CFO Moves UK – week ending 6 September 2013

Gamucci appointed Peter Jordan as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Peter has more than twenty years’ experience in senior financial, commercial and management roles, the majority in the tobacco industry with Rothmans International and British American Tobacco.

Silverdell plc announced that Mark Hazlewood joined the Board as Chief Financial Officer. Ian Johnson, former Chief Financial Officer, has stepped down from the Board and will leave the Company following an appropriate handover period. Mr Hazlewood was most recently at May Gurney Integrated Services PLC which he joined in November 2011 as Group Development Director and of which he was latterly Group Finance Director, until that company’s acquisition by Kier Group PLC in July 2013. Having qualified with Coopers & Lybrand as a Chartered Accountant in 1996, Mr Hazlewood joined South Staffordshire Group PLC in 1997, becoming Director of Finance in 2000. He then joined Homeserve PLC following its demerger from South Staffordshire Group plc, firstly as Director of Group Business Development and latterly as Finance Director. Mr Hazlewood then joined Anglian Home Improvements Group as Group Commercial Director prior to joining May Gurney.

Verona Pharma plc (AIM: VRP.L) announced the appointment of Richard Bungay as Chief Financial Officer, initially on a part-time basis, with immediate effect. Richard is currently part-time CEO of Chroma Therapeutics Ltd, a VC-backed biotechnology company, having previously been the CFO of the Company. Prior to this he was Director of Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning at Celltech Group plc until its acquisition by UCB in 2004. This followed time at AstraZeneca as Finance Director within the Respiratory and Inflammation Therapy Area. He moved there in 1998 from Celltech where he was Financial Controller. Verona Pharma’s previous CFO, Danny Lowe, who is based in Canada, will work closely with Richard for an interim period ensuring a thorough handover.

AXA UK announced that Bertrand Poupart-Lafarge has become the UK Group’s Chief Financial Officer. He takes over from Jean Drouffe who will shortly take up a leadership position in AXA France. He worked for AXA in France, the USA and Canada, where he was also Chief Financial Officer.

Spirent Communications plc (LSE: SPT) announced that Bill Burns, Chief Executive Officer, has stepped down. Eric Hutchinson, Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer whilst continuing to oversee our highly experienced finance team.