Our leadership

Jonathan joined PZ Cussons as CEO in May 2020, and is responsible for the leadership, management and performance of PZ Cussons.

Jonathan is an experienced FMCG executive, having worked for a number of well-known global branded consumer goods businesses across a range of categories. He spent the first 21 years of his career at Procter & Gamble, before moving to the Kellogg Company, the worldwide cereal and snacks group, where he held a number of senior leadership positions. Most recently, he was chief operating officer at Avon Products Inc, an international beauty company, and was a core member of the executive team delivering a successful turnaround of the business.

Sarah joined PZ Cussons as CFO in January 2021 and is responsible for managing PZ’s financial operations in pursuit of growth.

Sarah is a chartered management accountant, having qualified with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and subsequently working in investment banking, specifically in Mergers & Acquisitions at Deutsche Bank. Sarah has held a number of senior finance positions at Diageo, Tesco and Unilever. She was CFO for their Birds Eye business and joined PZ from Nomad Foods, Europe’s leading frozen food company, where she most recently served as deputy chief financial officer. She has worked in commercial, operational and corporate finance roles including investor relations and so brings with her a deep understanding of creating shareholder value in the consumer goods sector.

Matt joined PZ as Chief Human Resources Officer in May 2019, with responsibility for supporting our Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors on all people and organisational capability matters.

Matt is a commercially-focused human resources leader with a track record of implementing innovative, transformative changes and delivering sustainable business performance within large scale, international organisations. He has over 20 years of experience in human resources, holding senior positions at BAE Systems and Nestlé before joining PZ in 2019. Across 18 years with BAE he rose to become head of human resources for the Hawk Aircraft. At Nestlé, Matt held the roles of Assistant Vice President Human Resources Nestlé SA responsible for Nestlé’s Strategic Business Units in Switzerland, Group Human Resources Director Nestlé UK & Ireland where he created the Nestlé Academy and led Nestlé’s accreditation as the first FMCG living wage employee and finally in Paris as Senior Vice President Human Resources for Nestlé Waters, Nestlé’s largest globally managed business. In 2018 Matt left Nestle to return to the UK and took up the role of CHRO for Laird PLC and took the organisation through large transformational change following its acquisition by Advent International. Matt brings a wealth of global Human Resources best practice experience and is also the former chair of the Centre of Performance led HR at Lancaster University.

Andrew joined PZ Cussons as Chief Marketing Transformation Officer in August 2021, and is responsible for driving growth across our portfolio by creating excellence in brand building, revenue growth management, and innovation. He also leads our diversity and inclusion agenda for the executive leadership team.

Andrew is an experienced marketer, passionate about brand building and consumer-centric growth. He is also a Marketing Week columnist, and a thought leader in marketing effectiveness and inclusion and diversity in marketing. Before joining PZ, he spent more than thirteen years at Diageo, working on brands such as Guinness and Johnnie Walker in a variety of roles, latterly as global consumer planning director. Prior to joining Diageo he spent five years at PepsiCo where he worked in a variety of marketing, insights, and innovation roles on brands including Walkers, Tropicana and Quaker, following six years in brand and research agencies.

Joanna joined PZ Cussons as Chief Sustainability Officer in September 2021, and is responsible for setting the Group’s global sustainability vision, strategy, and our path towards B Corp certification.

Joanna is an avid advocate for corporate responsibility and the role of ethical business practices in creating a better world for future generations. She has 25 years’ experience in senior executive roles across a number of industries. Prior to joining PZ, she was Avon’s global director of sustainability and corporate responsibility. Before Avon, Joanna spent 20 years at the BT Group where she held a number of senior roles, the last of which was group director of ESG, working closely with socially responsible investors, analysts and the financial industry globally in shaping up responsible investment principles.

Jan joined PZ in 2018 as Interim IT Transformation Director, before being appointed as Chief Information Officer in 2019. She is responsible for setting the Group’s global IT vision and strategy.

Jan is a commercially focused IT executive, with over 30 years of experience leading business and technology transformation programmes in private and public sector organisations including British Airways, easyjet, Yodel, KPMG and the NHS.

Panos joined PZ in 1999, rising to be Managing Director – Africa with responsibility for leading our African business and its continued evolution in line with our group strategy.

