The Board and its Committees

The Board meets monthly to consider the operating and financial performance of the group and is responsible for approving company policy and strategy. The Board has appointed two standing committees, which are as follows:

The Audit Committee comprises three non-executive directors (Terry Connelly (Chairman), Ian Taylor and Tim Wightman). It meets at least twice a year and is responsible for ensuring that the financial performance of the group is properly reported on and monitored, and for meeting the auditors and reviewing their reports in relation to the accounts and the audit.

The Remuneration Committee consists of all of the non-executive directors and is chaired by David Mills. It meets at least twice a year and is responsible for setting the scale and structure of the executive directors’ remuneration. It also recommends the allocation of share options to directors and other employees.

Directors

Tim Wightman - Non Executive Chairman

Tim Wightman has had extensive business experience in the UK, Germany and North America. He was previously Chief Executive of Rubicon Group plc, a leading supplier of outsourced manufacturing services to the electronics industry, which was quoted on the London Stock Exchange up to 1998 when it was acquired by Applied Power Inc. He then served on APW’s Executive Board with responsibility for the worldwide development of that company’s services to global customers. He is currently non-executive Chairman of AssetCo PLC and Shieldtech plc, AIM listed companies. He was appointed to the Board in March 2003.

Bill Conn - Chief Executive

Bill Conn was appointed Chief Executive on 1 June 2006, having previously been the Managing Director of Petards Joyce-Loebl Limited. Prior to joining the group in September 2004 he was Managing Director of the Electrical Drives Worldwide Division of ALSTOM, the transport group and has many years experience in the rail transport and aerospace industries.

Andy Wonnacott FCA - Finance Director

Andy Wonnacott FCA was appointed to the Board in March 2005 and has many years experience having held both finance director and group controllership positions within private equity backed and fully listed UK businesses. Prior to taking those positions he was a senior manager with Ernst & Young.

Ian Taylor, M.P. - Non Executive Deputy Chairman

Ian Taylor has been M.P for Esher and Walton since 1987. He was Minister for Science & Technology at the Department of Trade and Industry in the Conservative Government between 1994 and 1997 and now chairs the Conservative Party's Policy Task-force on Science, Technology & Engineering. He is an officer of several Parliamentary technology committees. He is a non-executive director of NextFifteen Communications Group plc, Avanti Communications plc and AXA Framlington Limited. He is also a member of the IPPR Commission on National Security. He spent 18 years working in investment and corporate finance, located in both London and Paris, prior to becoming an MP. He was appointed to the Board in January 2000.

Terry Connolly FCA - Non Executive Director

Terry Connolly was appointed in August 2007 and had a career in advertising and the entertainment sector where as Group Managing Director of Chrysalis he was responsible for taking that company to a public listing. Since 1989 he has been a self-employed consultant specialising in strategic and corporate affairs. He is Chairman of the Audit Committee.

David Mills - Non Executive Director

David Mills was appointed in January 2004 and is the founder of Quayside Corporate Services (part of Core Enterprise Management Ltd), a business that works closely with banks and venture capital groups. The company has a wide variety of industry expertise, in assisting businesses both commercially and financially, in the higher end of the SME market. Previously a director of a major division of NatWest Bank he has also been involved in the buying and selling of numerous businesses. As well as running Quayside, he also chairs a number of businesses covering a diverse range of sectors. He is Chairman of the Remuneration Committee.