Skip to content Skip to section navigation Skip to main navigation
The WH Smith PLC Main Board is led by the Chairman and includes four non-executive directors and three executive directors, with support from the Company Secretary.
The Management Team comprises the Chief Executive, the Group Finance Director and the Managing Director High Street. It is responsible for the delivery of business performance targets.
Walker Boyd, Chairman
Walker Boyd joined the Board as non-executive director in February 2010 and was appointed Chairman on 1 September 2010. He has substantial retail expertise both in the UK and the USA. He retired as Group Finance Director at Signet Jewellers Limited in June 2010 (previously Signet Group Plc) having held this position since 1995. Prior to that Mr Boyd was Finance Director of Signet’s UK Jewellery Division from 1992.
Kate Swann, Chief Executive
Kate Swann was appointed Chief Executive and joined the Board in November 2003. She started her career at Tesco Plc as a Marketing Executive, before moving on to positions at Homepride Foods, Coca Cola Schweppes and Dixons Stores Group. She then worked for Homebase, ultimately as Managing Director, and in 2000 was made Managing Director of Argos.
Robert Moorhead, Group Finance Director
Robert Moorhead was appointed Group Finance Director and joined the Board on 1 December 2008. He joined WH Smith PLC in 2004 as Finance Director - Retail. Previously, he was appointed Group Finance Director at Specsavers Optical Group in 2002, and Finance and IT Director of World Duty Free Europe Ltd in 2001. He held a number of roles at B&Q and Kingfisher Group which he joined in 1991. He started his career at Price Waterhouse.
Steve Clarke, Managing Director High Street
Steve Clarke joined WHSmith in August 2004 as Marketing Director for High Street Retail. In 2006 he was appointed Commercial and Marketing Director and in 2008 became Managing Director for High Street Retail. Steve joined WHSmith from Argos where he had been Head of Product Marketing since 2001. Steve’s career began at the Dixons Group where he carried out a number of store, product and marketing roles.
Suzanne Baxter, Non-Executive Director
Suzanne Baxter joined the Board in February 2013 and is Chair of the Audit Committee. Suzanne is a Chartered Accountant and is Group Finance Director of MITIE Group PLC. Suzanne holds a seat on the Opportunity Now Advisory Board, a part of the Business in the Community (BitC) organisation with a focus on gender diversity in the workplace, and until recently was a member of the Finance and Risk Committee of BitC. She is also a mentor on the ICAEW’s Women in Leadership Programme.
Annemarie Durbin, Non-Executive Director
Annemarie Durbin joined the Board in December 2012. Annemarie is Group Head, Independent Governance, Assurance; and Workplace at Standard Chartered. She has previously held senior roles in Wholesale Banking, including Head of Financial Institutions for Europe and Africa, and had global responsibility for the Development Organisation client segment. Annemarie has held Consumer Banking head roles in the Philippines and Thailand and has been Chief Executive Officer in both countries.
Drummond Hall, Non-Executive Director
Drummond Hall joined the Board in September 2008. He spent his early years with Procter and Gamble, Mars and PepsiCo, and from 2002 to 2006 was Chief Executive of Dairy Crest PLC. He is a Non-Executive Director of Taylor Nelson Sofres PLC.
Henry Staunton, Non-Executive Director
Henry Staunton joined the Board in September 2010. He has extensive finance, media and retail expertise. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of Legal and General plc, Merchants Trust plc and Capital and Counties Properties plc. Previously he was Finance Director of Granada and ITV.
Ian Houghton, Company Secretary
Ian Houghton is Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services and joined the Company in June 1996. He qualified as a solicitor in October 1992 and immediately prior to joining WHSmith was employed as a solicitor by the RSPCA.
Kate Swann, Chief Executive
Kate Swann was appointed Chief Executive and joined the Board in November 2003. She started her career at Tesco Plc as a Marketing Executive, before moving on to positions at Homepride Foods, Coca Cola Schweppes and Dixons Stores Group. She then worked for Homebase, ultimately as Managing Director, and in 2000 was made Managing Director of Argos.
Robert Moorhead, Group Finance Director
Robert Moorhead was appointed Group Finance Director and joined the Board on 1 December 2008. He joined WH Smith PLC in 2004 as Finance Director - Retail. Previously, he was appointed Group Finance Director at Specsavers Optical Group in 2002, and Finance and IT Director of World Duty Free Europe Ltd in 2001. He held a number of roles at B&Q and Kingfisher Group which he joined in 1991. He started his career at Price Waterhouse.
Steve Clarke, Managing Director High Street
Steve Clarke joined WHSmith in August 2004 as Marketing Director for High Street Retail. In 2006 he was appointed Commercial and Marketing Director and in 2008 became Managing Director for High Street Retail. Steve joined WHSmith from Argos where he had been Head of Product Marketing since 2001. Steve’s career began at the Dixons Group where he carried out a number of store, product and marketing roles.
The Audit, Nominations and Remuneration committees have written terms of reference that define their role, responsibilities and membership.
The Audit Committee meets at least three times a year. Its responsibilities include monitoring the integrity and clarity of the Company's results and financial statements; reviewing the effectiveness of the Company's internal controls and risk management systems; reviewing the effectiveness of the Company's internal audit function; and assessing the independence and objectivity of the external auditors. Members of the Audit Committee are Suzanne Baxter (Chair), Annemarie Durbin, Drummond Hall and Henry Staunton.
The Nominations Committee advises the Board on the appointment of Directors and meets when necessary. Its responsibilities include regular reviews of the structure, size and composition of the Board; giving full consideration to succession planning; and evaluating the balance of skills, knowledge and experience of the Board. Members of the Nominations Committee are Walker Boyd (Chair), Suzanne Baxter, Annemarie Durbin, Drummond Hall, Henry Staunton and Kate Swann.
The Remuneration Committee is responsible for determining and agreeing with the Board the broad policy for the remuneration of the Chairman, executive directors and certain other senior executives; and in consultation with the Chairman and/or Chief Executive as appropriate, determining the total individual remuneration package of each executive director and other senior executives including bonuses and share incentives. Members of the Remuneration Committee are Drummond Hall (Chair), Suzanne Baxter, Walker Boyd, Annemarie Durbin and Henry Staunton.