Board members

John Barton   + $

Aged 64

Became a member of the Board in 2002 and was appointed Deputy Chairman in 2004 and Chairman in 2006. He is also Chairman of Brit Insurance Holdings Plc and a non-executive director of WH Smith Plc and Cable and Wireless plc. Formerly Chief Executive of JIB Group plc and Chairman of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group Plc and Wellington Underwriting plc.

Simon Wolfson   Chief Executive

Aged 41 

Joined the Group in 1991. Appointed Retail Sales Director in 1993, became responsible for Next Directory in 1995 and was appointed to the Board in 1997 with additional responsibilities for systems. Appointed Managing Director of the Next Brand in 1999 and Chief Executive in 2001.

Christos Angelides   Group Product Director

Aged 45

Joined the Group in 1986 and was appointed General Manager of Next’s sourcing office in Hong Kong in 1989, Menswear Product Director in 1994 and Womenswear Product Director in 1998. Appointed to the Board in 2000.

David Keens   Group Finance Director

Aged 55

Joined the Group in 1986 and was appointed to the Board in 1991. Previous experience includes seven years in the accountancy profession and nine years in the UK and overseas operations of multi-national manufacturers of consumer goods.

Andrew Varley   Group Property Director

Aged 58

Joined the Group in 1985 and was appointed to the Board in 1990. Previous experience includes twelve years in retail and commercial property.

Jonathan Dawson   Senior Independent Non-executive # + $

Aged 57

Became a member of the Board in 2004. He is also a non-executive director of National Australia Group Europe Ltd and a partner in Penfida Partners LLP. Previous experience includes eight years in the Ministry of Defence and over twenty years in investment banking with Lazard.

Steve Barber   # + $

Aged 57

Became a member of the Board in June 2007.  He is also a non-executive director of Palladian Group (the owner of Whitehead Mann) and was formerly finance director of Mirror Group.  Previous experience includes almost thirty years in the accountancy profession, principally with Price Waterhouse where he was a senior partner.

Nick Brookes   # + $

Aged 58

Became a member of the Board in 2003. He is also a non-executive director of business law firm Bond Pearce LLP. He has held a number of directorships within the British American Tobacco Plc group, was Company Secretary and most recently Regional Director, America Pacific. Previous experience includes a career in the legal profession and operational roles in Africa and the USA.

Christine Cross   # + $

Aged 57

Became a member of the Board in 2005. She is also a non-executive director of Premier Foods plc and Empire Co. Ltd (Canada), a member of the Advisory Panel of PricewaterhouseCoopers and a retail advisor to Apax Partners. Previous experience includes fourteen years at Tesco plc and fifteen years lecturing and consulting at Edinburgh and Bath Universities.