Directors' Biographies

John von Spreckelsen - Chairman (N.)
Joined Thorntons in June 2006. He was previously Chief Executive Officer of Budgens plc and Chairman of Somerfield plc. Currently his other appointments include those of an Operating Partner of Merchant Equity Partners LLP in the UK and Chairman of But SAS in France and he is a Non-Executive Director of Roseholdco Limited (IMO Carwash Group). He is Chairman of the Nomination Committee.

Barry Bloomer - Managing Director, Sales & Operations
Joined Thorntons in July 2005 and was appointed to the Board in July 2006. He previously spent ten years at Black & Decker, latterly as European Operations Director and, prior to that, eight years in various positions including Manufacturing and Quality Director for Philips Components Limited.

Jonathan Hart - Chief Executive
Joined Thorntons in January 2011. He was previously Managing Director of Caffè Nero for five years prior to which he held senior positions at Abbey, Woolworths and ITM Communications and spent more than a decade with Dixons Group plc, where, latterly, he was responsible for the Group's high street brands (including Dixons, The Link and Dixons Tax-Free) as Group Managing Director and as Group Managing Director of PC World International.

Mark Robson - Finance Director
Joined Thorntons in November 2009 and appointed to the Board in December 2009. A qualified chartered accountant with extensive experience in the retail and consumer goods sectors, most recently with Somerfield Limited, now part of the Co-operative Group, where he was Finance Director. Previously Finance Director of SFI Holdings Limited, the pub and bar chain, Claire's Accessories (UK) Limited and Alldays, the convenience store group.

Diana Houghton - Non-Executive Director (A. R. N.)
Joined Thorntons in December 2008. A corporate development and strategy specialist with broad experience of the consumer goods, retail and leisure retail sectors and also possesses extensive corporate finance expertise. She spent six years as the Corporate Development Director of Allied Domecq before working as a consultant to a number of companies, investment banks and private equity houses. Other appointments include a senior advisory role with the National Audit Office. She is Chair of the Audit Committee.

Paul Wilkinson - Non-Executive Director (A. R. N.)
Joined Thorntons in August 2006. He holds a portfolio of executive, non-executive and advisory roles in the food, consumer and retail sectors as well as the public sector. Previous appointments include Chairman of Rank Hovis McDougall and prior to that he held management roles at Unilever and Grand Metropolitan. He was previously an independent Director of Aryzta AG, a major international food group based in Zurich. Other appointments include Chairman of Fengrain and Non-Executive Director of Fuerst Day Lawson. He also chairs the National Skills Academy. He is Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and the Senior Independent Director.