Gooch & Housego PLC announced the following forthcoming changes to its Board of Directors to ensure the orderly succession of its senior management team. Mark Webster, a Non-Executive Director of the company for the past two and a half years, is being appointed to the executive role of Deputy CEO in preparation for Gareth Jones to relinquish his role of Chief Executive Officer, which he has held since 2003. Mark has extensive business, management and leadership experience, which includes senior roles at Abbott Laboratories, Shire Pharmaceuticals and Bayer Healthcare and most recently as CEO of Bio Products Laboratory.

Mark will begin as Deputy CEO on August 18, 2014. Gareth will assist Mark in an orderly handover of duties and it is anticipated that Mark will take over as Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2015.