Senior Independent Director

Chariman of Audit and Risk Committee, Member of Management Engagement Committee and Remuneration and Nomination Committee

Mr Staples, a resident of Guernsey, is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and an associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. He also holds the Institute of Directors’ Diploma in Company Direction. Mr Staples was a partner for thirteen years of PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”) and led the tax practice in the South East of England, advising several large family and owner-managed businesses. He was also a member of the management board of the firm’s London and South East Middle Markets Tax Practice. Since leaving PwC in 2003, Mr Staples has served on the boards of several listed companies as a non-executive director including MedicX Fund Limited and Duet Real Estate Finance Limited as chairman of both. He is currently a director and audit committee chairman of two other listed companies, Ruffer Investment Company Limited and Baker Steel Resources Trust Limited. His other appointments are of the general partners of the main global private equity funds advised by Apax Partners.