Serco Group plc Board Directors
The Board comprises the Non-Executive Chairman, two Executive Directors and seven Non-Executive directors.
John Rishton Chairman
Appointed to the Board
September 2016 (Chair since April 2021)
Skills and experience
John Rishton has over 40 years’ business experience gained in a variety of companies, industries and roles, including nearly 14 years as a Chief Executive or Chief Financial Officer.
He has a BA in Economics from Nottingham University and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Previous roles
Chief Executive of Rolls Royce Group plc
Chief Executive and President of the Dutch international retailer, Royal Ahold NV (and prior to that, its Chief Financial Officer)
Chief Financial Officer of British Airways plc
Non-Executive Director of Associated British Ports, Allied Domecq and ICA Gruppen AB
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Unilever plc.
Current external commitments
- Chair of Informa plc
- Non-Executive Director of Majid al Futtaim Properties LLC
Committee membership
- Chair of the Nomination Committee
- Member of the Remuneration Committee
Anthony Kirby Group Chief Executive
Appointed to the Board
1 March 2025
Skills and experience
Anthony Kirby was appointed as Group Chief Executive in March 2025 after serving as Chief Executive Officer, Serco UK and Europe since January 2023.
Anthony has a wealth of experience from over 17 years at Compass Group plc; he was most latterly Group Workforce and Organisation Director, responsible for supporting over 40 countries. At Serco, he became responsible for Group Transformation, HSE and Corporate Shared Services.
Previous roles
Group Chief Operating Officer of Serco since 2020, following his initial appointment as Chief People Officer in 2017.
Leadership roles at Compass Group plc including Director of Group Labour Strategy, Group Workforce & Organisation Director and HR Director for Europe and Japan, as well as being responsible for shared services and operational HR Director roles.
Anthony is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development and holds Masters Degrees in both Strategic Human Resources and Employment Law & Industrial Relations.
Current external commitments
- Non-Executive Director and member of Audit and Risk, Nomination and Remuneration Committees of Hays plc.
Committee membership
- Member of the Corporate Responsibility Committee
Nigel Crossley Group Chief Financial Officer
Appointed to the Board
April 2021
Skills and experience
Nigel Crossley is an experienced Chief Financial Officer with over 30 years' experience in finance roles in international organisations. He has worked for Serco since 2014.
He has a BSc in Mathematics from Hull University.
Previous roles
Director of Finance and Transformation at EMI, Group Financial Controller of RHM plc and various finance roles at Procter & Gamble.
Current external commitments
None.
Committee membership
None.
Lynne Peacock Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board
July 2017
Skills and experience
Lynne Peacock has over 30 years’ senior management experience in a range of roles including brand development, mergers and acquisitions, change management and business transformation.
She has a BA (Hons) in Business Studies.
Previous roles
Deputy Chair of and member of the Remuneration and Nominations and Governance Committees of The Royal London Society Limited
Senior Independent Director and member of the Nomination, Remuneration and Risk Committees of TSB Bank plc
Non-Executive Chair of Standard Life Assurance Limited and Non-Executive Director and a member of the Nomination and Governance Committee and Audit Committee of Standard Life Aberdeen plc
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Scottish Water
Senior Independent Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit, Risk and Nomination Committees of Nationwide Building Society
Non-Executive Director and a member of the Audit and Risk, Nominations and Remuneration Committees of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc
Chief Executive of Woolwich plc and National Australia Bank Limited’s UK businesses
Current external commitments
- Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Environmental, Social, and Governance Committee and member of the Audit and Risk, Remuneration, and Nomination Committees of International Distributions Services plc (trading as Royal Mail)
- Chair of the Learning Disability Network London charity
Committee membership
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Nomination Committee
Kirsty Bashforth Independent Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board
September 2017
Skills and experience
Kirsty Bashforth is an experienced executive and board member within the construction, services, consumer goods, energy, education and health industries, with expertise in change management, safety and risk management, organisational culture and leadership.
She has an MA in Economics from the University of Cambridge and is the author of "Culture Shift - a practical guide to managing organizational culture".
Previous roles
Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Safety, Health and Environment Committee and a member of the Nomination, Remuneration, Risk Management and Audit Committees of Kier Group plc.
Chief Business Officer, Non-Executive Director and Chair of Remuneration Committee of Diaverum AB.
Group Head of Organisational Effectiveness at bp plc and other global roles.
Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Remuneration & People Committee and a member of the Audit & Risk and Reputation & Ethics Committees of GEMS Education.
Governor of Leeds Beckett University and Ashville College.
Chair of Northern Superchargers Limited
Current external commitments
- Chief People and Culture Officer of Delinian Trading Limited
- Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Nomination and Environmental and Social Impact Committees of PZ Cussons plc
- Director of QuayFive Limited
Committee membership
- Chair of the Corporate Responsibility Committee
- Member of the Risk Committee
- Member of the Nomination Committee
- Member of the Remuneration Committee
Kru Desai Independent Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board
October 2021
Skills and Experience
Kru Desai has over 30 years’ experience of working with the public and private sector in leading transformation of public services in the UK and internationally. She has held general management and board leadership roles in sales and operational delivery.
