Our Team
Brian Bickell, FCA
Chief Executive
Appointed to the Board: July 1987
Relevant experience and contribution
Brian was appointed Chief Executive in 2011, having joined Shaftesbury in 1986 and was appointed Finance Director in 1987. As Chief Executive, Brian is responsible for implementing strategy and the day-to-day operations of the Group. Brian is a chartered accountant.
Brian has a long tenure with Shaftesbury and extensive experience within the property sector. Brian has a proven record of driving strategy, delivering success and setting an open and transparent culture.
Current external appointments
Director of Longmartin Properties Limited, Board member of Westminster Property Association, and Board member of Freehold. A trustee of Young Westminster Foundation.
Simon Quayle, BSc, MRICS
Executive Director
Appointed to the Board: October 1997
Relevant experience and contribution
Simon joined Shaftesbury in 1987, and was appointed Property Director in 1997. Simon is a chartered surveyor and is responsible for the asset management and operational strategy in Carnaby, Soho and Fitzrovia.
Simon’s long tenure with the Group and knowledge of the West End property market means that he has valuable knowledge and insight to promote and contribute to our villages and the Group’s strategy.
Current external appointments
Member of the Strategy Board fo ZSL, and a member of Council for Sustainable Business.
Tom Welton, MRICS
Executive Director
Appointed to the Board: October 1997
Relevant experience and contribution
Tom joined the Group in 1989 and was appointed Property Director in 1997. Tom is a chartered surveyor and is responsible for the asset management and operational strategy in Covent Garden and Chinatown.
Tom’s commercial experience and knowledge market, contributes value to our villages and the Group’s strategy.
Current external appointments
Director of Longmartin Properties Limited.
Chris Ward, MA (OXON), ACA
Finance Director
Appointed to the Board: January 2012
Relevant experience and contribution
Chris joined the Group in 2012 as Finance Director, having previously spent nine years with Redevco as Finance Director of the UK and Nordic countries. Chris is a chartered accountant and is responsible for financial accounting, tax and IT matters.
Chris has financial and real estate experience, which contributes to Group strategy.
Non-executive Directors
Jonathan Nicholls BA (Hons), ACA, FCT
Non-executive Chairman and Chairman of the Nomination Committee
Appointed to the Board: September 2016
Relevant experience and contribution
Jonathan was finance director of Hanson plc between 1998 and 2006, and of Old Mutual plc between 2006 and 2008.
Jonathan has been non-executive director and chairman of the audit committee of Great Portland Estates plc (2009 to 2016), SIG Plc (2009 to 2017) and DS Smith plc (2009 to 2019), where he was also Senior Independent Director between 2013 and 2019.
Jonathan has over 20 years’ experience of public company boards and their operations. He also has over 21 years of experience in the property sector. and is a chartered accountant.
Current external appointments
Chairman of Ibstock plc.
Richard Akers FRICS
Non-executive director and Senior Independent Director
Appointed to the Board: November 2017
Relevant experience and contribution
Prior to joining the Board, Richard was a senior executive of Land Securities Group PLC from 1995 and joined the main board in 2005 as managing director of the Retail Portfolio.
Richard is a chartered surveyor and provides a broad range of real estate knowledge and experience at board level.
Richard was appointed Senior Independent Director and designated non-executive director
for employee engagement in February 2019.
Current external appointments
Non-executive director, senior independent director and chairman of the remuneration committee and safety, health and environmental committee of Barratt Developments PLC. Non-executive director of The Unite Group plc, and member of the advisory board of Battersea Power Station Development Company Limited.
Sally Walden
Non-executive director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee
Appointed to the Board: October 2012
Relevant experience and contribution
From 1984 to 2009, Sally held senior fund management roles in Fidelity International, and has broad experience within the financial markets and fund management. Sally has good experience in remuneration.
Current external appointments
Trustee of the Fidelity Foundation and director of the Pantry Partnership.
Dermot Mathias BSC, FCA
Non-executive director and Chairman of the Audit Committee
Appointed to the Board: October 2012
Relevant experience and contribution
Dermot was a partner in the corporate finance department of BDO LLP from 1980, and from chairman of the Policy Board of BDO International.
As a chartered accountant, Dermot provides recent and relevant fi nancial experience to the board and the audit committee. In addition, Dermot brings extensive experience in leadership and management.
Current external appointments
Non-executive director and chairman of the audit committee of JTC PLC, governor of Activate Learning.
Jennelle Tilling
Non-executive director
Appointed to the Board: January 2019
Relevant experience and contribution
Jennelle joined the Board in 2019, and has over 25 years’ experience of consumer marketing, digital and innovation within food retail brands. Jennelle held a variety of senior marketing roles over 17 years at Yum! Restaurants, and is the Founder and Chief Brand Strategist at Marketing with Insight.
