Our leadership team

TENURE

Appointed to the Board in July 2016 and became Senior Independent Director in May 2019 before being appointed Chair in January 2020.

NATIONALITY 

American

BIOGRAPHY

Thérèse has significant international investment banking experience having held a number of roles at JP Morgan including global chair of JP Morgan’s Financial Institutions Group, co-head of Asia-Pacific Corporate & Investment Banking, global head of Debt Capital Markets, and head of US Debt Capital Markets. She began her career at Lehman Brothers and joined Chase Securities in 1997 prior to the firm’s merger with JP Morgan in 2000. Thérèse was previously senior independent director of National Grid plc.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Thérèse possesses deep experience of business, regulation and governance from her distinguished history of leadership within the banking sector and as a non-executive director across regulated sectors. She uses these skills to effectively engage, challenge and collaborate with the Board and senior management, enabling effective oversight of Imperial’s strategy and performance.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

Non-executive director of Moody’s Corporation, where she chairs the compensation & human resources committee.

TENURE

Appointed CFO in May 2021 and CEO on 1 October 2025.

NATIONALITY

Swiss

BIOGRAPHY

Lukas has a proven track record in multinational consumer goods companies around the world. He joined Imperial as Chief Financial Officer in 2021 from agricultural commodities and brokerage group ED&F Man Holdings, where he was chief financial officer. He has also held senior positions at Fonterra, a New Zealand and Australian listed co-operative and the world’s largest dairy exporter, with sales in 130 countries, including chief financial officer from 2013-2017 and chief operating officer, Global Consumer and Foodservice Business from 2017-2018. Prior to that, he spent 22 years with Nestlé in various senior finance and general management roles.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Lukas has enjoyed a successful career across a range of commercial and financial roles in consumer-focused, international companies. These roles have given him a deep knowledge of technology and its opportunities to enable change. Lukas’s extensive business expertise, focus on performance and proven delivery of strategic and commercial transformation programmes makes him ideally suited to lead the Company in delivery of its strategy.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

None.

TENURE

Appointed 1 October 2025.

NATIONALITY

British

BIOGRAPHY

Murray joined Imperial Brands in 2020 as Chief Strategy & Development Officer, a role he retains following his appointment as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to Imperial, he worked in strategic, financial and operational leadership roles for high-profile consumer businesses, including Costa Coffee, Yum! Brands and Cadbury, having begun his career in the consumer and retail practice of McKinsey & Company.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

As Chief Strategy & Development Officer, Murray led the development of Imperial’s strategy, including the refreshed 2030 plan unveiled in March 2025. His strong leadership background from strategic, financial and operational roles in consumer businesses makes him well placed to drive Imperial’s focus on delivery and execution as CFO.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

Member of ‘The 100 Group’ of FTSE 100 finance directors.

TENURE

Appointed July 2020; will retire from the Board on 31 December 2025.

NATIONALITY

German

BIOGRAPHY

Stefan was CEO of Imperial from 2020 to 30 September 2025, and will stay on the Board as an Executive Director until 31 December 2025.

He joined Imperial as CEO in 2020 from Inchcape plc, where he delivered successful transformational change during a five-year tenure as chief executive.

Prior to Inchcape, Stefan was president of Bacardi Limited’s European region. Previous roles have included chief commercial officer of Cadbury plc and chief operating officer of Unilever Food Solutions Europe. This followed senior positions at Diageo (Burger King) and Procter & Gamble.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Stefan has brought experience managing strategic change and brand leadership from retail and consumer companies. His deep and wide-ranging career in FMCG and challenger businesses has given insight and direction to Imperial’s performance and formation of the new strategy launched in March 2025.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

Non-executive director of Compass Group plc (due to retire in January 2026), Flutter Entertainment plc and The Magnum Ice Cream Company (Netherlands).

TENURE

Appointed Non-Executive Director in December 2018, Chair of the Remuneration Committee in February 2019 and Senior Independent Director in January 2020.

NATIONALITY

British

BIOGRAPHY

Sue has strong international business credentials with over 20 years’ executive committee and board-level experience in the FMCG, regulated transport and utility sectors. Sue was managing director of SABMiller Europe and an executive committee member of SABMiller plc, with P&L responsibility for a $7bn business. Sue was previously a non-executive director at Akzo Nobel NV and Bakkavor plc (where she was a remuneration committee member) and Britvic plc (where she chaired the remuneration committee).

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Sue brings wide-ranging corporate governance and commercial experience across a number of industries, notably those with a consumer focus. Her expertise in corporate transactions, IR, regulation and FMCG businesses has been invaluable to the Board and her extensive non-executive career has enabled her to share deep insight in her roles as Senior Independent Director and Remuneration Committee Chair.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

Non-executive director, senior independent director and remuneration committee chair of both Mondi plc and easyJet plc.

