BOARD OF DIRECTORS - Unite Group
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The Unite Group PLC Annual Report & Accounts 2020
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Phil White Richard Huntingford Richard Smith
Chairman Non-Executive Director Chief Executive Officer
and Chairman Designate
Relevant skills, experience and contribution
Phil has served as Chairman since May Richard joined the Board as Non-Executive Richard was appointed Chief Executive
2009 and it was announced earlier Director and Chairman Designate on 1 in June 2016. Prior to this, he was Unite’s
(November 2019) that Phil will be retiring December 2020 and will assume the role of Managing Director of Operations from
from the Board on 31 March 2021. He was Chairman on 1 April 2021. He is a chartered 2011, a role that involved Richard leading
Chief Executive of National Express Group accountant, and has over 30 years of the service provided to our customers,
plc from 1997 to 2006 and led the business plc board experience including as Chief and managing maintenance and facilities
through growth in the UK and overseas. Executive of Chrysalis Group plc between management across the Group’s portfolio.
He gained extensive executive experience 2000 and 2007 and as a Non-Executive
Richard joined Unite as Deputy Chief
in the public transport sector during the Director of Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK)
Financial Officer in 2010. Prior to this, he
period of deregulation and privatisation. plc. His Chair roles have included Wireless
spent 19 years in the transport industry,
He is Chair of Lookers plc as well as a Non- Group plc (formerly UTV Media plc),
working in the UK, Europe, Australia and
Executive Director of VP plc. Creston plc and Crown Place VCT plc.
North America. Richard spent 14 years
In addition to chairing Future plc (since
Phil brings his wealth of experience as at National Express Group where he
February 2018), Richard is a Non-Executive
a Chair of FTSE and other companies to held a range of senior finance, strategy
Director of JP Morgan Mid Cap Investment
Unite, ensuring best practice in board and operations roles, including Group
Trust plc and The Bankers Investment
effectiveness and corporate governance. Development Director and Chief Financial
Trust plc.
Within the Board, he helps ensure clarity, Officer, North America. Richard is a Non-
critical thinking, constructive debate and Richard’s proven FTSE chair, wider non- Executive Director at Stenprop Limited.
challenge and the running of an effective executive and executive experience will
Richard continues to lead the successful
Board. Externally, he ensures there is help us ensure best practice in board
development, communication and
effective engagement with our investors effectiveness and corporate governance.
implementation of the Group’s strategy,
over our strategy, long-term sustainability His wealth of experience in public
providing clear and valued leadership and
and corporate governance. The Board company governance and leadership,
delivery of the Group KPIs. His engagement
would like to thank Phil for his service. corporate finance, investment, business
with our investors helps ensure our
During his Chairmanship, the Group has, development, investor relations and media
strategy is well understood and valued. His
among other things, grown within the will help drive our strategy development
operational expertise has helped ensure
FTSE 250 and become a leading European and effective engagement with wider
the business’s resilience and ongoing
REIT and, more recently, completed the stakeholders.
delivery through the challenges of Covid-19
successful acquisition and integration of
whilst ensuring the Group is well-placed to
Liberty Living and maintained the Group’s
be ready for the future.
market leadership. This is all testament
to Phil’s governance leadership. This
leadership has been especially critical as
the Board navigated Covid-19 through
2020 and into 2021. Phil has ensured the
business is ready and resilient to embrace
the risks and opportunities ahead.
