The Company's Board comprises the non-executive chairman, the chief executive, the finance director, the senior independent non-executive director and five other non-executive directors.

Paul Walker

Non-executive chairman

Born: 1957

Nationality: British

Appointment: Paul Walker was appointed as a non-executive director in July 2018 and non-executive chair in September 2018.  Paul is chair of the Nomination Committee and a member of the Finance and Administration Committee.

Skills: Paul spent 16 years as chief executive officer of The Sage Group plc, giving him a deep insight of the challenges of running a global business. He has a strong financial background and high-level non-executive experience, which adds to the Board’s strength.

Experience: Paul’s roles at Sage included chief executive officer, finance director and financial controller.  He has also been non-executive director at Diageo plc, Experian plc, Sophos Group plc and MyTravel Group plc.

Brendan Horgan

Chief executive

Born: 1973

Nationality: American

Appointed: Brendan Horgan was appointed as chief executive in May 2019, having served as chief operating officer of the Group since January 2018 and as the chief executive of Sunbelt and a director since January 2011.  Brendan is the chair of the Finance and Administration Committee. 

Skills: Brendan has worked in the business for 24 years and has a detailed knowledge of the operations and brings strong leadership and management skills to his role. 

Experience: Brendan joined Sunbelt in 1996 and has held a number of senior management positions including chief sales officer and chief operating officer. 

Michael Pratt

Chief financial officer

Born: 1964

Nationality: British

Appointed: Michael Pratt was appointed to the Board in April 2018.  Michael is chair of the Group Risk Committee and a member of the Finance and Administration Committee. 

Skills: Michael is a qualified accountant with 17 years’ experience with Ashtead within finance roles giving him a detailed understanding of the Group’s business.  He has played a key role in defining the Group’s capital structure. 

Experience: Michael was deputy group finance director and group treasurer from 2012 having joined the Group from PwC in 2003.

Angus Cockburn

Senior independent non-executive director

Born: 1963

Nationality: British

Appointed: Angus Cockburn was appointed as a non-executive director, chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees in October 2018.  He was appointed as senior independent non-executive director in January 2019.

Skills: Angus brings knowledge of the rental market and specialty businesses, along with a good understanding of the associated strategic and financial issues of operating an international business with a substantial North American presence.

Experience: Angus was formerly chief financial officer of Serco Group plc.  He was also formerly chief financial officer and interim chief executive at Aggreko plc, senior independent director of GKN plc and a non-executive director of Howden Joinery Group PLC.

Jill Easterbrook

Independent non-executive director

Born: 1971

Nationality: British

Appointed: Jill Easterbrook was appointed as a non-executive director and a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees in January 2020. 

Skills: Jill brings strong digital experience within retail environments to the Board. 

Experience: Jill was previously the chief executive officer of JP Boden & Co and formerly held a number of senior positions with Tesco PLC.

Tanya Fratto

Independent non-executive director

Born: 1960

Nationality: American

Appointed: Tanya Fratto was appointed as a non-executive director and a member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees in July 2016 and as a member of the Audit Committee in September 2019.

Skills: Tanya has wide experience in product innovation, sales and marketing and engineering in a range of sectors and has extensive knowledge of operating in the US. 

Experience: Tanya enjoyed a 20-year career with General Electric where she ran a number of businesses.

Renata Ribeiro

Independent non-executive director

Born: 1971

Nationality: Dual Brazilian and US

Appointed: Renata was appointed as a non-executive director and a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees in January 2022. 

Skills: Renata brings strong commercial and digital experience to the Board.

Experience: Renata is currently Senior Vice President, Operations Strategy for Carnival Corporation & plc (“Carnival”) where she has worked since 2008. During her time at Carnival, Renata has held a number of senior executive roles and taken active leadership in Carnival’s digital initiatives including its mobile app.  Prior to Carnival Renata was the director of commercial innovation and international expansion for Natura & Co, Brazil’s largest cosmetics company, having started her career working for ten years in strategic consulting in Brazil.

Lucinda Riches

Independent non-executive director

Born: 1961

Nationality: British

Appointed: Lucinda Riches was appointed as a non-executive director and a member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees in June 2016 and chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit Committee in September 2016.

Skills: Lucinda has extensive investment banking and capital markets experience.

Experience: Lucinda was formerly global head of Equity Capital Markets and a member of the board of UBS Investment Bank.  She has held a range of non-executive roles with public companies.

Lindsley Ruth

Independent non-executive director

Born: 1970

Nationality: American

Appointed: Lindsley Ruth was appointed as a non-executive director and a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees in May 2019.

Skills: Lindsley brings extensive knowledge of our end markets to the Board, particularly North America.

Experience: Lindsley was formally chief executive officer of Electrocomponents plc and has also held senior positions with TTI Inc. and Solectron Corporation.