Management Board

The role of the Management Board

The Management Board, chaired by the Chief Executive, comprises the Executive Directors of British American Tobacco p.l.c. together with the executives shown on these pages. The Management Board has delegated responsibility for overseeing the implementation by the Group’s operating subsidiaries of the policies and strategy set by the Board of Directors and for creating the conditions for their successful day-to-day operation.

 

Jack Bowles

 

Position Director, Western Europe

Nationality French

Age 47

Jack joined the Management Board as Director, Western Europe in October 2009. He joined the Group in 2004 and became President of British American Tobacco France in 2005. Jack became Managing Director of the Company’s publicly listed subsidiary, British American Tobacco Malaysia, in 2007.

Mark Cobben

 

Position Director, Americas

Nationality Dutch

Age 54

Mark was appointed Director, Americas in January 2009, having joined the Management Board as Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean in October 2007. After a career at Unilever and Colgate he came to the Group in 1993 and has held a number of senior management positions including General Manager in Switzerland, Argentina, Russia and Germany.

David Fell

 

Position Director, Asia-Pacific

Nationality British

Age 50

David became Director, Asia-Pacific in September 2010, moving from the same role in Eastern Europe he had held since April 2008. He joined British American Tobacco in 1989 and has held a variety of marketing positions in Europe and South East Asia. He was then appointed President of British American Tobacco Japan in 2000 before being made Area Director, British American Tobacco Australasia and Managing Director, British American Tobacco Australia in October 2004.

Andrew Gray

 

Position Director, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa

Nationality Brazilian/British

Age 46

Andrew was appointed Director, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa on 1 January 2011 having joined the Management Board as Director, Africa and Middle East in January 2008. He joined British American Tobacco 24 years ago and has held a variety of senior marketing and general management roles in South America (including President of Souza Cruz) and also in Central America, the Caribbean and Malaysia.

Rudi Kindts

 

Position Group Human Resources Director

Nationality Belgian

Age 53

Rudi joined British American Tobacco in 1988. He has held a number of senior human resources roles across the Group (including Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central and South Asia). He has been Group Human Resources Director since July 2004. Rudi will be leaving the Group on 28 February 2011.

Jean-Marc Lévy

 

Position Group Marketing Director

Nationality Swiss

Age 48

Jean-Marc was appointed Group Marketing Director in January 2010 after joining the Management Board as Director, Western Europe in April 2008. Jean-Marc began his career with the Kraft-Jacobs-Suchard Group and joined British American Tobacco in 1994 as Marketing Director in Switzerland. He went on to hold a variety of marketing and general management roles in Europe and South East Asia.

Des Naughton

 

Position Group Operations Director Designate

Nationality British

Age 44

Des was appointed Group Operations Director Designate on 1 January 2011 having joined the Management Board as Director, Eastern Europe in September 2010. He was previously Regional Head of Marketing, Africa and Middle East. Since joining the Group in 1995, he has held a number of general management and marketing roles across the world including Global Brand Director for Dunhill and General Manager, South Korea.

Michael Prideaux

 

Position Group Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Director

Nationality British

Age 60

Michael was appointed Group Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Director in 1998 following the demerger of B.A.T Industries. He had previously joined B.A.T Industries in 1989 from Charles Barker, a leading financial and corporate public relations, advertising and design agency, where he was Chief Executive.

Peter Taylor

 

Position Group Operations Director

Nationality British

Age 58

Peter joined British American Tobacco in 1980 and worked in a variety of operational and general management roles across the Group. He was appointed Group Operations Director in 2003. Peter will retire from British American Tobacco at the end of May 2011.

Neil Withington

 

Position Group Legal and Security Director and General Counsel

Nationality British

Age 54

Neil was appointed Group Legal and Security Director and General Counsel of British American Tobacco in 2000, having previously been the Group’s Deputy General Counsel. He joined the Group in 1993 after a career at the Bar and in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries with ICI. He has been a Director of Reynolds American Inc. since 2004.