Our leadership
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Paul KeelChief Executive OfficerBiographyAppointed: 25 May 2021
Skills and experience: Paul has a strong track record of energising stakeholders and delivering results in diversified, innovation-led businesses. His strategic leadership and international experience position him well to accelerate Smiths Group’s growth and deliver on its significant potential. He is a graduate of Carleton College and Harvard Business School.
Career experience: Prior to joining Smiths in 2021, Paul worked at 3M Company where he led a number of global businesses ranging in size from US$400 million to US$5 billion. He was also SVP of several enterprise-wide functions including Manufacturing & Supply Chain, Marketing & Sales, and Strategy & Business Development. Paul’s other experience includes roles of increasing responsibility at General Mills, McKinsey & Company and General Electric.
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Clare ScherrerChief Financial OfficerBiographyAppointed: 29 April 2022
Skills and experience: Clare has extensive experience working with and advising a broad range of industrial companies around the globe. She has particularly relevant experience in the sectors in which Smiths has strong positions, including energy, safety & security and aerospace. She holds a BA from Harvard University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Career experience: Clare joined Smiths from Goldman Sachs where she spent more than 25 years, and was a Partner for more than a decade, and most recently Co-Head of the Global Industrials business. Prior to joining Smiths, Clare had been a close adviser to the Group for a number of years, including having advised on the sale of Smiths Medical as well as having contributed to the development of the strategy announced at the November 2021 Capital Markets event. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Clare was a consultant at McKinsey & Company.
Other significant appointments- Independent Non-executive Director and Member of the Audit Committee of Legrand SA. -
Roland CarterPresident, Smiths DetectionBiographyRoland joined Smiths in 1991 and was appointed to President of Smiths Detection in March 2018. He has held numerous roles within the business including Managing Director for Smiths Connectors, President of Smiths Interconnect and President of Smiths Asia Pacific. -
Bernard CicutPresident, John CraneBiographyBernard Cicut joined Smiths as President of John Crane in April 2022. Bernard joined from 3M where, over the course of over 30 years, he held a number of senior leadership roles across multiple industrial technology businesses, covering Europe, Middle East, Asia and the Americas. Bernard has deep global experience in operations, new product development, and lean six sigma, all of which are central to John Crane’s focus on sustainability and energy transition.
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James DownGeneral CounselBiographyAppointed: 1 June 2023
James Down joined Smiths Group in December 2016 as Head of M&A Legal. He was appointed General Counsel, Corporate in 2018 and subsequently appointed General Counsel for Smiths Detection, a division of Smiths Group, in 2021. Prior to joining Smiths, James served as senior counsel at the global FMCG company and FTSE10 constituent, SABMiller and before that was a corporate & commercial associate at international law firm, Hogan Lovells.
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Julian FaggePresident, Smiths InterconnectBiographyJulian joined Smiths in July 2013 and was appointed to Group Strategy and M&A Director in October 2017. Appointed CEO of Flex-Tek in 2019. He was previously Group Financial Controller. Prior to this, he spent two years at Royal Caribbean Cruises as Finance Director for UK Ireland and prior to that, he worked for 12 years at Procter & Gamble, based predominantly in Geneva, Switzerland.
Other significant appointments- Independent Non-executive Director of the Board of NASCIT plc -
Diana HoughtonGroup Head of StrategyBiographyDiana Houghton joined Smiths in 2014 and has played a key role in developing the Group’s growth strategy. She was appointed the Group Head of Strategy in 2019 and joined the Executive Committee in April 2022. Diana’s previous roles at Smiths included VP, Strategy & Marketing for Smiths Detection. Prior to Smiths, Diana held Executive Committee strategy and M&A roles at Allied Domecq plc and the Bass Leisure Group (part of Bass plc). She has also held a number of non-executive and board advisory roles.
Other significant appointments- Independent Non-executive Director and Member of the Audit, Remuneration, and Nomination Committees of Marshalls plc -
Vera KirikovaChief People OfficerBiographyVera Kirikova joined Smiths as Chief People Officer in April 2022. Prior to joining Vera was most recently the Chief People Officer for Rio Tinto from 2016-2021. Prior to Rio Tinto, Vera spent 22 years at Schlumberger where she held a number of global leadership roles in HR and Operations. Vera has deep experience leading talent development and cultural transformation in large global businesses. Vera is a strong advocate for inclusion and respect. Her passion is to help people and teams to realise their full potential and enable the business to thrive.
