Margaret Rice-Jones and the Rt Hon Baroness Catherine Ashton have joined the security printing group with immediate effect, both as non-executive directors.

Baroness Ashton is the former British European Union Trade Commissioner, who represented the EU in global trade negotiations. She is a non-affiliated Peer in the House of Lords.  

When chair of the EU Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Councils she was also responsible for high-profile negotiations on behalf of the UN Security Council.

Margaret Rice-Jones has a tech background and was chairman of Skyscanner prior to its sale in 2016. She was the senior independent director at Xaar from 2015 to 2020. She is also chair of Admiral Group subsidiary Penguin Portals.

De La Rue chairman Kevin Loosemore commented: “Baroness Catherine Ashton and Margaret Rice-Jones bring highly relevant experience in global government and geopolitical affairs and in the software, telecoms and technology industries respectively which will enable them to make an excellent contribution to the board at an exciting time for the business. I look forward to welcoming them to De La Rue.”

The £426.7m group is currently in the midst of implementing a wholesale turnaround plan, having raised £100m over the summer in a capital raise and placing of new shares to fund the transformation.