Our Board
Our Board of Directors consists of two executive directors who are responsible for implementing strategy, identifying objectives and managing the day-to-day operations of the business. We also have four Non-Executive Directors who provide advice and guidance to the business.
Liz McMeikan
Non-Executive Chair
Liz has been a non-executive director in a wide variety of customer facing businesses for the past twenty years. She has extensive experience working with plc boards and with family and privately owned businesses, holding Remuneration Committee Chair, ESG Committee Chair and Senior Independent Director positions. Her executive career was spent initially within marketing and sales for Colgate Palmolive and subsequently with Tesco, covering a wide spectrum of commercial roles both nationally and internationally. Liz is married to Gerard and has three grown up children. She loves to travel, walk and enjoy good food and is passionate about theatre, film and Suffolk, where she spends her spare time.
Liz McMeikan
Non-Executive Chair
Andrew Milne
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew joined Nichols as the Commercial Director for Vimto Soft Drinks in July 2013. He was appointed to the plc Board on 1st January 2016. Andrew also has extensive experience in the soft drinks industry having previously worked as Sales Director for the Northern region at Coca Cola Enterprises and prior to that, as Trading Director at GlaxoSmithKline. Andrew is married to Debbie and they have two children. Andrew is a keen Manchester United fan and spends what spare time he has either watching or playing sport.
Andrew Milne
Chief Executive Officer
Richard Newman
Chief Financial Officer
Richard joined Nichols in January 2024 as a Director before becoming Chief Financial Officer on 21 March 2024. He has extensive and relevant UK public company financial experience having held several senior plc roles and most recently, between 2021 and 2023, as CFO at AIM-listed Accrol Group Holdings Plc. Prior to this role, after 15 years with Cadbury plc where he progressed to Finance and IT Director for Ireland and then Group Financial Controller, he took a new role as Divisional Finance Director at National Express Group plc before joining DS Smith plc in 2015 as UK Finance Director for Packaging and then Regional Finance Director for North Europe. Richard is married to Lynne and has three sons. He enjoys cricket, football and generally being outdoors.
Richard Newman
Chief Financial Officer
John Nichols
Non-Executive Director
John is the grandson of the founder of the Company and inventor of Vimto, John Noel Nichols. John joined Nichols plc in 1971 and was appointed as Director in 1975. In 1986 John became the Group Managing Director, subsequently he became Executive Chairman of the Group and in 2007 he moved to Non-Executive Chairman. John retired as Chairman in 2023, but continues to serve on the Board as a Non-Executive Director. John has three grown up children and three grandchildren. John enjoys spending time with his family and using his spare time sailing, playing golf and walking his dog on the beach in Wales.
John Nichols
Non-Executive Director
Matt Nichols
Non-Executive Director
Matthew is John’s son and joined the Company in September 2006. He is currently Commercial Director – International within the Group’s Packaged business and is a member of the Company’s Senior Leadership Team. He has managed many of the different countries and regions across Africa and the Middle East holding several senior roles during his time with the Group. Matthew is married to Gemma and they have two young children, Seren and Benjamin, who take up a lot of his time outside work. During any other free time Matthew enjoys winter sports (skiing and snowboarding) and water sports (wakeboarding, waterskiing and swimming) as well as running.
Matt Nichols
Non-Executive Director
John Gittins
Independent Non-Executive Director
John is a graduate of the London School of Economics and a chartered accountant. He was appointed to the Board of Nichols as an Independent Non-Executive Director in July 2015 and is a member of the Audit Committee (which he chairs) as well as the Remuneration and Nomination Committees. John is currently Audit Committee Chair of AIM listed Appreciate Group plc and has over 20 years’ experience of CFO roles in companies such as Begbies Traynor Group plc, Spring Group plc and Vertex Data Science Limited. John was previously an independent Non-Executive Director and the Audit Committee chair of Electricity North West Limited.
John Gittins
Independent Non-Executive Director
Helen Keays
Independent Non-Executive Director
Helen was appointed to the Board of Nichols as an Independent Non-Executive Director in September 2017 and is a member of the Remuneration Committee (which she chairs) as well as the Audit and Nomination Committees. After a career in Consumer Marketing at organisations such as GE Capital, Sears and Vodafone, Helen has developed significant experience working as a Non-Executive Director. She was previously Senior Independent Director at Dominos Pizza Group Plc, chair of the Remuneration Committee at Communisis Plc and has also previously held NED roles at Majestic Wines Plc, Skin Clinics and Chrysalis Plc. Helen is married with 2 teenage children who keep her busy watching their sports matches. In her spare time she likes to play tennis. Helen is also a Life Trustee of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Helen Keays
Independent Non-Executive Director