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Pat McCaffreyPresident, Flex-TekBiographyPat joined Smiths in October 1996 and was appointed President of Flex-Tek in 2019, joining the ExCo in September 2021. He was previously President of Heat Solutions Group, General Manager/COO of Flexible Technologies, and a member of the Smiths Group EH&S Steering Committee. Prior to joining Smiths, Pat was Division Total Production Maintenance (TPM) Director for Milliken and Company. He holds a BS in Industrial/Operations Management from Auburn University. -
John D. OstergrenChief Sustainability OfficerBiographyJohn D. Ostergren joined Smiths in January 2022 as Chief Sustainability Officer. He assumed the additional responsibility of overseeing the Group’s Global HSE and Government Affairs team in January 2023. John is an environmental scientist and lawyer with more than 20 years of experience delivering value through Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE) performance and sustainability leadership. Prior to joining Smiths, John served as Global Director for EHS and Associate General Counsel for Supply Chain at 3M Company, and Senior Legal Director at Zymergen, a bio-manufacturing startup. -
Tony TielenGroup SES DirectorBiographyTony joined Smiths in 2015 and was appointed Group SES Director for Smiths Group in October 2021. Tony's previous roles at Smiths included VP, Strategy & Marketing and VP, EMEA, both for Smiths Detection. Prior to Smiths, Tony worked at Honeywell, ABB and Landis + Gyr.
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Ted WanPresident, Smiths ChinaBiographyTed Wan joined Smiths as President of Greater China in 2015. Ted also serves as Vice Chairman and Executive Committee member for The British Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai. Prior to joining Smiths he held several senior General Manager roles at Stanley Black and Decker, Danaher and J.D Power, with responsibility for growing their China business. Ted has extensive experience and a strong track record in growing business in China in the Industrial and Automotive markets.
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Steve WilliamsChairmanBiographyAppointed: 1 September 2023.
Skills and experience: Steve is an experienced CEO with a track record of growth and transformation. He has more than 40 years of international global business experience. Steve brings a clear focus on environment, social and governance (ESG) matters and throughout his career has demonstrated creating value for customers, shareholders, employees, and communities as both an executive and a non-executive director. Steve has a BSc in Engineering.
Career experience: Steve was previously a non-executive director at TC Energy Corporation. Steve served as an advisory board member of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission and a board member of the Business Council of Canada until 2019. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Suncor Energy from 2012 to 2019 and as President from 2011 to 2018. Prior to that, he held various senior leadership roles at Suncor and ExxonMobil in the UK, where he spent 18 years.
Other significant appointments- Chair of Alcoa Corporation
- Non-executive Director of Enbridge IncCommittee Chair -
Paul KeelChief Executive OfficerBiography
Appointed: 25 May 2021
Skills and experience: Paul has a strong track record of energising stakeholders and delivering results in diversified, innovation-led businesses. His strategic leadership and international experience position him well to accelerate Smiths Group’s growth and deliver on its significant potential. He is a graduate of Carleton College and Harvard Business School.
Career experience: Prior to joining Smiths in 2021, Paul worked at 3M Company where he led a number of global businesses ranging in size from US$400 million to US$5 billion. He was also SVP of several enterprise-wide functions including Manufacturing & Supply Chain, Marketing & Sales, and Strategy & Business Development. Paul’s other experience includes roles of increasing responsibility at General Mills, McKinsey & Company and General Electric.
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Clare ScherrerChief Financial OfficerBiography
Appointed: 29 April 2022
Skills and experience: Clare has extensive experience working with and advising a broad range of industrial companies around the globe. She has particularly relevant experience in the sectors in which Smiths has strong positions, including energy, safety & security and aerospace. She holds a BA from Harvard University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Career experience: Clare joined Smiths from Goldman Sachs where she spent more than 25 years, and was a Partner for more than a decade, and most recently Co-Head of the Global Industrials business. Prior to joining Smiths, Clare had been a close adviser to the Group for a number of years, including having advised on the sale of Smiths Medical as well as having contributed to the development of the strategy announced at the November 2021 Capital Markets event. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Clare was a consultant at McKinsey & Company.
Other significant appointments- Independent Non-executive Director and Member of the Audit Committee of Legrand SA. -
Pam ChengNon-executive directorBiographyAppointed: 1 March 2020
Skills and experience: Pam’s experience in the areas of R&D, manufacturing, sales and marketing, commercial operations, supply chain management and technology gained within large global businesses in strategically important regions for Smiths, further strengthens the Board’s discussions on embedding world-class operations. Pam holds a BSc and a Master’s degree in chemical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey and an MBA in Marketing from Pace University, New York, USA.
Career experience: Pam is Executive Vice President, Global Operations, IT & Chief Sustainability Officer at AstraZeneca plc, a multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company. Pam assumed additional responsibly for the AstraZeneca sustainability strategy and function in January 2023. Prior to joining AstraZeneca in 2015, Pam was President of MSD (Merck & Co., Inc.) in China. Pam has also held various engineering and project management positions at Universal Oil Products, Union Carbide Corporation and GAF Chemicals.
Committee Membership -
Dame Ann DowlingNon-Executive DirectorBiographyAppointed: 19 September 2018
Skills and experience: Dame Ann’s contribution to engineering research is internationally recognised, and her knowledge and background offer a different perspective to Board discussions, particularly as they relate to engineering, innovation and sustainability. Dame Ann has a degree in Mathematics and a PhD in Engineering.
