St James’s Place has appointed John Hitchins as an independent non-executive director (NED) to its board.
Hitchins, who joined the firm on 1 November, adds to his roster of existing board appointments at Aldermore and Société Générale where he is an NED and chairs the audit committee.
He fills the vacancy left by Helena Morrissey who exited SJP to chair AJ Bell. During her short stint at the FTSE 100 wealth manager, Morrissey expressed her ambitions to attract more female talent to the firm. SJP hired two other senior women, Emma Griffin and Lesley Ann-Nash, as independent directors shortly after she joined.
Following Hitchins’ appointment, SJP has four male and three female independent directors. Its executive board, which includes CEO Andrew Croft and managing director Ian Gascoigne, features only one woman, chief corporate affairs officer Liz Kelly.
SJP chair Paul Manduca said: “I am delighted that John has agreed to join the board of St. James’s Place plc. He will bring to the board a deep knowledge of the financial services sector, audit and financial reporting, as well as a wealth of experience as a non-executive director”.
See also: AJ Bell judged better cultural fit for Helena Morrissey as she exits SJP after short stint
