Archives: Management Profile

Philip Cox CBE, Chair

31 May 2017

Contribution and experience

Philip is an experienced leader of large businesses, having held both executive and non-executive roles, including in the energy sector. As Chair, Philip cultivates a culture of openness, transparency and honesty in which constructive debate and challenge occurs and in which all directors contribute fully. His responsibilities at Drax include Board composition and succession, Board governance and stakeholder engagement.

He was previously CEO of International Power plc, having formerly been CFO. Prior to this he held a senior operational position at Invensys plc and was CFO at Siebe plc. As a non-executive, he was previously Chair of Kier Group plc, the Senior Independent Director at Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc, Chair of Global Power Generation and a member of the boards of Talen Energy Corporation, PPL, Meggitt plc and Wincanton plc.

Philip is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has an MA from Cambridge University.

Appointment as Chair:

January 2015

Board Committees:

  • Chair of the Nomination Committee
  • Member of the Remuneration Committee

Appointment as Chair:

April 2015

Will Gardiner, Group Chief Executive Officer

Contribution and Experience

Will has a strong track record of building and leading well managed companies and creating value. He has been a key architect of our purpose and strategy, driving the sustainability agenda from the top, including Drax’s response to the climate change crisis, and ensuring that we are delivering for our stakeholders.

He provides leadership of the executive team and takes responsibility for important external relationships and stakeholder management. Will is also a non-executive board member of the Sustainable Biomass Program.

Will joined Drax in 2015 as CFO and was appointed as CEO in January 2018. He has a wealth of experience in finance and technology, having held CFO and divisional Finance Director roles at a number of major companies, including CSR plc (acquired by Qualcomm, Inc in 2015) and Sky. He has dual US-UK citizenship and has lived and worked in the UK since 1998.

Appointment to the Board:

November 2015

Jonathan Kini, CEO Customers (to September 2019)

Jonathan Kini steps down as CEO Customers, Drax Group, in September 2019.

He joined as CEO Haven Power in January 2016 and became a member of the Drax Group Executive Committee in September 2016.

Clare Harbord, Group Director of Corporate Affairs

Clare Harbord, Director of Corporate Affairs

Clare has extensive experience in public affairs, communications and stakeholder relations. Before joining Drax, Clare worked at Heathrow, the world’s third busiest airport, where she was Director of Corporate Affairs for six years. Clare’s previous experience also includes roles as Director of Communications at both the Ministry of Justice and E.ON.

Appointment to the Executive Committee:

  • May 2017

External appointments:

  • Energy UK (Board member)
  • CBI Energy and Climate Change Committee (Board member)

Matthew Rivers, Group Special Advisor

30 May 2017

A former Corporate Affairs Director and member of the Executive Committee, Matthew has also previously been Chairman of our US business, Drax Biomass Inc., ensuring good integration between the UK and US business operations.

External appointments:

  • Member of the Board, Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP)

Previous experience:

Executive

  • Drax Group (Corporate Affairs Director and Chairman, Drax Biomass Inc.)
  • UPM (Finland) (Director – Overseas Wood & Biomass Sourcing, Director – Energy Biomass)
  • UPM Tilhill (UK) (Managing Director – for the UK’s largest private sector forest management and timber harvesting business)
  • Forestal Oriental (Uruguay) (Managing Director – responsible for plantation management and wood supply)

Non Executive

  • Chairman, Drax Biomass Inc.
  • Member of the Board, US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA)

Qualifications:

  • (For) Hons, Forestry Aberdeen
  • B.A., Strathclyde
  • Fellow Institute of Chartered Foresters
  • Chartered Environmentalist