# Ian Cheshire (businessman)

Sir Ian Michael Cheshire (born 6 August 1959) is a British businessman, and is Chair of Land Securities Group PLC. Cheshire joined the Board as a Non-executive Director in March 2023, and became Chair on 16 May 2023. Sir Ian brings extensive general management and board experience in customer facing organisations across a range of sectors including Real Estate. His executive roles include senior leadership and commercial roles in customer-focused businesses.

## Education

Cheshire was educated at The King's School, Canterbury, and graduated in economics and law from Christ's College, Cambridge, in 1980.

## Current appointments

Cheshire is also Chair of Spire Healthcare Group since March 2021, and Chair of Channel 4 since April 2022 (it was announced that he will retire from the Channel 4 board at the end of his term in April 2025).
Since 2018, Cheshire has held the position of Chair for the King Charles III Charitable Fund, and has also chaired the corporate climate change coalition We Mean Business since February 2022.
Other current appointments include Deputy Chair of the Institute of Government since 2016, FFCC Commissioner for Food, Farming and Countryside Commission since 2017, Chair of Trustees at Mountbatten since August 2020, and Senior Advisor to Ardea Partners since July 2024.

## Career

Cheshire is formerly chairman of Barclays UK, the ring-fenced UK subsidiary of Barclays, stepping down on 1 January 2021 and was succeeded by Crawford Gillies.$^{[1]}$ He was previously chief executive (CEO) of Kingfisher plc, a British multinational retailing company, and was chairman of the British department store chain Debenhams from 2016 to 2019.
Cheshire's first job was with Boston Consulting Group, before working for Guinness, as Ernest Saunders' executive assistant, and Sears, before joining Kingfisher as strategy director in 1998.
Sir Ian’s executive career was spent in retail, customer-focused businesses and in senior leadership and commercial roles. He was Group Chief Executive of Kingfisher Plc from 2008 to 2015, and prior to that he was CEO of B&Q Plc.
He previously held FTSE 100 Non-Executive Director roles at Barclays Plc (and as Chairman of Barclays Bank UK), Whitbread Plc, where he was Senior Independent Director, and BT Group Plc where he was Chair of the Remuneration Committee (2020-2023).
Cheshire was also Chair of UK investment trust Menhaden Resource Efficiency Plc until May 2023 and retired from their Board in September 2024. He was the lead Non-Executive Director at the UK Cabinet Office and Department for Work and Pensions.
Sir Ian was also Chairman of the British Retail Consortium, Chairman of the Prince of Wales Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change, President of the Business Disability Forum President’s Group, and chaired the Ecosystem Markets Task Force and GR Task Force.

## Honours

In February 2012, while CEO of Kingfisher he was awarded the title of Knight of the National Order of Merit. The ceremony took place at the French Embassy in London, where Bernard Emié, the French Ambassador to the United Kingdom, presented him with the insignia. This honour recognizes his contribution to strengthening economic and commercial ties between France and the United Kingdom.
Cheshire was knighted in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to business, sustainability, and the environment.$^{[5]}$