About us

Ian joined the Board of The Investor Relations Society in 2005, becoming Treasurer in 2007.

He left Howden Joinery Group Plc in 2009 after completion of a significant corporate restructuring and turnaround programme. Over 20 years with the group, he had been responsible for financial reporting, M&A, tax, treasury, investor relations and insurance. Prior to joining Howden Joinery Group he had held various senior financial positions at both Mothercare and Asda.

He now runs his own consulting practice and is Deputy Chairman/CFO of Gardner Watts Ltd, a start-up research and development company in low-carbon renewable energy. He is also Honorary Treasurer and a Council Member of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain.

He was educated at Merchant Taylors School and Exeter University; and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse in London in 1980. He is a freeman of the City of London.

Michael qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1974 and worked in the retail and transport sectors. After various line positions in finance he moved into investor relations in 1986. From 1998 until 2004 he was Director of Corporate Communications with FirstGroup plc, before working on the renewal of the Group’s railway franchises.  Michael has been a Board member of The Investor Relations Society since early 2005 and became General Manager in January 2007.

Sue Scholes has been Director of Communications since joining AMEC in 2007. She was previously Head of Investor Relations at Brambles Industries plc. Sue is a Chartered Management Accountant and chairs the IR Society’s Education Committee.