Holdings Board

Mark Pullen,  Independent Non-Executive Chairman

Mark Pullen has worked in the consumer goods industry for over 30 years, most recently as group finance director for Geest PLC – a position he held for 10years – which also included responsibilities for IT, purchasing, corporate finance, PR and legal. He has also worked with Unilever and Guinness in a number of capacities including logistics, strategic planning, industrial relations and brand marketing. Mark is a qualified accountant with a business degree and is currently a non-executive director and chair of the audit Committee of Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust and an advisor to small charities through his membership of Pilotlight.

Mark is chairman of Nisa-Today’s Strategic Development & Acquisitions Committee and its Nominations Committee.

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Stephen Jempson,  Acting Member Non-Executive Deputy Chairman

Stephen Jempson is joint managing director of Jempsons Ltd. He joined the family business in 1979, before buying it with his brother Andrew in 1995. Jempsons Ltd has won numerous awards, including Independent Grocer of the Year twice. Jempsons was a founder member of Nisa-Today’s and Stephen has sat on the Holdings Board for a year.

Stephen is a member of Nisa-Today’s Audit Committee, Remuneration Committee and the 2011 Distribution Contract Committee.

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Neil Turton,  Chief Executive Officer, Nisa -Today’s

Neil has overall responsibility for developing the success of Nisa-Today’s and leads the executive team.

He began his career with Marks and Spencer, completing its management training scheme. Joining Nisa-Today’s in 1991 as a buyer, Neil has spent the last 17 years in a wide variety of roles at Nisa-Today’s, latterly as chief operating officer. In 2007, he was promoted to chief executive officer.

Neil has been a member of the Nisa Today’s Holdings Board for eight years, is a Chartered Marketeer, a Graduate MBA and a Board member of the “Voice of Local Shops” - the Association of Convenience Stores. A passionate believer in independent retailing and wholesaling, Neil regularly speaks on industry issues and in each of the last three years (2005-2008), he has been named by The Grocer magazine as one of the top 10 most influential figures in UK community retailing.

John Schofield,  Chief Financial Officer, Nisa-Today’s

John joined the group in 1990 after leaving his own accountancy practice which he had run for eight years. John has over 30 years experience in accounting and finance and is a fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA). John has been an invaluable member of the Holdings Board for 14 years and is also a member of Nisa-Today’s Strategic Development & Acquisitions Committee and 2011 Distribution Contract Committee.

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Rodney Hunt,  Managing Director, The Today’s Group

Rodney has been with Nisa-Today’s for 25 years – sitting on the Holdings Board for eight - and joined Peter Garvin and Dudley Ramsden in the early days of the business, to assist in negotiating with suppliers and member recruitment.

At that time, Rodney had 10 years experience within both retail and wholesale trading, and was one of the pioneers of the retail industry, being part of the team that operated Britain’s first Hypermarket – Carrefour - in South Wales.

During his time with the Group, he has headed-up Central Distribution and Central Buying Company, but is best known for being at the helm of the Today’s Group since it was formed as the wholesale arm in 1987.

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John Sharpe,  Managing Director Central Distribution Trading & Logistics, Nisa-Today’s

John Sharpe joined Nisa-Today’s 18 years ago as frozen food controller, becoming managing director of Central Distribution Services in 2001, after fulfilling a number of other directorial roles within the Group.

He was appointed as managing director of Central Distribution Trading & Logistics in early 2006 and has been a member of the Holdings Board for five years.

Formerly with Booker for 10 years as buying and marketing controller, John has a wealth of knowledge in fresh and frozen food, covering strategy, development and implementation. In his current role, John is responsible for all aspects of Central Distribution Trading and the Group’s award-winning ambient and temperature-controlled supply chain.

John is a member of the 2011 Distribution Committee.

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Atul Amin

Atul has 17 years experience in retail. He joined Nisa-Today’s in 1999 and he and his family own eight Nisa Symbol stores in the West Midlands and the South.

Atul’s first job was as a manager with an industrial company and during his 10 years in the role he developed valuable man-management skills. At the same time Atul opened a local newsagents store in Luton, which his wife took charge of running.

Three years later Atul expanded his business into the area of grocery and offlicensing with the purchase of a second store in Luton and after five years opened a third of 6000sq.ft. in West Bromwich. Since then he has continued to grow his business into what it is today.

