Rupert Soames OBE became Chair at Smith & Nephew plc in September 2023.

He was President and Chair of the CBI from Feb 2024 to Jan 2026, and previously Group Chief Executive at Serco from May 2014 until Dec 2022 and Group Chief Executive of Aggreko plc from 2003 to 2024.

Prior to Aggreko, he was with Misys plc for five years, latterly as Chief Executive of its Banking and Securities Division. He spent the first 16 years of his career at GEC plc.

He studied Politics, Philosophy & Economics at Oxford University and was President of the Oxford Union.

He was a Non-Executive Director of DS Smith until Sept 2022; previously Senior Independent Director of Electrocomponents plc and a member of the RemCo, NomCo and AuditCo.   

He is a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University, and a Visiting Professor of Aston University, Birmingham.