Derek Harding to succeed Clive Watson as Spectris CFO

Spectris said on Tuesday that Clive Watston had decided to retire from his role as group finance director after 12 years and will be replaced by Derek Harding, the former FD of Senior.

Harding, who most recently served as group FD at Shop Direct, will join the board as chief financial officer designate on 1 March and work closely with Watson to ensure a smooth transition. Watson will step down no later than 1 April, when Harding will assume the role of CFO.

Spectris said Harding brings a wide range of financial leadership and industrial expertise. Prior to his time at Shop Direct, he was FD at Senior from 2013 to 2017 and before that he was at Wolseley for 11 years, most recently as finance director for the UK.

He previously held a number of group roles including group financial controller, director of group strategy and investor relations, and head of mergers and acquisitions.

Chairman Mark Williamson said: "I would like to express my thanks to Clive who has had a very successful 12 years as group finance director. During his tenure, Clive has made a substantial contribution to both the finance function and in shaping and delivering the strategy. The board and I are grateful for his dedication and impact and wish him well in his retirement.

"I am delighted that Derek is joining Spectris. He has broad experience in the industrial and technology sectors, as well as across a number of financial disciplines. He also brings significant experience in driving change and implementing strategy. I am confident he will be a great addition to the Spectris team in the next phase of its journey."

At 0950 GMT, the shares were up 2.2% to 2,435p.