84
Overview
Nomination Committee Member Health & Safety Committee Member
Audit Committee Member Sustainability Committee Member
Remuneration Committee Member Committee Chairman
Strategic Report
Joe Lister Elizabeth McMeikan Ross Paterson
Chief Financial Officer Senior Independent Director Non-Executive Director
Joe joined Unite in 2002 having Elizabeth was appointed a Non-Executive Ross was appointed as a Non-Executive
qualified as a chartered accountant Director in February 2014. She has Director in September 2017. He is Finance
Governance
with PricewaterhouseCoopers. He was significant experience in customer- Director of Stagecoach Group plc, and
appointed as Chief Financial Officer in focused businesses Tesco and Colgate as a member of Stagecoach’s Board
January 2008 having previously held a Palmolive, where she was successful in is responsible for finance, business
variety of roles including Investment driving growth through an understanding development and legal. In addition, he is
Director and Corporate Finance Director. of customer needs and an innovative a Non-Executive Director and the Audit
Joe is a Non-Executive Director at marketing approach. Committee Chair of Virgin Rail Group
Helical PLC. Holdings Limited, and a member of the
Elizabeth is a Non-Executive Director
Business Policy Committee of the Institute
Joe has continued to lead the design at Dalata Hotel Group Plc, McBride plc,
of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
and delivery of the Group’s sustainable Fresca Group Ltd, an import/export fruit
growth and financial performance, which and vegetable company, and a director of Ross contributes to Unite’s Board using
was especially tested during 2020 by Second Growth Community Investment his many years’ experience of managing
Covid-19. Joe’s deep experience of our Company. Previously she was a Non- finance in a complex operational business
business and especially our funding Executive Director of JD Wetherspoon plc, like our own. He also brings valued insight
arrangements has been critical through the chair of Moat Homes Ltd, a leading to innovation as we continue to enhance
Financial Statements
this difficult time. Together with Richard, housing association in the South East, our service offer to our student customers.
Joe ensures the development and and CH & Co Ltd, a privately owned Ross uses his financial and broader
communication of the Group’s ongoing catering company. business experience as Chair of the Audit
performance and strategy with our Committee, helping oversee the Group’s
Elizabeth brings her extensive consumer-
investors. In addition, Joe has an expanded financial rigour and delivery.
focused experience, both as an executive
remit over Property and a critical role in
and also on the boards of other FTSE
developing and strengthening the Group’s
companies, to help oversee the design
University relationships and the Group’s
and development of our customer
Sustainability Strategy.
proposition and enhanced customer
service. As Senior Independent Director
of Unite, Elizabeth supports the Chair in
the effective running of the Board, led the
Nominations Subcommittee for the search
Other Information
of the Chair’s successor and, as Chair of the
Remuneration Committee, helps ensure
the Executive Directors’ and broader senior
leadership’s remuneration is aligned to the
long-term sustainable success of the Group.
85
The Unite Group PLC Annual Report & Accounts 2020
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONTINUED
Richard Akers Ilaria del Beato Dame Shirley Pearce
Non-Executive Director Non-Executive Director Non-Executive Director
Relevant skills, experience and contribution
Richard was appointed a Non-Executive Ilaria was appointed a Non-Executive Dame Shirley joined the Board in
Director in September 2018. From 1995 to Director in December 2018. She is CEO November 2019 as a Non-Executive
2014 Richard worked at Land Securities plc, of Frasers Property UK, part of Frasers Director and Chairs our newly established
where he had various positions including Property, a global real estate group. Ilaria Sustainability Committee. She has held
as an Executive Director on the main was formerly CEO of GE Capital UK, a chair, senior executive and non-executive
board and Managing Director of Retail. regulated Bank and corporate lender and roles at board level in Higher Education,
Richard has over 30 years’ experience in led GE Capital Real Estate UK, a commercial health and policing with experience of
the real estate industry, with a focus on real estate investor, developer and lender. both the public and private sectors. She
retail. He is currently Senior Independent is currently an independent member of
Ilaria brings her 30 years of experience in
Director and Chair of the Health & Safety the Committee on Standards in Public
real estate, including asset management,
and Remuneration Committees at Barratt Life, a member of the Higher Education
investment and lending, to the Group.
Developments Plc and a Non-Executive Quality Assurance Panel for the Ministry
This experience is vital to the Group as
Director at Shaftesbury Plc. Previously of Education in Singapore, a Trustee for
we navigate the ongoing and upcoming
Richard was a Non-Executive Director at the Royal Anniversary Trust, a member of
market uncertainties and increasing
Emaar Malls PJSC. the advisory board of HCA and the Hon
professionalisation of the sector.