Across a long career with PZ, Panos has held a number of leadership positions across our Africa business. He joined the company as a Regional Sales Manager in Nigeria, before spending four years as General Manager Sales and Marketing for PZ Ghana. He then spent nine years with our HPZ Joint Venture in Nigeria, the final five of those years as Managing Director. Between 2015 and 2018, he served as Chief Executive Officer for our Greek food subsidiary Minerva, and then returned to Nigeria as Group Managing Director for our Thermocool Home Appliances business.

Dimitris joined PZ Cussons in 1995, progressing to be Managing Director – Asia in 2020 with responsibility for leading our Asian business and its continued evolution in line with our group strategy.

Dimitris has spent over 15 years in senior leadership positions within various parts of our business. Having joined PZ Cussons in 1995 working in Business Development in Eastern Europe, he later became Business Development Manager for East Africa, and progressed to join the Africa Executive Leadership Team with responsibility for the sustainable growth of the business in sub-Sahara Africa. He then spent three years managing our Joint Venture with Haier in West Africa before moving to Asia for his current assignment. He brings vast experience of high growth potential emerging economies in Asia and Africa, with knowledge of many consumer goods categories and Routes to Market. As of 2020, he is a Board member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia which aims to promote and facilitate trade and investment growth between Britain and Indonesia.

Tracey joined PZ Cussons in January 2022 as Managing Director of Beauty.

Tracey is passionate about fashion and beauty and has over 30 years’ experience leading brands globally, with proven success across multi-channel, multi-site, multi-brand and department stores.  Prior to joining PZ, Tracey was Chief International Officer with skincare and wellness brand Perricone MD, after leading the EMEA Charlotte Tilbury business. Tracey has also held a number of senior roles including Managing Director at All Saints, Retail Director at Selfridges and successful senior executive positions in the Arcadia Group.

Kevin joined PZ Cussons as General Counsel and Company Secretary in June 2020 and is responsible for the global Legal, Governance and Compliance function.

Kevin has extensive experience in corporate law and governance across his career having trained as a capital markets and M&A lawyer at leading firms in Canada before moving abroad to join Ashurst LLP in Dubai. More recently, Kevin has held senior legal and governance roles with a particular focus on emerging markets including acting as general counsel at Vivo Energy plc and as associate general counsel and company secretary at Tullow Oil plc. Kevin has significant international experience having lived and worked in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

Steve joined PZ in 2010 as Managing Director for Global Procurement, progressing to Global Supply Chain Director for our Beauty and Personal Care Divisions before joining the Executive Leadership Team as Chief Supply Chain Officer in 2021. He is responsible for setting and executing the Group supply chain vision and strategy to ensure that the supply chain is flexible and responsive to the business needs whilst being cost efficient.

He brings a wealth of experience spanning commercial, supply chain, marketing and procurement in FMCG and retail businesses including senior leadership roles at L’Oréal and The Body Shop, Bacardi and Somerfield supermarkets.

Alastair (Al) Smith is Managing Director of our ANZ business.

Al joined PZ Cussons in 2007 as a Business Development Manager following retail roles in the UK including Northern Foods, and his career has progressed through senior management commercial roles in both our UK and ANZ business units, most recently as Sales Director for ANZ.

He is an experienced leader with a solid understanding of retail dynamics for PZ Cussons in ANZ and what it takes to deliver profitable growth in competitive categories.

Rob is Managing Director of our UK business, with responsibility for leading our UK business and its continued evolution in line with our group strategy.

Rob is an experienced Managing Director with a passion for brand-building and motivating teams to drive performance. He joined PZ Cussons Australia in May 2001 as an Account Manager for the pharmacy business and quickly progressed through various roles within the organisation in key Asia Pacific markets before accepting the role of Managing Director for our ANZ business, leading a significant turnaround for the local business on behalf of the Group. He accepted the role of Managing Director of the UK in June 2022.

Appointed:

2020

Skills & experience:

Jonathan is an experienced FMCG executive, having worked for a number of well-known global branded consumers goods businesses across a range of categories including beauty, personal care, home care and food. Prior to joining PZ Cussons on 1 May 2020, he was chief operating officer at Avon Products Inc, an international beauty company where he had overall responsibility for supply chain, marketing, digital, research & development and IT functions and was a core member of the executive team delivering a successful turnaround of the business.

