
BOARDROOM PRACTICE
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
New appointments to the Board are subject to a formal, rigorous and
transparent appointment procedure. Directors are recommended and
considered on merit against objective criteria and with due regard
for the benefits of diversity on the Board and their existing time
commitments to ensure they can effectively discharge their duties.
APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR-DESIGNATE
BARBARAJEREMIAH
Charles Berry will retire as Chairman following the 2022 Annual
General Meeting, having completed his full nine-year term with the
Board. Following a comprehensive search and selection process,
the Board was unanimous in viewing Barbara Jeremiah as the best
choice for Chair-Designate. Barbara has extensive and highly relevant
international Executive and Non-Executive experience alongside a
deep passion for Weir and its people. Barbara is currently appointed as
Chair-Designate and will succeed Charles as Chair at the conclusion of
the Company’s AGM, becoming the first female Chair in the Group’s
150-year history. At the close of the AGM in April 2022, the Board’s
female diversity percentage will increase to 30%.
You can read more about the search and selection process in detail,
inthe Nomination Committee Report, on page 106.
BOARD INDUCTIONS AND TRAINING
When a new Director is appointed to the Board, they receive a tailored
induction programme which is designed to reflect the Non-Executive
Director’s background, experience, knowledge and their appointment
to the relevant Board Committee. The induction covers the Company’s
history, culture, purpose, strategy, structure, operations, policies and
other relevant documentation. The induction process also covers the
Corporate Governance Framework, the Board and Committee process,
Board and Committee calendars and training on the Code of Conduct
and Directors’ Duties. As part of their induction, new Directors also
meet with Senior Management of the Company, receive a formal
briefing on legal and governance matters from the Company Secretary
or his Deputy, and undertake visits to the Company’s operations.
The Chairman regularly reviews and agrees with each Director their
training and development needs. Additional induction and training is
also available to new Committee members as required. Training is also
built into the Board meetings, with relevant topics being covered as
appropriate. Following on from the induction period, the Board receives
additional training and development opportunities at regular intervals
throughout the year. These include deep dives (which concentrate
in-depth on specific topics), site visits, Board dinners and breakfast
meetings, training and information sessions, briefing materials on the
Board portal and meetings with Senior Management on key topics
affecting the Company. In addition to their duties enshrined in the
Companies Act 2006, Directors are informed of important changes
to laws and regulations affecting the Group’s businesses and their
duties as Directors. The Board is supplied with information in a timely
manner to enable it to discharge its duties. The Chairman ensures that
Non-Executive Directors are properly briefed on any issues arising at
Board meetings and that Non-Executive Directors have the ability to
communicate with the Chairman at any time.
DIRECTORS AND THEIR OTHER INTERESTS
The Board recognises that it is important for Directors to have a
diverse range of experience and the benefit that external appointments
in other companies can provide for both the individual Director and to
the Board as a whole. In light of this, Directors may be permitted to
take up external appointments and directorships in other companies
upon having requested and received prior written approval from the
Board. Under the Companies Act 2006, a Director of a company
must avoid a situation in which he or she has, or can have, a direct
or indirect interest that conflicts with, or may possibly conflict with
the interests of the Company. The Company has a formal procedure
in place to manage the disclosure, consideration and, if appropriate,
the authorisation of any such possible conflict. Each Director is aware
of the requirement to notify the Board, via the Company Secretary,
as soon as they become aware of any possible future conflict or a
material change to an existing authorisation. Upon receipt of any such
notification, the Board, in accordance with the Company’s Articles of
Association, will consider the situation before deciding whether to
approve the perceived conflict. Overall, the Board is satisfied that there
are appropriate procedures in place to deal with conflicts of interest
and that they operate effectively. None of the Non-Executive Directors
have any material business or other relationship with the Company or
its management. Sir Jim McDonald is the Principal and Vice Chancellor
of the University of Strathclyde, however, he has no direct involvement
on a day-to-day basis in relation to the Weir Advanced Research Centre
(WARC) which is operated by the Company in conjunction with the
University of Strathclyde. Nevertheless, he will offer to recuse himself
from any discussions in relation to the relationship between the
Group and the University of Strathclyde, whether in relation to WARC
or otherwise.
RE-ELECTION TO THE BOARD
In accordance with the Company’s Articles of Association and good
practice, all Directors on the Board at 31 December 2021 (with the
exception of Charles Berry), will seek re-election at the Company’s
AGM in April 2022, in compliance with the UK Corporate Governance
Code 2018. The Executive Directors have contracts of service with
one year’s notice, whilst Non-Executive Directors’ appointments can
be terminated with six-months’ notice. The letters of appointment
of the Chairman and the Non-Executive Directors are available for
inspection at the Company’s registered office and set out the required
commitment the Director must have to the Company. Further details
can also be found in the Directors’ Remuneration Report on pages
121-145. Details of the Directors’ service contracts, emoluments, the
interests of the Directors in the share capital of the Company and
options to subscribe for shares in the Company are disclosed in the
Directors’ Remuneration Report on pages 121-145.
TIME COMMITMENT
When considering new external appointments for existing Directors,
the Board takes into account a range of considerations, including
the Directors’ current commitments, the time requirement
involved, the role and responsibilities of the external position and
the potential impact on the Company. The Board also considers the
benefits that the external appointment may bring, such as greater
commercial experience, gaining expanded Board level experience
and a broader perspective from being in a new environment. If the
external appointment is considered to be beneficial to the Company’s
stakeholders by allowing the Director to gain experience and new skills
which will ultimately promote the success of the Company, it may
be approved by the Board. During 2021, the following key external
appointments were considered and approved:
• Clare Chapman was appointed as Non-Executive Director,
Remuneration Committee Chair and member of the Risk and
Nomination Committees, of M&G plc.
• Barbara Jeremiah was appointed as Non-Executive Director and
member of the Audit, Nominations and Remuneration Committees
of Senior plc.
• Venkat Venkatakrishnan was appointed as a Non-Executive Director
of Roscan Gold Corporation and as a Non-Executive Director and
member of the Audit and Management Engagement Committee of
BlackRock World Mining Trust plc.
99
The Weir Group PLC Annual Report and Financial Statements 2021
Governance