Change of Chief Financial Officer
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Synthomer plc
Directorate change
Change of Chief Financial Officer
Synthomer plc ('Synthomer' or the 'Group') today announces that Lily Liu has informed the Board of her intention to step down from her role as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Director of the Group, in order to take up the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Umicore SA, the global advanced materials and recycling group headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
The Board also announces today that Iain Torrens has joined the Group and will take up the roles of CFO and Executive Director of Synthomer from 15 May 2026 on an interim basis. The Board will consider both internal and external options for the Group's longer-term CFO arrangements.
Iain brings over three decades of senior leadership and finance experience across listed companies. His most recent executive positions were at John Wood Group plc, where he was appointed as interim CFO in February 2025 then as CEO from October 2025 until completion of the acquisition by Sidara Limited. He was previously an Executive Director and Group CFO at several UK public companies, including TalkTalk Group plc and ICAP plc, and was Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Praxis Group Ltd until October 2024. Iain has a strong track record in corporate finance, strategic transformation, corporate governance and board stewardship, and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Lily will leave Synthomer at the end of May after a short handover period.
Commenting, Synthomer CEO Michael Willome said:
"I have very much enjoyed working with Lily since she joined Synthomer in 2022. She has made a significant contribution to Synthomer, particularly in helping to steer the business through a very challenging period for the chemicals sector and having strengthened both the balance sheet and the finance function around her. On behalf of the Board, executive committee and all colleagues, I thank Lily for her contribution and commitment and wish her every success in the future.
"The Board and I were pleased to be able to bring Iain on board as Lily's successor. He is a seasoned CFO with strong capital markets experience and I look forward to working closely with him over what remains a critical period for Synthomer, while we take the appropriate time to identify a permanent CFO for the Group."
Commenting, Lily Liu said:
"It has been a privilege to serve as CFO of Synthomer over the past three and a half years. I am proud of what we have accomplished and I would like to thank the Board and the senior management team for their support in my time as CFO. I have every confidence in the continued success of Synthomer and I wish the team the very best for the future."
Iain Torrens said:
"I am pleased to join Synthomer's Board and executive management team. The Group has significant opportunities ahead and I look forward to working with Michael and the team to help realise them."
There is no further information that is required to be disclosed under LR 6.4.8R of the UK Listing Rules in relation to Iain's appointment.
Further information:
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Investors: Faisal Tabbah, Vice President Investor Relations |
Tel: +44 (0) 1279 775 306 |
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Media: Nick Hasell, FTI Consulting |
Tel: +44 (0) 203 727 1340 |
Notes
Synthomer plc is a leading supplier of high-performance, highly specialised polymers and ingredients that play vital roles in key sectors such as coatings, construction, adhesives, and health and protection - growing markets for customers who serve billions of end users worldwide. Headquartered in London, UK and listed there since 1971, we employ c.3,800 employees across our five innovation centres of excellence and 29 manufacturing sites across Europe, North America, Middle East and Asia. With more than 6,000 blue-chip customers and £1.7bn in continuing revenue in 2025, our business is built around three divisions, serving customers in attractive end markets where demand is driven by global megatrends including urbanisation, demographic change, climate change and sustainability, and shifting economic power. In Coatings & Construction Solutions, our specialist polymers enhance the sustainability and performance of a wide range of coatings and construction products. We serve customers in applications including architectural and masonry coatings, mortar modification, waterproofing and flooring, fibre bonding, and energy solutions. In Adhesive Solutions our products help our customers bond, modify and compatibilise surfaces and components for applications including tapes and labels, packaging, hygiene, tyres and plastic modification, improving permeability, strength, elasticity, damping, dispersion and grip. In Health & Protection and Performance Materials we are a world-leading supplier of water-based polymers for medical gloves, and a major European manufacturer of high-performance binders, foams and other products serving customers in a range of end markets. Our purpose is creating innovative and sustainable solutions for the benefit of customers and society. Around 20% of our sales volumes are from new and patent protected products. At our innovation centres of excellence in the UK, China, Germany, Malaysia and Ohio, USA we collaborate closely with our customers to develop new products and enhance existing ones tailored to their needs, with an increasing range of sustainability benefits. Our 2030 decarbonisation targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative as being in line with what the latest climate science says is necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, and since 2021 we have held the London Stock Exchange Green Economy Mark, which recognises green technology businesses making a significant contribution to a more sustainable, low-carbon economy. Find us at www.synthomer.com or search for Synthomer on LinkedIn. Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): 213800EHT3TI1KPQQJ56.
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