Claire Boyle was appointed as an independent non-executive director of the Company with effect from 1 February 2019. She has over 17 years' experience working in finance and equity investment management, working on funds over a wide range of sectors for international corporate, Government, State and retail clients, including unit and investment trusts. She was a partner at Oxburgh Partners LLP with responsibility for their European Equity Hedge Fund, and prior to that a European Equity Fund Manager at American Express Asset Management, where her role included both equity investment and business development. Claire is a chartered accountant, qualifying in 1993 whilst working in litigation support at Coopers & Lybrand, before starting her investment career on the UK research desk at Robert Fleming. She is also currently Chairman of Life Science REIT plc, the Audit Committee Chairman of Fidelity Special Values plc and a director of The Monks Investment Trust PLC.