Our board

MICHAEL RONEY

Chairman

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Michael joined the Board as Deputy Chairman in February 2017 and became Chairman in August 2017. Michael brings significant international leadership experience to the Board; he was previously the Chief Executive of Bunzl plc from 2005 until his retirement in April 2016, Chief Executive of Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe BV and non-executive director of Johnson Matthey plc.

PRINCIPAL EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS:
Non-Executive Director of Brown-Forman Corporation (US firm)

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Remuneration and Nomination (Chairman)

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Lord Wolfson of Aspley Guise

Chief Executive

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Simon has deep knowledge of all areas of the NEXT business, together with strong leadership and strategic expertise, having led as Chief Executive since 2001. He joined the Group in 1991 and was appointed Retail Sales Director in 1993. He became responsible for NEXT Directory in 1995 and was appointed to the Board in 1997 with additional responsibilities for Systems. Simon was appointed Managing Director of the NEXT Brand in 1999 before his appointment as Chief Executive.

Jonathan Blanchard

Chief Financial Officer

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Jonathan qualified as a Certified Chartered Accountant in 1994 and also has 25 years of experience at Board level in private equity backed businesses, all of which were in the retail/consumer sectors. Jonathan has a wealth of experience implementing rigorous financial and capital controls; he has also managed several successful private equity transactions. His previous role was Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Reiss Group, where he played a critical role, not least negotiating and implementing the transition to Total Platform. Jonathan was appointed to the Board in 2024.

Richard Papp

Group Merchandise and Operations Director

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Richard has a wealth of operational and merchandising experience. He joined NEXT in 1991 as a merchandiser. Richard worked his way through management, becoming Menswear Product Director in 2001. In 2005 he gained valuable experience in a similar role at another retailer. Richard returned to NEXT in 2006 as Group Merchandise Director, responsible for NEXT’s Merchandising function, Product Systems, International Franchise, and Clearance operations. On appointment to the Board in 2018, Richard took on additional responsibility for Warehousing, Logistics and Systems within the Group.

Jane Shields

Group Sales, Marketing and HR Director

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Jane has profound understanding of NEXT’s operations, having joined NEXT Retail in 1985 as a sales assistant in one of our London stores. Jane worked her way through store management to be appointed Sales Director in 2000, responsible for all store operations and training. In 2006 Jane was given additional responsibility for Retail Marketing and in 2010 was appointed Group Sales and Marketing Director, adding Directory and online marketing to her portfolio. She assumed responsibility for Human Resources and the Customer Service Contact Centre in August 2020. Jane was appointed to the Board in 2013.

Jeremy Stakol

Group Investments, Acquisitions and Third Party Brands Director

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Jeremy holds a Masters in Professional Accounting and spent his early career in the finance department of a large media company. Jeremy joined as Managing Director of Lipsy which was acquired by NEXT in 2006. In more recent years Jeremy has successfully led many of the recent new investment deals and related Total Platform opportunities (such as Joules, Victoria's Secret, Gap and others). Jeremy was appointed to the Board in 2023.

JONATHAN BEWES

Senior Independent Director

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG, Jonathan spent 25 years as an investment banking adviser, with Robert Fleming, UBS and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. As a senior banker, he provided advice to the boards of many UK and overseas companies on a wide range of financial and strategic issues, including financing, M&A, shareholder engagement and corporate governance. Jonathan is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales and was appointed to the Board in 2016.

PRINCIPAL EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS:
Chair Designate of MONY Group plc
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of The Sage Group plc
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Bank of England

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Audit (Chairman), Remuneration and Nomination

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Tom Hall

Independent Non-Executive Director

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Tom is a partner at Apax Partners, the global private equity firm. He joined Apax in 1998 and leads its Internet/Consumer investing activities in Europe. In that role, he serves on the board of a number of retailers and digital marketplaces. He has considerable experience of working with businesses dealing with the strategic, operational and managerial challenges and opportunities created by rapidly changing consumer behaviour. Prior to joining Apax, Tom worked at S.G. Warburg and Deutsche Bank. He was appointed to the Board in July 2020.

PRINCIPAL EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS:
Partner at Apax Partners LLP
Supervisory Board Director of Wehkamp
Non-Executive Director of Baltic Classifieds Group PLC

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Audit, Remuneration (Chairman) and Nomination

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DAME TRISTIA HARRISON

Independent Non-Executive Director

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Tristia was most recently Chief Executive Officer of TalkTalk Telecom Group Limited and as such has experience of running a large-scale consumer and B2B facing company and knowledge of digital and cyber security. Tristia was Managing Director of TalkTalk’s consumer business when it demerged from Carphone Warehouse, which she joined in 2000 and held a number of senior management and executive positions. Tristia is also Chair of the national homelessness charity Crisis. Tristia was appointed to the board in 2018.

PRINCIPAL EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS:
Trustee at Crisis
Trustee at Ambitious about Autism

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Audit, Remuneration and Nomination

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Soumen Das

Independent Non-Executive Director

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Soumen is Chief Financial Officer of SEGRO plc, the largest UK and European Real Estate Investment Trust and a constituent of the FTSE 100. He has over 14 years' board level experience with listed companies having been Managing Director & Chief Financial Officer of Capital & Counties Properties plc prior to joining SEGRO, and was previously an Executive Director of UBS within the investment bank. Soumen is also Co-Chair of the Parker Review.

PRINCIPAL EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS:
Chief Financial Officer SEGRO plc

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Audit, Remuneration and Nomination

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Amy Stirling

Independent Non-Executive Director

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Amy is Chief Financial Officer of Hargreaves Lansdown plc, a financial services company and a constituent of the FTSE 250. Amy has significant strategic and financial experience in client facing businesses across the telecommunications and financial services sectors. She has considerable transformation and M&A experience at both executive and non-executive level and is a qualified chartered accountant and was appointed to the Board in 2024.

PRINCIPAL EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS:
Chief Financial Officer of Hargreaves Lansdown plc

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Audit, Remuneration and Nomination

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Venetia Butterfield

Independent Non-Executive Director

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Venetia is Managing Director of Cornerstone, the largest adult division of Penguin Random House. She brings experience as an accomplished business leader and experienced marketing professional. She was previously responsible for setting up the imprint HarperPerennial in her role at HarperCollins and has led the marketing operations for both HarperCollins and Collins Educational. Venetia serves on the Board of Governors of the Southbank Centre. She was appointed to the Board in 2024.

PRINCIPAL EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS:
Managing Director of Cornerstone, part of the Penguin Group

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Audit, Remuneration and Nomination

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