Directors
Michael Benson - Non-Executive Chairman
Michael joined the Ashmore Group plc board as non-executive chairman in July 2006. Michael started work for L. Messel & Co in their research department and in 1967 he moved to the asset management arm of Lazard Securities becoming director of the asset management wing and head of the private client department in 1977. In 1979 he was appointed Joint Managing Director with overall responsibility for overseeing the establishment of an investment office in Hong Kong. In 1985 he moved to Standard Chartered Bank to establish a new investment management business and in over six years in this role offices were opened in London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Boston. In 1992, the business was sold to Royal Bank of Scotland and merged into their own investment company, Capital House Investment Management, where he joined the board with responsibility for developing the Asian business. He moved to Invesco in late 1993, joined the main board in 1994 and moved to Hong Kong to develop the Group's operations in Asia. In mid 1997 he returned to London to become responsible for the Group's entire non-US business as CEO of Invesco Global, overseeing two significant acquisitions - LGT and Perpetual Group and established a joint venture in China. In 2002 he became Chairman of Invesco and Vice Chairman of Amvescap plc.
Mark Coombs - Chief Executive
Mark Coombs joined Grindlays Bank in 1983, established the emerging markets business of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ("ANZ") in 1992, and led Ashmore's management buyout from ANZ in 1999. Mark had a number of positions at ANZ and reached the position of Head of Markets for ANZ Group. He was appointed to the Board of EMTA, the trade association for Emerging Markets in 1993 and was appointed Co-Chair in 2000. He has been Chairman of the Ashmore Investment Committee since the business was established as a separate division within ANZ in 1992, and is responsible for setting the overall investment strategy of funds managed. Mark has a masters degree in Law from Cambridge University.
Graeme Dell - Group Finance Director
Graeme Dell joined Ashmore Group plc and was appointed to the Board as Group Finance Director in December 2007. Prior to joining Ashmore Graeme was Group Finance Director of Evolution Group Plc from 2001 to 2007, where he had group-wide responsibility for finance, operations, technology, compliance, risk and HR which included playing a significant role in the foundation and development of Evolution's Chinese securities business. Graeme previously worked for Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs in a range of business management, finance and operations roles both in Europe and in Asia Pacific. Graeme qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand and is a graduate of Hertford College, Oxford University
Nick Land - Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Nick Land joined the Ashmore Group plc board as a non-executive director in July 2006. Nick joined Ernst & Young in 1971 shortly after qualifying as an accountant and became a partner in 1978 and held principal client roles through to 1992 and a number of management roles including HR partner, Managing Partner responsible for the London Audit business and Managing Partner, London. In 1992 he became UK Managing Partner and was a member of the Global Executive Board from 1994 and more recently Managing Partner of the Northern Europe, Middle East, India and Africa Area with oversight responsibilities. In 1995 he became Chairman of Ernst & Young. Nick is also a non-executive director of Royal Dutch Shell plc and the BBA Group plc and is Chairman of the Practice Advisory Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Jon Moulton - Non-Executive Director
Jon Moulton is Managing Partner of Alchemy Partners LLP, a private equity operation, established in January 1997, which focuses on medium to large sized deals, primarily buyouts, but also difficult/non standard transactions. He formerly headed the MBO team at Apax Partners (1994-1996), founded and ran Schroder Ventures as Managing Partner (1985-1994) and worked with Citicorp Venture Capital in London and New York (1980-1985). He has led some 50 buyouts in a wide variety of industries. He is a graduate chemist and chartered accountant with an early career in accountancy specialising in corporate insolvency and mergers and acquisitions. Jon is currently a director of several private companies.
Jonathan Asquith - Non-Executive Director
Jonathan Asquith joined the Ashmore Group plc board as a non-executive director in August 2008. Jonathan Asquith was formerly Vice Chairman of Schroders plc and held the position of Chief Financial Officer between 2002 and 2007. During his time at Schroders he also had responsibility within the investment function for fixed income, emerging market debt, commodities and property and oversaw their investment capital and private equity interests. Prior to that he worked for Morgan Grenfell and was appointed as chief financial officer of Deutsche Morgan Grenfell in 1995 and chief operating officer in 1997. In 2001 he joined Barclays Private Bank, where he was head of UK private banking until his move to Schroders in 2002.
Corporate &
Investor Relations
Ashmore Group plc is a London Stock Exchange listed company