8:48 am, July 10, 2023
Pendragon has appointed Jemima Bird as an independent non-executive director as of today.
Making the announcement via the London Stock Exchange this morning (July 10), it said she will replace Ian Filby as head of the dealership chain’s remuneration committee.
Filby is stepping down as chairman of Pendragon, whose brands include Evans Halshaw and Stratstone, after less than two years in the role.
His resignation was announced on June 30, ahead of the company’s annual meeting that day.
That meeting saw Pendragon directors’ remuneration thrown out by shareholders, with CEO Bill Berman only just clinging to his job. It was the only resolution to be rejected.
Votes cast also showed that Filby would have been re-elected with the narrowest of margins at just 54.86 per cent.
He is leaving ‘to pursue other interests’ and will remain in the role of chairman until his successor is found.
Bird will also serve on Pendragon’s nomination committee, which Filby chairs, as well as its audit committee.
She has three decades of retail experience, mainly in the food sector, including the Co-op. In 2013, Bird established strategic brand consultancy Hello Finch.
Bird has also held roles as the commercial and operations director of Moss Bros Group.
She is currently the senior independent director at Revolution Bars Group and chairs its remuneration committee, alongside being a non-executive director at Headlam Group, whose remuneration committee she also chairs.
Pendragon senior independent director Dietmar Exler said: ‘I am delighted to welcome Jemima to the board of Pendragon.
‘She has built up considerable experience at leading retailers over a long, successful career and I am confident she will make a positive contribution to the board.
‘We are also pleased that Jemima has agreed to chair the remuneration committee and we look forward to benefiting from her expertise in this area.’
Main image via Hello Finch website and used with permission