Jennelle has a wide range of experience in consumer marketing, digital and innovation which complements the skills on the Board.
Current external appointments
Non-executive director of Camelot and non-executive director of Butchies. Fellow of The Marketing Society, member and past president of Women in Advertising and Communications London and a mentor to The Marketing Academy.
Jill Little
Non-executive director
Appointed to the Board: February 2010
Will retire from the Board in February 2020
Relevant experience and contribution
Jill worked with the John Lewis Partnership from 1975 to 2012. Jill has extensive experience in the retail sector, as well as strong communication and management skills.
Current external appointments
Chairman of the Commercial Group of the National Trust, non-executive director of Joules Group Plc, Nobia AB and Loungers PLC.
Property Team
Julia Wilkinson
Group Restaurant Strategy Executive
Joined June 1997
Group-wide restaurant and leisure strategy
Andrew Price
Portfolio Executive
Joined February 2001
Asset management – Chinatown and Soho ownerships
Group-wide acquisition strategy
Shelley Webb
Head of Group Residential and Kingly Court
Joined March 2003
Asset management - Kingly Court
Group-wide residential management and strategy
Samantha Bain-Mollison
Head of Retail
Joined December 2011
Group-wide retail strategy and leasing
Charles Owen
Portfolio Executive
Joined January 2012
Asset management – Covent Garden ownerships
Group-wide planning strategy
Jenna Slade
Portfolio Executive
Joined July 2019
Asset management – Carnaby ownership
Addy Williams
Retail Portfolio Manager
Joined June 2015
Senior Retail Portfolio Manager
Lydia Clarkson
Head of Public Realm
Joined April 2016
Group-wide public realm projects and stakeholder liaison
Jess Baker
Portfolio Manager
Joined June 2017
Asset management - Carnaby and Soho ownerships
Andy Hing
Portfolio Manager
Joined July 2017
Asset management - Chinatown and Soho ownership
Krystal Moore
Portfolio Manager
Joined May 2019
Asset management - Covent Garden ownerships
Carol Lathbridge
Property Administration
Joined January 2014
Group-wide support for executive team
Estate Management
Kieran Daly
Carnaby Estate Manager
Joined April 1998
Facilities management and tenant liaison across Carnaby
Vaughan Williams
Group Property and Facilities Manager
Joined September 2019
Marketing & Communications
Karen Baines
Head of Group Marketing and Communications
Joined May 2016
Group-wide strategic marketing, partnershps, PR and events and corporate communications
Emma Steele
Marketing and Events
Joined April 2013
Delivers the marketing, events and PR plan across Carnaby and Soho and group wide pop-ups.
Stephanie Edwards
Marketing manager
Joined March 2018
Delivers the marketing and PR plan for Chinatown London.
Georgina Palmer
Marketing Manager
Joined August 2018
Delivers the marketing and PR plan for our Covent Garden & Fitzrovia holdings.
Fiona Daly
Community Engagement
Joined April 2003
Liaison with local community groups and charity partners. Biodiversity initiatives.
Penny Thomas
Company Secretary
Joined October 2005
Rob Jessett
Head of Finance and Tax
Joined February 2011
Stefanie Doede
Group Financial Controller
Joined February 2016
Rhys Brewer
Accountant
Joined May 2017
Annabel Rowe
Finance Analyst
Joined December 2018
Henry Ellis
Financial Accountant
Joined January 2020
Jess Mundy
Assistant Company Secretary
Joined August 2019
Executive Assistants
Gill Smith
PA to the Chief Executive and Executive Director
Joined March 1987
PA to Brian Bickell and Tom Welton and property team executives
Investor relations co-ordination
Office administration
Beverley Groenewald
PA to Executive Director and Finance Director
Joined April 2013
PA to Simon Quayle, Chris Ward, property team executives and marketing
Lynne Wardle
PA to Company Secretary and property team executives
Joined May 2015
PA to Penny Thomas and property team executives
Gareth Field
Gareth John Field
Passed away 20th June 2018
Aged 54
Our dear colleague Gareth died suddenly on 20 June 2018. Our Financial Controller and IT manager, he joined the Group in October 1987, and was close to completing 31 years' service.
He is greatly missed by all his Shaftesbury colleagues as well as all those who were fortunate to meet him. He will be fondly remembered by all for his love of life, his personality, his warmth and humour, his gregarious nature, his loyalty and support, his openness and his commitment to Shaftesbury. His was the cornerstone of the Shaftesbury team and a great ambassador for the business and our culture; he embodied the best of us.
His love of sport and Wales was second only to that of his family; our thoughts are with his wife Nicki, his children Chris and Annabel, and his mother Carole. We share the pain of their loss.
As you were you will always be,
treasured forever in our memories of the times we shared.