President of the Association of University
Richard brings a wealth of real estate
Administrators AUA. Shirley was Vice
experience as both an executive and Non-
Chancellor of Loughborough University
Executive Director on the boards of FTSE
from 2006-2012 and was board member
companies. This experience will be critical
at the Higher Education Funding Council
to help the Group manage the change and
for England, the UCEA, and the Healthcare
uncertainty in the wider real estate sector
commission, as well as being a Non-
as well as the broader economy.
Executive Director of Health Education
England, and the Norfolk, Suffolk and
Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority.
She has held senior governance roles at the
LSE, and was appointed an independent
reviewer of the TEF. She was appointed
CBE in 2005 for services to education in
the NHS and in 2014 appointed DBE for
services to Higher Education.
Dame Shirley brings her wide ranging
and hands on experience in the HE sector
to the Board. This is especially critical at
a time of ongoing change in the sector,
where her insight and knowledge of HE and
broader policy initiatives will help inform
the Board on our strategic direction.
86
Overview
Nomination Committee Member Health & Safety Committee Member
Audit Committee Member Sustainability Committee Member
Remuneration Committee Member Committee Chairman
Strategic Report
Thomas Jackson Professor Sir Steve Smith Chris Szpojnarowicz
Non-Executive Director Non-Executive Director Company Secretary
Thomas joined as a Non-Executive Director Sir Steve joined the Board on 1 April Chris was appointed Company Secretary
in November 2019. He has been the 2020. He brings with him a wealth of and Group Legal Director in 2013,
Governance
head of CPP Investments’ UK real estate experience in the HE sector. He was the following General Counsel roles at GE,
business since 2015 and is responsible for Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of MTV Networks and other multinationals.
CPP Investments’ entry into a number of the University of Exeter from 2002 to He was previously an M&A/corporate and
new real estate sectors, including student August 2020. Sir Steve was the president commercial lawyer at Clifford Chance and
housing, life sciences and the build-to- of Universities UK (2009–2011), Chair of Baker McKenzie. Chris uses his general
rent sector. In addition to sitting on the UCAS (2012–2019), served on the Boards counsel and corporate/commercial legal
Board of The Unite Group PLC, Thomas of UUK and the Russell Group, and was experience to fuse our corporate and risk
also sits on a number of CPP Investments’ Chair of the UUK International Policy governance with our business activity.
office, retail and logistics Joint Venture Network (2014–2020). He is currently the Chris links his Company Secretary and
boards. Beyond the UK, Thomas is also UK Government International Education risk/governance leadership role with his
responsible for CPP Investments’ real Champion, and the Prime Minister’s legal and commercial experience which
estate investment activity in Germany Special Representative to Saudi Arabia has been especially critical as the Group
and the CEE regions. Thomas originally on Education. navigated the challenges of the pandemic.
joined CPP Investments in 2011 and was
Between 2007 and 2010, Sir Steve led for Chris is a Board Trustee of The West
Financial Statements
instrumental in its transaction activity in
Higher Education on the Prime Minister’s of England Friends Housing Society, a
Spain, the Nordics and India.
National Council of Excellence in Education, residential care home which also provides
Prior to joining CPP Investments, Thomas which provided advice to Government supported housing and independent flats
was a Vice President in the real estate about strategy and measures to achieve as part of an integrated care community.
investment banking team at Macquarie world-class education performance for all
bank and focused on M&A transactions children and young people. Sir Steve was
within the UK and European public and knighted in 2011 for services to Higher
private real estate companies. Education locally and nationally.
Thomas brings wide ranging real estate Sir Steve’s extensive experience in the
experience, not only from the student HE sector contributes to how the Board
housing sector, but also his wider build- navigates a changing HE sector. In
to-rent, retail and logistics real estate addition, his hands on knowledge and
experience to the Board. His international insight into how Universities operate
Other Information
experience will also be invaluable for help us develop stronger University
the Board, helping provide a wider partnerships. Sir Steve also Chairs our
perspective on developments in real Health and Safety Committee and his on-
estate as the Board progresses further campus knowledge helps us ensure our
its strategic thinking. approach to safety is well aligned with our
customers, Universities, employees and
wider stakeholders.
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