Key takeaways
- Imperial Brands has appointed John Rishton as a non-executive director and chair-designate. He will join the board on July 13 and is due to become chair on Dec. 1.
- Current chair Thérèse Esperdy will step down on Dec. 1 and retire from the board.
- Rishton is chair of Informa and a non-executive director at Diageo. He previously served as chair of Serco Group and as CEO of Rolls-Royce.
- The succession was approved by the board and led by the People, Governance and Sustainability (PGS) Committee. The company said there are no other matters requiring disclosure under UK Listing Rules (UKLR) 6.4.8.
2Firsts, Jan. 21, 2026
According to a statement published on Imperial Brands’ website, the company said on Jan. 20 that it has appointed John Rishton as a non-executive director and chair-designate. Rishton will join the board on July 13, 2026 and is expected to succeed Thérèse Esperdy as chair on Dec. 1, 2026. Esperdy will retire from the board at that time.
The statement said Rishton is currently chair of Informa and a non-executive director at Diageo. He previously served as chair of Serco Group (2021–2025) and has also held non-executive director roles at companies including Unilever and Allied Domecq.
His executive experience includes serving as chief executive officer of Rolls-Royce Group from 2011 to 2015, having joined the company as a non-executive director in 2007. He has also served as chief financial officer at Royal Ahold N.V. and British Airways, among other roles.
Imperial Brands said the appointment was approved by the board and that the succession process was led by its People, Governance and Sustainability (PGS) Committee, chaired by the company’s senior independent director, Sue Clark, with all non-executive directors involved. The company added that there are no other matters requiring disclosure under UK Listing Rules (UKLR) 6.4.8.
Cover photo source: Imperial Brands
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