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Peter Bellini

Peter started his working life as a motor engineer, but has since expanded into the field of retail with his wife Pat. Peter and Pat have operated retail stores for over 30 years and been Nisa members for 23 years. Their main business is an 8,000sq ft supermarket and petrol forecourt in Ilkeston, near Derby.

Peter bought his current site in 1986, a closed down Fiat dealership, and following a total knockdown and rebuild has developed the award winning store it is today. The Bellini’s have since won the Booker Prize for Retail Excellence 1998, Forecourt Retailer of the Year 2004 and Independent Retailer of the Year 2004, and in 2006 won Independent Entrepreneur of the Year, Independent Off- License of the Year and Independent Forecourt Retailer of the Year.

Peter is a member of Nisa-Today’s 2011 Distribution Committee.

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Rowan Black

Rowan Black is from Northern Ireland and managing director of J.T. Green and Sons Ltd. The company operates a 12,500 sq. ft. store in a high street location in Lisburn, Co. Antrim and was founded by Rowan’s late father in 1974. Rowan was one of the founding Nisa members in Northern Ireland. Hehas had a long-standing interest in the progression of Nisa-Today’s (Holdings) Ltd and has attended the company AGMs for the past 13 years. Rowan has also previously sat on the NRS Board and currently serves as a member of the Northern Ireland Committee of the Institute of Directors.

Rowan is a member of Nisa-Today’s Remuneration Committee and its Nominations Committee.

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Paul Delves

Paul joined the family business, started by his grandfather – Harry Tuffin – in 1978. The business grew over the coming years and in 1982 became a member of Nisa-Today’s. Paul is now managing director of Harry Tuffin Ltd and is responsible for six stores in an estate ranging from 1,500 sq ft to 60,000 sq ft.

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Manish Dhamecha

Manish joined Dhamecha Foods Ltd in 1980. His current role as managing director of Dhamecha Foods - which was a founder member of the Today’s Group - includes the day-to-day running of a multi food and drinks cash and carry business which has grown steadily to a turnover exceeding £300m. Manish has been a Board director of Nisa-Today’s for nearly 20 years.

Manish is a member of Nisa-Today’s Strategic Development & Acquisitions Committee.

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Colin Graves

Colin Graves is founder and chief executive of Costcutter Supermarkets Group.

He launched Costcutter Supermarkets Holdings Limited in 1986, which has grown from just seven stores to over 1,400, crossing over to Poland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Costcutter joined Nisa-Today’s 20 years ago and Colin has sat on the Board for the majority of that time. Colin is chairman of Nisa-Today’s Remuneration Committee.

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Krishan Joshi

Krishan Joshi has been a Nisa member for ten years. His business, the Windmill Group, currently operates three stores in and around Derbyshire and Leicestershire, the largest being a town centre site with a Post Office in Coalville.

Krishan’s family has a long history of retailing in the Derbyshire area stretching back 36 years and Krishan started his first convenience store whilst studying for the LPC (solicitors’ training), having graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in law.

Krishan is a member of Nisa-Today’s Remuneration Committee and its Strategic Development & Acquisitions Committee.

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Mohammad Saleem

In the space of only three-and-a-half years, Mohammad, with his wife and business partner Farhana, has launched two successful Nisa flagship stores. They also developed the excellent Café Nisa concept, which was recently awarded ‘Best Food-to-Go retailer’ at the couple’s Greenwich store at the Asian Trader Awards 2007.

Mohammad has a Law degree and a background in legal practice, which he believes brings a wealth of transferable negotiating, analytical and administrative skills he can utilise in his retail business. Mohammad made the decision in 2004 to leave the legal profession and enter the independent retail arena and has not looked back since.

Mohammad is a member of the Audit Committee and 2011 Distribution Contract Committee.

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Joginder Singh

Joginder Singh is financial director of Michael Supermarket (Blackheath) Ltd. He has been a member of Nisa since 1982 and a store owner since leaving school in 1980. He operates five retail stores sized from 1, 000 sq ft to 5,600 sq ft.

Joginder’s business consists of a team of four partners; himself, his two elder brothers and their brother-in-law. They have worked together since day one and Joginder is the youngest of the four.

Joginder is a member of the Audit Committee.

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Sucha Singh

Sucha is the managing director of Thames Cash and Carry Ltd which he opened in 1983. Since its inception, it has established itself as the leading Cash and Carry in Berkshire.