TENURE

Appointed November 2021.

NATIONALITY

Nigerian

BIOGRAPHY

Ngozi has over 35 years’ experience in finance/private equity, general management and strategy/business development functions with multinational companies in Europe, the US and Africa. She has held roles in McKinsey & Company, Pfizer Inc., Actis LLP and JP Morgan. Previous nonexecutive director positions include Guinness Nigeria PLC, PZ Cussons PLC, Barloworld Limited, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC and Vlisco Group.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Ngozi brings a wealth of FMCG and regulated industry experience from a career in management consulting, banking/finance and the pharmaceutical industry. Her reflections on consumer sectors, the challenges of regulated businesses and interplay with corporate/ public affairs and emerging markets has been insightful during the Board’s consideration of strategy, sustainability and transformation topics.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

Non-executive director of Bank of Africa/ BMCE Group, Unilever Nigeria PLC, and Ikeja Hotels PLC. Additionally, she is a private equity adviser to Verod Capital.

TENURE

Appointed in January 2024.

NATIONALITY

American

BIOGRAPHY

Julie, who was Chief Commercial and Global Sales Officer at Diageo until August 2023, has over 30 years’ experience in marketing, strategy and digital transformation. Prior to Diageo, Julie spent 25 years at The Coca-Cola Company where she held a range of leadership positions, including Chief Customer and Commercial Leadership Officer.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Julie brings broad knowledge of marketing and brands following a career in customer-focused, multinational corporates. Her deep experience of digital transformation has benefited the Board in its discussions on strategy and organisational change.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

Non-executive director of Ontex Group NV, where she is a member of the remuneration and nomination committees.

TENURE

Appointed in January 2021.

NATIONALITY

British and Italian

BIOGRAPHY

Alan had a 30+ year financial career in Unilever, including chief audit executive and chief financial officer of the Global Foods Division. He was CFO and then non-executive director of Jerónimo Martins SGPS, S.A. until 2016, and remains the independent chairman of the company’s internal control committee.

He was non-executive director at DFID, president and chair of the board of the International Federation of Accountants and Board member and audit committee chair of the International Valuation Standards Council. Alan was a non-executive director at DS Smith plc until its acquisition by International Paper.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Alan has wide-ranging insight into investor relations, audit and strategy in both executive and non-executive capacities, following a lengthy career in global FMCG. His deep understanding of finance and performance gives a valuable perspective to the Board as Imperial implements its new strategy.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

Non-executive director and audit committee chair of William Grant & Sons Ltd, chair of both the Stakeholder Advisory Council to the Audit & Ethics Standards Setting Boards and the Good Governance Academy.

TENURE

Appointed November 2020.

NATIONALITY

Austrian

BIOGRAPHY

Bob is an experienced marketing professional and has held a number of senior roles at leading FMCG companies. In April 2024 he retired after 17 years as chief executive officer of Campari Group, a major player in the global spirits industry.

Bob previously held positions of increasing responsibility and global reach at Procter & Gamble, including global prestige products corporate marketing director.

He was previously a fellow at the Elis Institute in Rome and vice chairman of Altagamma, the Italian luxury goods association.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Bob brings exceptional knowledge of brand management and customerfocused FMCG businesses following a distinguished career in global companies. As former CEO of the Campari Group, his experience in leadership, consumer brands and creating long-term value for stakeholders is invaluable for Board discussions on strategy and performance.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

Non-executive director and member of the audit and remuneration committees of the supervisory board of Carlsberg A/S, non-executive director of Campari Group and Luigi Lavazza S.p.A (where he is respective chair and member of the remuneration committee).

TENURE

Appointed May 2019.

NATIONALITY

British

BIOGRAPHY

Jon has a wide range of international leadership experience, encompassing transformation, M&A and all aspects of finance, principally in the B2B sector.

In 2016 he was appointed chief executive of The Weir Group plc, one of the world’s leading engineering businesses, having previously been CFO from 2010. Prior to that he spent 22 years at Ernst & Young, LLP, the last nine years of which were as a partner in its London office, where he led global board-level relationships. Jon is a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Jon has wide ranging business, financial and board experience from a lengthy, distinguished career in multinational companies and accountancy. His executive role as CEO of a global FTSE 100 business gives invaluable perspective to the Board’s consideration of strategy, performance and stakeholder issues.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS

Chief Executive of The Weir Group plc.

TENURE

Appointed May 2023.

NATIONALITY

British

BIOGRAPHY

Emily, a chartered accountant and Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute, has enjoyed a 25-year career in finance, regulatory affairs, compliance, governance and company secretarial matters, with significant experience in the oil and gas and sports betting and gaming industries.

Prior to joining Imperial, Emily held a number of roles of increasing seniority including 14 years at BP plc and three years at Entain plc where she was Group Company Secretary.