He spent the first 21 years of his career at Procter & Gamble, where he worked across a wide range of categories and had extensive experience in developed and developing markets across Europe, Asia, South America and beyond. At Procter & Gamble he progressed to general manager, oral care and feminine care for the Greater China Region, before moving to the Kellogg Company, the worldwide cereal and snacks group, where he held a number of senior leadership positions, serving as managing director, UK and Ireland from 2012 and then also vice president, European markets, from 2014.

Independent:

No

Committee Member:

Member of ESG Committee

Appointed:

2021

Skills & experience:

Sarah joined PZ Cussons from Nomad Foods, Europe’s leading frozen food company, where she most recently served as deputy chief financial officer. Prior to that, she was CFO for their Birds Eye business. Sarah is a chartered management accountant, having qualified with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and subsequently working in investment banking, specifically in mergers & acquisitions at Deutsche Bank. Prior to Nomad Foods, Sarah held a number of senior finance positions at Diageo, Tesco and Unilever. She has worked in commercial, operational and corporate finance roles including investor relations and so brings with her a deep understanding of creating shareholder value in the consumer goods sector.

Independent:

No

Committee Member:

Member of the Audit & Risk Committee
Member of the Nomination Committee
Member of ESG Committee

Appointed:

2016

Skills & experience:

John has significant experience of global consumer goods for both developed and emerging markets. His early career in marketing and sales was spent at ICI, Unilever and Fosters Brewing Group, then incorporate development and general management. He was a plc board member at Scottish & Newcastle plc, and regional president Americas and executive committee member at Heineken NV. He has also held the positions of chairman at Baltika OAO, deputy chairman at CCU SA, director at United Breweries Ltd India, non-executive director at North American Breweries, and member of the advisory board at Edinburgh University Business School.

Independent:

Yes

Other appointments:

• Non Executive Chairman of A G Barr Plc
• Non Executive Director of Stocks Spirits Group Plc

Committee Member:

Chair of the Remuneration Committee
Member of the Nomination Committee
Member of ESG Committee

Appointed:

2019

Skills & experience:

Kirsty is chief business officer at Diaverum AB. Prior to this, she ran her own consultancy business QuayFive for four years, advising CEOs on change, organisational culture and leadership, having previously held a number of senior executive positions during a 24-year career at BP. These included leading the strategic coordination of BP’s global B2B businesses and as group head of organisational effectiveness. Kirsty is an experienced remuneration committee chair and has assumed this role on the Board from 1 July 2020.

Independent:

Yes

Other appointments:

• Non Executive Director of Serco Group plc

Committee Member:

Member of the Audit & Risk Committee
Member of the Nomination Committee
Member of ESG Committee
Director with responsibility for representing the employee voice and employee engagement

Appointed:

2018

Skills & experience:

Dariusz Kucz joined the PZ Cussons Board as a Non-Executive Director on 1 May 2018. Until recently, he was chief top-line officer of Haribo, the international confectionery company, leading its global commercial operations. He has previously held senior leadership roles at Danone, where he led the baby food business in the Asia Pacific, and Wrigley, where he was regional VP, Central and Eastern Europe.

Independent:

Yes

Other appointments:

None

Committee Member:

Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee
Member of ESG Committee
Member of the Remuneration Committee

Appointed:

2020

Skills & experience:

Jeremy served as chief financial officer of Rentokil Initial plc until August 2020. An experienced FTSE 100 finance director, he was previously group finance director of Mitchells & Butlers and held senior finance positions at Sainsbury’s after starting his career with Ernst & Young. He is also a former Accounting Council member of the Financial Reporting Council. He currently serves as a non-executive director of NHS England and chairs its audit and risk committee.

Independent:

Yes

Paul joined PZ Cussons as Interim Managing Director of our Beauty business in 2021, successfully leading the team during a busy transition period, and remaining on the Executive Leadership Team to accept the role of Managing Director, Business Development in January 2022.

Paul brings a blend of over 25 years’ experience in consumer marketing, sales and general management.

He started his career at Procter and Gamble, quickly progressing through various senior management roles to Managing Director for Cosmetics International Operations and driving household penetration for brands including Max Factor and Olay.

Paul has also worked in premium fashion jewellery where he was Executive Vice President for Swarovski AG leading the Jewellery Watches and Accessories business as well as recently leading the repositioning of their luxury brand, Atelier Swarovski.