Career experience: Dame Ann has had a distinguished academic career and is currently a Deputy Vice Chancellor and an Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cambridge, where she served as Head of Engineering for five years until 2014. She served as the President and Chairman of Trustees of the Royal Academy of Engineering from 2014 to 2019 and as a Non-executive Director of BP plc from 2012 until May 2021, where she was a member of the Safety and Sustainability Committee.
Committee ChairCommittee Membership -
Karin HoeingNon-executive DirectorBiographyAppointed: 2 April 2020
Skills and experience: Karin brings current executive experience of oil & gas, defence, security, and aerospace to the Board gained from a range of roles at large multinational groups. Karin provides valuable assistance and advice in executive and non-executive succession planning as well as ESG and sustainability matters. Karin holds a Diploma Geophysics (MSc Geophysics) from the University of Hamburg, Germany.
Career experience: Karin is Group ESG, Culture and Business Transformation Director at BAE Systems plc. Prior to joining BAE she led one of the major international business divisions at Schlumberger, a multinational oil services company. Karin spent 20 years at Schlumberger, where she held a number of senior HR, marketing, technology and line management leadership positions across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Other significant appointments- Non-Executive Director at 25x25Committee ChairCommittee Membership -
Richard HowesNon-executive DirectorBiographyAppointed: 1 September 2022
Skills and experience: Richard’s background in senior financial positions at large listed companies in a variety of sectors brings valuable insight to the Board’s discussions. Richard holds a BSc in Geography from Loughborough University and is a Fellow of the ICAEW.
Career experience: Richard is Chief Financial Officer of Bunzl plc, the specialist international distribution and services Group. Richard qualified as a Charted Accountant with Ernst & Young before moving to the investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Benson. Prior to joining Bunzl in 2019, Richard held CFO positions at various multinational businesses including Inchcape plc, Coats Group plc and Bakkavor plc.
Committee ChairCommittee Membership -
Bill SeegerSenior Independent DirectorBiographyAppointed: 12 May 2014
Skills and experience: Bill has had a long and successful career in finance in the engineering sector, gaining an in-depth knowledge of global markets. Bill’s extensive experience in global engineering businesses supports the Board’s robust decision-making. Bill has a BA in economics and an MBA.
Career experience: Bill was appointed Chairman of the Remuneration & People Committee on 1 July 2018, and as Senior Independent Director at the 2018 AGM. Bill has been Chairman of the Finance Committee since it was formalised in November 2021. With effect from 1 February 2022 Bill was appointed to the Board of ICU Medical, Inc. in accordance with the terms of the shareholder agreement entered into with the sale of Smiths Medical. He is also a member of ICU’s Audit and Compliance Committee. Bill was Group Finance Director at GKN plc, a global engineering group, until his retirement in 2014. At GKN he also held the roles of CEO of the Propulsion Systems Division and CFO of the Aerospace Division. Prior to that, Bill spent 30 years at TRW, a US-based automotive and aerospace group, where he held various senior finance positions.
Other significant appointments- Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee at Spectris plc
- Lecturer at UCLA Anderson School of ManagementCommittee Membership -
Mark SeligmanNon-executive directorBiographyAppointed: 16 May 2016
Skills and experience: Mark’s extensive experience in corporate finance and capital markets supports Board discussion of the Group’s portfolio management and strategy. Mark brings non-executive experience to the Board, having served as senior independent director and audit committee chairman at several FTSE 100 companies. Mark has an MA in philosophy, politics and economics.
Career experience: Mark is a former senior investment banker and during his executive career he held various roles at Credit Suisse, including Chairman of UK Investment Banking.
Other significant appointments- Senior Independent Director at NatWest Group plc
- Alternate member at Panel on Takeovers and Mergers for the Association for Financial Markets in EuropeCommittee ChairCommittee Membership -
Noel TataNon-executive DirectorBiographyAppointed: 1 January 2017
Skills and experience: Noel has had a successful career in global business. He has extensive experience of the high-growth economies which are key markets for our growth strategy and has been invaluable in developing key strategic relationships in Asia since joining the Board. Noel has a BA in Economics.
Career experience: Noel was the Managing Director of Tata International Limited (TIL), a global trading and distribution company and a trading arm of the Tata Group, a privately owned multinational holding company. Under the terms of the Tata Group governance guidelines, he retired from the position of Managing Director on 12 November 2021. He was thereafter reappointed as a Director and Non-Executive Chairman of TIL with effect from 15 November 2021.
Other significant appointmentsEach of the following companies forms part of the Tata Group:
- Non-independent Non-executive Chairman at Tata Investment Corporation, Trent Ltd and Voltas Ltd
- Non-independent Non-executive Vice Chairman at Tata Steel Limited and Titan Company LtdCommittee Membership -
Matthew WhyteCompany SecretaryBiographyAppointed: 1 August 2021
Skills and experience: Matthew is a Chartered Company Secretary and a Fellow of The Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland. Matthew joined Smiths in 2017 having previously gained governance and legal experience in senior roles in large multinational listed groups in a variety of sectors, most recently at Schroders plc and Rio Tinto plc.