Our Approach

We have developed our approach to corporate governance and risk management based on the size, ownership structure, breadth and complexity of our business. While the Company’s Board of Directors provides strategic guidance to our Group businesses, the independence of the various boards is respected. Operational accountability for the businesses’ performance rests with each of their executive management teams.

Governance Structure

The Company Board of Directors is responsible for driving sustainable growth for the business and building long-term value for our stakeholders. It ensures relevant sustainability matters are incorporated into purpose, governance, strategy, decision-making and risk management.

The role of our Executive Chairman, Ben Keswick, is separate from that of the Group Managing Director, John Witt. From 1 April 2024, the Board comprises 10 Directors, of whom 50% are Independent Non-Executive Directors (‘INEDs’), taking into account independence considerations under the UK Corporate Governance Code.

The Group values independence and diversity of the Board members, with a Board Diversity Policy in place. The Company has taken substantive steps in the past year to increase both the independence and diversity of the Company’s Board. The most recent changes to the Board include:

  • The appointment of two female INEDs – Janine Feng and Dr Keyu Jin on 5 May 2023 and 31 January 2024, respectively
  • The retirement of Anthony Nightingale on 31 January 2024
  • The retirement of Y.K. Pang and David Hsu on 31 March 2024

The Company Board of Directors delegates the responsibility of overseeing the Group’s risk management and internal control systems and procedures to the Audit Committee including cybersecurity and sustainability-related risks. Stuart Gulliver, the independent Chair of the Audit Committee, has financial expertise and a deep understanding of risk management. The Audit Committee comprises solely of 3 INEDs, namely Stuart Gulliver, Michael Wu, Janine Feng.

Our Executive Chairman, Ben Keswick, also heads the Sustainability Leadership Council (‘SLC’) which was established in 2019. It comprises 22 members, including our Group Managing Director, Executive and non-executive Directors, Chief Executives and Sustainability Leads of all the principal businesses. Meeting twice annually, the SLC serves as a collaboration platform for senior management to exchange insights on sustainability strategy for the Group. Senior management of the Company and our businesses report the discussed strategy to their respective boards after the SLC.

For more information on our governance structure, including our sustainability governance please see our Sustainability Report.

Policies and Guidelines

As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability, Jardines has published several policies and guidelines on our website.

Learn more about our corporate governance statement.