As a founder member of the Today’s Group, Sucha has served on its Board since 1987, alongside which he also sits on the Grocery Trading committee.

Sucha was born in India and predominantly educated in England. His business commenced in 1976, with the opening of his first retail shop in Slough. During the next seven years, with the support of his family, he added four more stores to his portfolio. It was at that time the need for a warehouse was felt and in 1983, he opened Thames Cash and Carry Ltd.

Sucha has over 30 years experience in the retail and wholesale sectors and is a member of Nisa- Today’s Nominations Committee.

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Jas Sunner

Jas’ family business – Michael’s Foodmarkets - has been a member of Nisa- Today’s for 27 years. He formally joined the business in July 1996 while still studying for a degree in Business Property Management at Sheffield Hallam University. When Jas entered the business it comprised two supermarkets, over the years a further five off-licenses were opened, with two later sold on. The family currently operates five stores ranging from 850 sq ft to 7,000 sq ft.

Jas has 18 years experience in the independent retail business, having worked his way up from the grass roots to the management positions he holds today.

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Prakash Thakrar

HT & Co Drinks Ltd, formerly Hothi Cash & Carry, is a family run business acquired by Prakash in 1998 at which time he had 15 staff – he now has 60. He has been a Group 1 member of the Today’s Group for more than a decade and the company was named 14th in Britain’s 100 fastest profit growing firms for 2007 in The Times profit track 100.

Prakash has recently expanded his businesses previous building by constructing a new warehouse with a large car park on the same site. This has resulted in him now being able to hold twice as much stock as before and a much wider range of products.

Prakash is a member of the Nominations Committee.

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Mark Windebank

Following a varied career, which began in 1982 with Courtalds Textiles, Mark gained the opportunity to buy into his own business in 2005 and became a shareholder and managing director of Savage and Whitten – Today’s Group members for seven years - and Independent Catering Services (a newly formed and new member of Today’s Group). He has since grown the business over the last two years from £16m turnover to a combined £26m and also has extensive Board level experience, during which time he has witnessed the need for change and adaptability.

Mark was born in Leeds but moved to Northern Ireland with his parents in 1964. He returned to Yorkshire in 1978 to study at Bradford University before joining Courtalds in 1982 on a management trainee scheme, where he quickly moved into a sales role to work with M&S.

Mark is a member of 2011 Distribution Contract Committee and Strategic Development & Acquisitions Committee.

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Raj Chatha

Raj Chatha has been a member of Nisa-Today’s since 1987. Originally joining as a retail member, he expanded his business into wholesaling, launching European Food Brokers (EFB) in 1991, acquiring Whittalls Wines in May 1999 and developing EFB to become the UK’s leading national independent drinks distributor, turning over in excess of £100 million. EFB is the largest BWS member of the Today’s Group.

Raj still has retail interests; in 2006, he acquired 16 retail stores under the ‘Shop to Go’ and ‘Whittalls Wine Merchants’ fascias – four in Lancashire and 12 in the South of England – all of which are Nisa members.

He was named as one of ‘Britain’s Top 100 Entrepreneurs’ by Management Today in 2006 and as one of the ‘40 most successful young entrepreneurs under the age of 40’ by the UK Daily Telegraph in the same year. He has been on the Holdings Board for three years.

Ian Black

Ian Black has worked as an accountant and management consultant with both PriceWaterhouseCoopers and KPMG, involving a range of retail and distribution clients. He also spent 20 years as an executive with Halifax PLC and HBOS PLC in the banking, insurance and investment businesses in the UK, Ireland, Continental Europe and Australia. He has extensive experience in leading start-ups, transformation programmes and operations in the positions of chief executive, finance director and chief operating officer. Ian has a first degree in Economics, an MBA from Cranfield Business School and is a fellowof both the Chartered Accountants and Banking Institutes. He is also a trustee and chairman of SCOPE, a pension fund trustee and a University College Governor.

Ian is a member of Nisa-Today’s Strategic Development & Acquisitions Committee, Remuneration Committee and its Nominations Committee.

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John Haigh

John is Nisa-Today’s first in-house company secretary & solicitor. He is a Barrister and graduate MBA with 30 years experience in corporate law, finance and HR. In his role, he acts as the company secretary to the Board of Nisa-Today’s (Holdings) Limited and solicitor and counsel to the company, providing advice to the Board and executives.

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