She has an MSc in Politics and Administration from Birkbeck College, University of London and an Executive MBA from the University of Bristol.
Previous Roles
Partner, KPMG LLP (UK)
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of KPMG LLP (UK)
Executive Director and Member of the Group Management Board of Mouchel Group plc
Executive Director and Member of the Management Board of Hedra plc
Managing Director of Atos (UK)
Independent Commissioner of the Geospatial Commission
Chair of the Zinc Network
Vice Chair of City St George's, University of London (formally City, University of London)
Current external commitments
- Independent Non-Executive Director of Buro Happold Limited
Committee Membership
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Corporate Responsibility Committee
- Member of the Nomination Committee
Ian El-Mokadem Independent Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board
July 2017
Skills and experience
Ian El-Mokadem is an experienced Chief Executive Officer with international experience in business transformation and acquisitions and disposals.
He has a BSc (Hons) in Economics and Statistics from University College London and an MBA from INSEAD.
Previous roles
Chief Executive Officer of RWS Holdings plc, V.Group and of Exova Group plc
Group Managing Director, UK & Ireland of Compass Group plc
Senior management positions with Centrica plc and the global management consultancy, Accenture.
Current external commitments
- Non-Executive Director and member of the Audit, Nomination and Remuneration Committees of Diploma PLC
- Director of Roegate Consulting Limited
- Non-Executive Director and member of the Audit, Compliance and Nomination Committees of United Utilities Group PLC
Committee Membership
- Chair of the Risk Committee
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Nomination Committee
Victoria Hull Independent Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board
September 2024
Skills and experience
Victoria has extensive senior executive experience across a broad range of business, legal, commercial and governance matters as well as strong international experience.
She is a Solicitor with a law degree from the University of Southampton.
Previous roles
Executive Director and General Counsel of Invensys plc and Telewest Communications plc. Senior Independent Director of Ultra Electronics plc.
Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee of Network International Holdings plc
Current external commitments
- Senior Independent Director, Chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee, and member of the Audit Committee of Hikma Pharmaceuticals plc
- Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee, and member of the Audit and Nomination Committees of IQE plc
- Non-Executive Director and member of the Nomination, Remuneration and Sustainability Committees of IMI plc
Committee membership
- Chair of the Remuneration Committee
- Member of the Nomination Committee
Tim Lodge Independent Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board
February 2021
Skills and experience
Tim Lodge is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and has a strong finance and accounting background with over 30 years’ experience in financial roles within international organisations, some eight of which were spent as Chief Financial Officer. He has considerable experience in leading significant strategic and operational transformation and driving commercial performance.
He has an MA in Classics from the University of Cambridge.
Previous roles
Chief Financial Officer at Tate & Lyle PLC and COFCO International
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Aryzta AG
Chair of the Management Committee of the Cordwainers Livery Company
Current external commitments
- Independent Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Audit Committee, and member of the Remuneration, Nominations, and Sustainability Committees of Howden Joinery Group Plc
- Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of SSP Group plc
- Senior Independent Director of Arco Limited
- Director of An African Canvas (UK) Limited
- Trustee of Gambia School Support
Committee Membership
- Chair of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Risk Committee
- Member of the Nomination Committee
- Member of the Remuneration Committee
Dame Sue Owen DCB Independent Non-Executive Director
Designated Non-Executive Director for Employee Voice
Appointed to the Board
August 2020
Skills and experience
Dame Sue Owen DCB has significant experience of government and economic policy, having held senior roles in several government departments.
She has an MA in Economics from Cambridge University and an MSc in Economics from Cardiff University.
Previous roles
Permanent Secretary for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Diversity and Inclusion Champion, chair of the Charity for Civil Servants and senior posts in the Department for Work and Pensions, Department for International Development, Foreign Office and HM Treasury.
Current external commitments
- Chair of the Royal Ballet Governors
- Specialist Partner at Flint-Global
- Non-Executive Director of Pantheon International plc
- Non-Executive Director of Pool Reinsurance Company Limited and Pool Reinsurance (Nuclear) Limited
- Non-Executive Director of Methera-Global Communications Limited
- Trustee of Opera Holland Park
- Supervisory Board member of DAF NV
- Chair of the UK Debt Management Office Advisory Board
Committee membership
- Member of the Corporate Responsibility Committee
- Member of the Nomination Committee
- Member of the Risk Committee
Nickesha Graham-Burrell Group Company Secretary
Skills and experience
Nickesha was appointed as Group Company Secretary in September 2023 having previously gained governance experience in listed firms including OSB GROUP PLC and HSBC Holdings plc. As Group Company Secretary, she is responsible for advising the Board, through the Chair, on all governance matters. She is an Associate of the Chartered Governance Institute and studied law at University of Westminster. Nickesha recently completed the Serco Advanced Leadership Programme at Saïd Business School.