Roy Brown (61)
Chairman C N
Appointment and election
Appointed a non-executive Director in 1996 and became Chairman in May 2004. Standing for re-election in 2008.
Experience
Former executive Director of Unilever plc and Unilever NV from 1992 to 2001 with responsibility for the Group’s activities in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He is a former non-executive Director of Brambles plc, Brambles Limited (Australia) and British United Provident Association Ltd (BUPA). Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology.
External appointments
Non-executive Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director of Alliance & Leicester plc, Senior Independent Director of HMV Group plc and non-executive Director of the Franchise Board of Lloyd’s of London. Member of the CBI International Advisory Board.
Sir Kevin Smith, CBE (53)
Chief Executive E C N
Appointment and election
Appointed Chief Executive in January 2003 and last re-elected in 2006.
Experience
Joined GKN in 1999 as Managing Director, Aerospace. Prior to GKN he held various positions in BAE Systems over a 20 year period, latterly as Group Managing Director – New Business. Former Co-Chairman of the Government’s Manufacturing Forum. Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and Companion of the Chartered Management Institute.
External appointments
Non-executive Director of Scottish and Southern Energy plc.
Marcus Bryson (53)
Chief Executive Aerospace E
Appointment and election
Appointed to the Board in June 2007 and standing for re-election in 2008.
Experience
Joined GKN with the acquisition of the Westland Group in 1994 and has extensive experience of the aerospace industry. Having joined Westland in 1984, he held a number of finance and commercial roles within the business prior to its acquisition by GKN. He was appointed Chief Executive GKN Aerospace Services — Europe in 2000 and Chief Executive Propulsion Systems and Special Products in 2004. Joined the Executive Committee as Chief Executive Aerospace in January 2006.
Sir Ian Gibson, CBE (61)
Former Senior Independent Director
Ceased to be a non-executive Director on retirement from the Board on 31 December 2007.
Helmut Mamsch (63)
Non-executive Director C A R N
Appointment and election
Appointed to the Board in December 2003 and last re-elected in 2007.
Experience
Has considerable experience in international business, having worked for over 20 years in international trade and shipping. He joined VEBA AG (now E.ON AG) in 1989 and was a management Board member from 1993 to 2000. Until 2007, he was non-executive Deputy Chairman of LogicaCMG plc and a member of the Supervisory Board of K+S Aktiengesellschaft.
External appointments
Non-executive Chairman of Electrocomponents plc and non-executive Director of Sappi Ltd (South Africa).
Sir Christopher Meyer, KCMG (64)
Non-executive Director C A R N
Appointment and election
Appointed to the Board in August 2003 and last re-elected in 2007.
Experience
Former British Ambassador to the United States and Germany and also served in the British Diplomatic Service in Russia, Spain and the European Community, Brussels. Former Chief Press Secretary to Prime Minister John Major, and former non-executive Director of The Sanctuary Group plc and GlobeTel Communications Corporation.
External appointments
Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission and non-executive Director of Arbuthnot Banking Group plc.
Andrew Reynolds Smith (41)
Chief Executive Powder Metallurgy, OffHighway and Industrial Services E
Appointment and election
Appointed to the Board in June 2007 and standing for re-election in 2008.
Experience
Joined GKN in 2002 as Managing Director Operations — Europe for the Group’s Driveline division. In 2004 he became Chief Executive of GKN Sinter Metals and was appointed to the Executive Committee in 2006. Prior to GKN, he held various general management and functional positions at Ingersoll Rand, Siebe plc (now Invensys plc) and Delphi Automotive Systems.
External appointments
Chairman of the CBI Manufacturing Council.
William Seeger, Jr. (56)
Finance Director E
Appointment and election
Appointed to the Board in September 2007 and standing for re-election in 2008.
Experience
Joined GKN in 2003 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of GKN Aerospace. In June 2007 he became a member of the Executive Committee as President and Chief Executive Propulsion Systems and Special Products. Appointed Finance Director in September 2007. Prior to GKN, he held a number of senior finance positions at TRW Inc spanning over 20 years, latterly as Vice President Financial Planning and Analysis.
John Sheldrick (58)
Non-executive Director C A R N
Appointment and election
Appointed to the Board in December 2004 and standing for re-election in 2008.
Experience
Joined Johnson Matthey plc as executive Director, Finance in 1990 and has been Group Finance Director since 1995. Prior to joining Johnson Matthey he was Group Treasurer of The BOC Group plc. He is a former non-executive Director of API Group plc. Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
External appointments
Group Finance Director of Johnson Matthey plc.
Nigel Stein (52)
Chief Executive Automotive E
Appointment and election
Appointed to the Board in August 2001 and standing for re-election in 2008.
Experience
Joined GKN in 1994 and has held a range of commercial, general management and finance roles, most recently as Group Finance Director. Appointed Chief Executive Automotive in June 2007. Prior to GKN, he gained experience in the commercial vehicle and manufacturing sector and held senior financial positions with Laird Group plc and Hestair Duple Ltd. Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
External appointments
Non-executive Director of Wolseley plc and Director of The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd.
Sir Peter Williams, CBE (62)
Senior Independent Director C A R N
Appointment and election
Appointed to the Board in June 2001 and became Senior Independent Director in January 2008. Standing for re-election in 2008.
Experience
Joined Oxford Instruments plc in 1982, became its Chief Executive in 1985 and was Chairman from 1991 until his retirement in 1999. Former Master of St Catherine’s College Oxford, former President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science and former Chairman of the Engineering and Technology Board. Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
External appointments
Chancellor of the University of Leicester. Non-executive Director of WS Atkins plc and non-executive Chairman of NPL Management Ltd. Chairman of the National Physical Laboratory, Member of the Council for the Foundation for Science and Technology, Trustee of Marie Curie Cancer Care and Treasurer of the Royal Society.
Grey Denham (59)
Company Secretary E
Experience
Joined GKN in 1980 and was head of the Group Legal function for nine years before being appointed Company Secretary in 1996. Prior to GKN he was a Senior Lecturer in law at Nottingham Law School and in house counsel to the then state owned machine tool companies. He is a barrister and former Chairman of the Primary Markets Group of the London Stock Exchange.
External appointments
Non-executive Director of Charter plc, non-executive Director and Trustee of Young Enterprise UK, and Vice Chairman (former Chairman) of the CBI in the West Midlands and Oxfordshire.
E Member of Executive Committee
C Member of Chairman’s Committee
A Member of Audit Committee
R Member of Remuneration Committee
N Member of Nominations Committee
The Company Secretary is secretary to the non-executive Board Committees. The responsibilities of all Board Committees are described in the corporate governance statement and in the Audit Committee report.
In addition to the executive Directors and the Company Secretary, the other members of the Executive Committee are as follows:
Arthur Connelly (50)
Chief Executive Driveline Driveshafts
Gary Cosby (54)
Group Director Enterprise Support
Walter Rohregger (48)
Chief Executive OffHighway
Martyn Vaughan (52)
Group Director Enterprise Excellence