Turn Page 
Our Board
Hover over a director to view their name and biography
John W Whybrow c
Chairman
First appointed to the Board on 1 August 1997, Mr Whybrow became Chairman on 13 December 2002. He is Chairman of the Nominations Committee and, with effect from 31 October 2007, will be a member of the Remuneration Committee. Mr Whybrow is a Non Executive Director of DSG International plc. He was President and Chief Executive Officer of Philips Lighting Holding B.V., based in the Netherlands, until 2001 and Executive Vice President, Philips Electronics from 1998 until March 2002, when he returned to the UK. He was Chairman of CSR plc until May 2007. Mr Whybrow is Chairman of Petworth Cottage Nursing Home. Age 60.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Claude 'Chip' A S Hornsby b, c, e
Group Chief Executive
First appointed to the Board on 3 May 2001, Mr Hornsby was appointed Group Chief Executive on 1 August 2006. He was previously the Chief Executive Wolseley North America, having been President and Chief Executive Officer of Ferguson Enterprises, since 2001. He has spent 29 years with the Company. Mr Hornsby is a Non Executive Director of Virginia Company Bank and is the Rector for Christopher Newport University. Age 51.
Robert H Marchbank b
Chief Executive, Europe
First appointed to the Board on 24 January 2005, Mr Marchbank is responsible for all the European businesses. He first joined Ferguson Enterprises in 1982 and in 2001 he moved to the UK to join the newly created Wolseley Group headquarters as Director of Strategic Planning and was then appointed as the Director of Information and Processes. Age 47.
Frank W Roach b
Chief Executive, North America
First appointed to the Board on 16 December 2005. Mr Roach is responsible for all the North American businesses. He first joined Ferguson Enterprises in 1976 and held a number of business roles. In 2005, Mr Roach was appointed as Senior Vice President of the Wolseley North America management team, playing a key part in further developing and expanding the Group’s North American businesses. Age 56.
Stephen P Webster b, e
Group Finance Director
Chartered Accountant. First appointed to the Board on 1 August 1994 as Group Finance Director designate. Appointed as Group Finance Director on 9 December 1994. Formerly a partner in Price Waterhouse. Mr Webster is a Non Executive Director of Bradford & Bingley plc. Age 54.
NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Gareth Davis a, c, d
First appointed to the Board on 1 July 2003. He is a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nominations Committees and is the Senior Independent Director. Mr Davis has been Chief Executive of Imperial Tobacco Group plc since its incorporation in 1996, having spent the last 35 years in the tobacco industry. Age 57.
Andrew J Duff c, d
First appointed to the Board on 1 July 2004. He is Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Nominations Committee. Mr Duff is Chief Executive of RWE npower plc. He spent 14 years at BP plc where he held leading positions in marketing and oil trading and was latterly the Director of Strategic Planning for BP Oil, USA. Mr Duff is a member of CBI President’s committee. Age 48.
James I K Murray a
A Chartered Accountant. First appointed to the Board on 12 April 2002. He is Chairman of the Audit Committee and, with effect from 31 October 2007, will become a member of the Nominations Committee. Mr Murray was a Non Executive Director of UK Coal PLC and was also Finance Director of Land Securities PLC from 1991 until his retirement in 2001. Mr Murray is the Chairman of Trustees of the Land Securities Pension Fund. Age 61.
Nigel M Stein a
First appointed to the Board on 1 December 2003. He is a member of the Audit Committee and, with effect from 31 October 2007, will become a member of the Remuneration and Nominations Committees. Mr Stein, a Chartered Accountant, is now Chief Executive – Automotive of GKN plc. He was, until 10 September 2007, Finance Director of GKN plc and has also worked in a number of other senior financial roles in his 12 years with this group. Prior to GKN, he held senior financial positions with Laird Security Systems and Hestair Duple Limited. Age 51.
Robert M Walker c, d
First appointed to the Board on 1 July 1999. He is a member of the Remuneration and the Nominations Committees. Mr Walker is Non Executive Chairman of W H Smith PLC and of BCA Group Ltd; and a Non Executive Director of Tate & Lyle plc, Williams Lea Group Limited and Signet Group plc. Mr Walker was, until February 2005, Group Chief Executive of Severn Trent Plc and a Non Executive Director of BAA plc. He is also an adviser to Cinven. Mr Walker will step down from the Board on 31 October 2007. Age 62.
Mark J White b, f
Group Company Secretary and Counsel
A solicitor who joined Wolseley on 1 July 2002. Mr White
is secretary to the Audit, Nominations, Treasury and
Remuneration Committees. He is a member of the
Executive Committee and a Trustee of the UK and
Irish Defined Benefit Pension Schemes. Mr White was
previously Company Secretary of Enterprise Oil plc
and Rotork plc. Age 46.
Charles P Watters b, f
Group Company Secretary and General Counsel (Interim)
A barrister who joined Wolseley on an interim basis on 26 March 2007. He is a member of the Executive Committee. Mr Watters is secretary to the Audit, Nominations, Remuneration and Treasury Committees. He has held senior positions with several FTSE 100 companies and was previously Company Secretary of Alpha Airports plc and Allied Colloids plc. Age 48.