Sarah Sands latest to join as part of non-exec ‘refresh’

Listed London-focused housebuilder Berkeley Group has appointed former Today programme editor Sarah Sands to its board.

Sands, a former editor of the London Evening Standard and the Telegraph, left the Today programme last year and is now chair of right-leaning think-tank Bright Blue. She has been appointed as part of an ongoing refresh of the housebuilder’s board in the wake of the death of founder Tony Pidgley last year.

Kidbrooke Villlage L&Q Berkeley

The board refresh led to the departure earlier this year of long-time board member Veronica Wadeley, also a former editor of the Evening Standard.

Sands, who is viewed as close to the Conservative Party, is a board director of Hawthorn Advisors and is chair of the Gender Equality Advisory Council for the G7 and a board member of business lobby group London First.

Glyn Barker, chairman said the appointment was part of its programme to refresh the Board by June 2022. He said: “Sarah is a highly respected journalist with a broad insight on economic, political and social matters and she brings a valuable perspective to the Board”, including on issues such as “the environment, sustainability, community and inclusivity.”

In January Berkeley removed Adrian Li and Wadeley from the board, at the same time as appointing private equity expert William Jackson, the Archdeacon of Hackney Elizabeth Adekunle, and PwC senior partner Andy Kemp.

Glyn Barker has been appointed to chair the firm for up to two years while a long-term replacement for Tony Pidgley is identified.