Director

Jill Caseberry (55) was appointed a non-executive Director of the Company in February 2019 and a member of the Remuneration Committee in March 2019. Jill has extensive sales, marketing and general management experience across a number of blue chip companies including Mars, PepsiCo and Premier Foods. Jill is a non-executive Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit and Nomination Committee at Bellway plc and at Halfords plc. Jill is also a non-executive Director and member of the Audit, Nomination and Remuneration Committees of St. Austell Brewery Company Limited. Jill brings considerable experience of brand management and marketing to the Board.

Jim Clerkin portrait
Jim Clerkin

Independent Non-executive Director

Jim Clerkin (65) was appointed as a non-executive Director of the Company in April 2017. Over his 40-year career, Jim has worked for many prominent companies in the wine and spirits industry. Jim is currently the President of Strategic Development and advisor to the CEO at Moët Hennessy. Jim joined Moet Hennessy USA in 2008 and prior to his current role, was the President and CEO of Moët Hennessy North America. Before joining Moët Hennessy, Jim held roles in Guinness and Diageo, including terms as Managing Director of Gilbeys of Ireland, President of Diageo North America’s Western Division, and President of Allied Domecq North America. Jim’s career began in Ireland where he progressed through the ranks at Guinness to become Executive Sales Director and a member of the Board of Directors. Jim brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of the global drinks industry to the Board.

Vincent Crowley portrait
Vincent Crowley

Independent Non-executive Director

Vincent Crowley (65) was appointed as a non-executive Director of the Company in January 2016 and as Senior Independent Director in June 2019. He is a member of the Audit Committee and the Nomination Committee. Vincent was previously both Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Independent News and Media plc, a leading media company. He also served as Chief Executive Officer and subsequently as a non-executive Director of APN News & Media, a media company listed in Australia and New Zealand. He initially worked with KPMG in Ireland. Vincent is currently Chairman of Altas Investments plc and a non-executive Director of Grafton Group plc. He is also Chairman of Newsbrands Ireland and a non-executive Director of Inner City Enterprise. Vincent brings considerable domestic and international business experience across a number of sectors to the Board.

Emer Finnan portrait
Emer Finnan

Independent Non-executive Director

Emer Finnan (51) was appointed as a non-executive Director of the Company in May 2014 and became Chairman of the Audit Committee in July 2015 and is a member of the Nomination Committee. She is a Partner and Senior Managing Director of Kildare Partners, a private equity firm based in London and Dublin, where she is responsible for investment origination in certain countries. After qualifying as a chartered accountant with KPMG, she worked in investment banking at Citibank and ABN AMRO in London and then NCB Stockbrokers in Dublin. In 2005 she joined EBS Building Society in Ireland, becoming its Finance Director in early 2010. In September 2012, Emer re-joined NCB Stockbrokers to lead a financial services team in Ireland. She joined Kildare Partners in 2013. She brings considerable financial expertise to the Board.

Helen Pitcher OBE portrait
Helen Pitcher OBE

Independent Non-executive Director

Helen Pitcher (62) was appointed a non-executive Director of the Company in February 2019 and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee in March 2019. Helen is currently Chair of leading board effectiveness consultancy Advanced Boardroom Excellence Ltd, Chair of the UK Criminal Cases Review Comission, a non-executive Director of a subsidiary of United Biscuits, and is President of KidsOut, a national UK charity for disadvantaged children, and of the INSEAD Global Directors Network. Helen also sits on the Advisory Board for Leeds University Law Faculty. Previously, Helen was Chair of the Advisory Board and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of Pladis Global and a board member of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personal Development). In 2015 Helen Pitcher was awarded an OBE for services to business. Helen bring a wealth of experience and knowledge of governance and board effectiveness in a variety of sectors, including the drinks industry, to the Board.

Jim Thompson portrait
Jim Thompson

Independent Non-executive Director

Jim Thompson (59) was appointed a non-executive Director of the Company and a member of the Audit Committee in March 2019. Jim is a private investor of Kingfisher Single Family Office and serves on the board of Directors of Millicom International Cellular SA. He has been a Guest Lecturer at the MBA Programmes at the University of Virginia, Columbia University and George Washington University. He holds an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia where he received the Faculty Award for academic excellence. He has previously worked at Southeastern Asset Management, Mackenzie Cundill and Bryant Asset Management. Jim brings substantial international investment management experience to the Company.

Mark Chilton portrait
Mark Chilton

Company Secretary & Group General Counsel

Mark Chilton (57) joined the Group in January 2019 as Company Secretary and Group General Counsel. Mark was Company Secretary and General Counsel of Booker Group plc from 2006 until 2018. Mark qualified as a solicitor in 1987.

Board Committees

Audit Committee

Emer Finnan (Chairman)

Vincent Crowley

Jim Thompson

Nomination Committee

Stewart Gilliland (Chairman)

Emer Finnan

Vincent Crowley

Helen Pitcher

Remuneration Committee

Helen Pitcher (Chairman)

Jill Caseberry

Jim Clerkin

Senior Independent Director

Vincent Crowley

Board members skills overview

Financial expertise
4
5
Strategy
9
0
Drinks and consumer goods
6
3
Brand management
6
3
Leadership
9
0
International market experience
8
1
with skill without skill