Board of directors

John Poulter
Chairman

John Poulter joined Spectris in 1988 and was Chief Executive from 1992 until he became non-executive Chairman in 2001. His earlier career was with BTR plc and Cambridge Instruments. He has been a non-executive director of a number of public companies including RAC plc and Kidde plc. He is currently a non-executive director of Smaller Companies Value Trust plc and several private companies. Age 63.

Chairman of the nomination committee.

John O'Higgins
Chief Executive

John joined Spectris in January 2006. His previous career was with Honeywell Inc, where he was latterly President of Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions, based in Shanghai. Prior to this he was based in Brussels in a series of senior roles in the automation and industrial divisions of the company. Before joining Honeywell, he was with Daimler Benz. John has an engineering degree from University College Dublin, a master's degree in control engineering from Purdue in Indiana and an MBA from INSEAD. Age 42.

Steve Hare
Group finance director

Steve Hare, a Bachelor of Commerce and chartered accountant, joined Spectris in 2004. Previously a co-founder of consultancy hba partners, he was before that chief financial officer and a board member of Marconi PLC, where he was instrumental in achieving agreement for the successful financial restructuring package. Prior to joining Marconi, Steve was group finance director at GPT Limited, a joint venture between GEC and Siemens. Age 44.

Stephen Harris
Business group director

Stephen Harris joined Spectris in 2003. He is responsible for the operational supervision of a number of the group's trading companies. Prior to joining Spectris he was executive director at Powell Duffryn responsible for a number of subsidiaries and, before that, held several positions within APV in North America. He has a degree in engineering from Cambridge and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Age 47.

Jim Webster
Business group director

Jim Webster, a metallurgy graduate, joined Spectris in 1993. He is responsible for the operational supervision of a number of the group's trading companies. He was previously general manager of the European Wire and Cable Division of Raychem Corporation. He is a non-executive director of Raymarine plc. Age 55.

Roger Stephens
Head of commercial and company secretary

Roger Stephens is an economics graduate and chartered company secretary. Prior to joining Spectris in 1997, he worked in engineering project management, specialising in commercial negotiations and claims resolution, and then as director of administration in a commercial law firm. Age 45.

Andrew Given
Non-executive director

Andrew Given was appointed to the Board in 2001. From 1990 to 2002 he was with Logica plc, initially as group finance director and latterly as deputy chief executive. Prior to that he held senior financial positions with Plessey Company plc and with Northern Telecom Limited, mainly in North America. He is a non-executive director of VT Group plc and Spirent plc. Age 58.

Chairman of the audit committee and senior independent director.

Martin Lamb
Non-executive director

Martin Lamb was appointed to the Board in 1999. An engineer, he has considerable business and technical experience both in the UK and North America. Much of his career has been spent with IMI plc, where he is Chief Executive. Age 46.

Professor Leo Murray
Non-executive director

Professor Murray was appointed to the Board in 2003. He is a graduate of Glasgow University and was for 17 years Director of the Cranfield School of Management. Before joining Cranfield, he had a successful international business career including management positions with BP, Courtaulds, AT Kearney Management Consultants and Rothmans International. He is a director of East of England International Limited and the Macintyre Charitable Trust and a board member of and consultant to a number of organisations. Age 62.

Anthony Reading MBE
Non-executive director

Anthony Reading was appointed to the Board in 2004. He was a director of Tomkins plc and Chairman of Tomkins Corporation, USA, for 11 years until he retired at the end of 2003. Prior to that he held senior positions with a number of international companies including group chief executive of the manufacturing and engineering division of BTR plc. He is a non-executive director of The Laird Group PLC, George Wimpey Plc and e2v technologies plc. Age 62.

Chairman of the remuneration committee.

John Warren
Non-executive director

John Warren was appointed to the Board in March 2006. From 2000 to 2005 he was group finance director at WH Smith PLC. Prior to that he was with United Biscuits plc for 19 years, latterly as group finance director. He has been a non-executive director of Rexam plc and RAC plc and is currently a non-executive director of The Rank Group Plc, Arla Foods UK plc, Bovis Homes Group Plc and will be appointed a non-executive director of BPP Holdings plc from May 2006. Age 52.