
B B B B
E
B
E
E
Steve Smith
Independent Non-Executive Director
John Whittle
Independent Non-Executive Director
Tracy Clarke
Non-Executive Director
Rory Mepham
Executive Director, CEO
Emma Stubbs
Executive Director, CFO
James Waghorn*
Chief Investment Officer
Mr Smith was formerly an Executive
Director and the Chief Investment
Officer of The British Land Company
plc, the FTSE 100 real estate
investment trust, with responsibility
for the group’s property and
investment strategy, standing down in
2013. Prior to this, Mr Smith was Global
Head of Asset Management and
Transactions at AXA Real Estate
Investment Managers, where he was
responsible for the asset management
of a portfolio of assets valued at more
than €40 billion on behalf of life funds,
listed property vehicles, unit linked
and closed end funds. Prior to joining
AXA in 1999, Mr Smith was Managing
Director at Sun Life Properties for over
five years. Over the last decade, Mr
Smith has worked extensively in
governance related roles for a number
of real estate focused organisations.
Mr Smith is Chairman of the Board and
is a member of the Audit and Risk
Committee and Remuneration and
Nomination Committee. Mr Smith was
appointed to the Board on 11 May 2021.
He is resident in the UK.
Mr Whittle has a background in large
third party Fund Administration. He has
worked extensively in high tech service
industries and has in-depth experience
of strategic development and mergers/
acquisitions. He has experience of listed
company boards as well as the private
equity, property and fund of funds
sectors. He is currently a director of
Starwood European Real Estate Finance
Limited and TRIG (both listed on the
main market of the London Stock
Exchange) and Chenavari Toro Income
Fund Limited (admitted to trading on the
Specialist Fund Segment of the London
Stock Exchange). Mr Whittle, a
Chartered Accountant, has also served
as Finance Director of Close Fund
Services Limited (responsible for internal
finance and client financial reporting),
Managing Director of Hugh Symons
Group PLC and Finance Director and
Deputy MD of Talkland International
Limited (now Vodafone Retail).
Mr Whittle was appointed to the
Board, the Audit and Risk Committee
and the Remuneration and Nomination
Committee on 23 September 2016,
after having served as an Alternate
Director since December 2015. He is
resident in Guernsey. Mr Whittle is
Chairman of the Audit and Risk
Committee, and of the Remuneration
and Nomination Committee.
Ms Clarke is a representative of the
Somerston group of companies
(“Somerston”), the Company’s
largestshareholder which has the
right to nominate one individual for
appointment to the Board. Ms Clarke
joined Somerston in 2016 and acts as
the group’s Chief Operating Officer.
Ms Clarke is also Managing Director
ofCarlton Management Services
Limited, a licensed Jersey trust
company business. Prior to joining
Somerston, Ms Clarke worked for
Deutsche Bank in Jersey and Zurich
for over 10 years, specialising in
financial Intermediary and external
asset manager business. Ms Clarke is
aFellow of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in England and Wales
and holds the CISI Investment Advice
Diploma. Ms Clarke was appointed to
the Board on 8 March 2022 and is a
member of the Company’s Audit and
Risk Committee and Remuneration
and Nomination Committee.
Rory joined Sancus in January 2021,
assuming the role of Interim CEO on
1July 2021 and was then confirmed
asCEO and board member on
23November 2021. Joining Sancus
from The Somerston Group where he
managed their European real estate
platform which includes business in
the hotel, retail, land development,
student housing and PRS sectors.
Rory has over 20 years experience
inthe UK and European property
market. He has spent his career
working with institutional capital and
has an extensive track record in M&A,
corporate finance, capital raising, debt
finance, investment management and
property development. Rory Holds an
MBA from the Cranfield School of
Management, a BSc(Hons) in Land
Management from the University of
Reading and qualified as a member
ofthe Royal Institute of Chartered
Surveyors (MRICS).
Emma joined the Group in
November2013 as Chief Financial
Officer and was appointed to the
Board on 16 September 2014. Emma
isalso a Board member of Sancus
Group Holdings Limited and a number
of the subsidiary entities. Emma
wasappointed as a Non Executive
Director on Funding Options Limited
on 24March 2020. Emma is also a
Non-Executive Director of Amberton
Limited. Emma is a Fellow member of
the Association of Chartered Certified
Accountants and qualified with Deloitte
in 2004. She graduated from the
University of the West of England with
a BA Hons degree in Accounting and
Finance. Emma is resident in Guernsey.
James was appointed to the Executive
Management Team on 8 March 2022.
James has over 14 years experience
inthe UK and European real estate
market. James has extensive
experience across the corporate real
estate, investment and property
development sectors. For the past
6years James’ has led Somerston’s
land development business, a strategic
land and development focused
business with capacity for in excess
of2,350 units within its strategic
portfolio. James holds a BSc in
Investment and Finance in Property
from the University of Reading and
isMRICS accredited. James joined
Sancus in January 2021.
* Joined Executive Management Team
on 8March 2022)
B
Board of Directors
E
Executive Team
Board of Directors
The Company operates a unitary
Board Structure, comprised of both
Executive and Non-Executive
Directors. Biographical details of the
Directors can be found below. The
terms of Directors’ appointments are
available from the Company Secretary.
On joining the Board, any new director
will have received an induction
through face to face meetings with
existing directors, senior management
and the Company Secretary.
The Chairman leads the Board and is
responsible for its overall effectiveness
in directing the Company, its corporate
governance responsibilities, and
addressing any training or development
needs of the directors.
Strategic Report Corporate Governance Financial Statements Additional Information
15
Sancus Annual Report 2021