Bunzl plc, a specialist international distribution and services group, has announced the appointment of Daniela Barone Soares OBE and Julia Wilson as non-executive directors with effect from 16 December 2024. At that time, they will also become members of the remuneration, audit, nomination and board sustainability committees.

Barone Soares is presently an independent non-executive director at InterContinental Hotels Group PLC but will be stepping down from this position at the end of the year. She is chief executive officer of investment company Snowball Impact Management Limited. She was CEO of financial services company Granito Group from 2017 to 2019 and, prior to this, CEO at Impetus from 2006 to 2015, and executive chair of Gove Digital between 2016 and 2020.

Barone Soares has served on various commercial, non-profit boards and advisory boards during her career, including Halma plc, Evora S.A. and the UK National Advisory Board to the G8 Social Impact Investment Taskforce. She has worked in the USA, Brazil and Europe.

Julia Wilson is currently a non-executive director of Barclays PLC. She was group finance director of 3i Group plc from 2008 to 2022. Prior to this, she held a number of senior finance-related roles at Cable & Wireless, latterly as group director of corporate finance.

In 2011, Wilson was appointed as a non-executive director at Legal & General Group PLC, becoming its senior independent director from 2016 to 2021. She also previously served as the chair of The 100 Group of FTSE finance directors.

Commenting on the appointments, Peter Ventress, Bunzl’s chair, said: “I am delighted that Daniela and Julia have agreed to join the board as non-executive directors. Daniela’s ESG credentials and in-depth knowledge about the role of technology in driving change will be a valuable addition and will enhance the board’s ESG capabilities further.

“In addition, Julia’s extensive audit and UK regulatory expertise and significant executive-level strategic and financial leadership experience will be of great value to the company as it continues to expand and develop.”