Board profiles

The Board supports and oversees the development and implementation of Harworth’s strategy. More information on the Board’s responsibilities and composition can be found in the Group’s Annual Report & Accounts.

Steven Underwood (Executive Director) is the Chief Executive of the Peel Group, one of the United Kingdom’s largest privately owned real estate, transport and infrastructure investors. Before joining Peel as Corporate Development Director in 2007, Mr Underwood spent eight years in investment banking with Rothschild and, prior to that, qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand. He represents the Peel Group on the boards of a number of its investee companies, including Peel Ports Group, Northstone, Peel Land and Peel Waters. Mr Underwood is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum Group and was a director of Harworth until 31 December 2024.

​Graeme Charnock (Non-Executive Director) is a Chartered Accountant who qualified with KPMG. He is a former Chief Financial Officer with a background in project management across the ports, rail, infrastructure, energy, power and process industries. Mr Charnock has significant experience of working with and for large private companies and listed public companies on strategic, M&A, reporting and governance matters. Following his retirement from Peel Ports Group in April 2022, Mr Charnock works with organisations in a trustee and non-executive capacity.

John Peter Whittaker (Executive Director) leads the Group Investments team at the Peel Group, with primary responsibility for new investments and corporate transactions across its real estate and infrastructure divisions. Mr Whittaker is a member of Peel Group’s Investment Committee and is Peel Group’s representative on a number of its direct and joint venture investments, including Peel Ports, Peel Airports, LEEP, Peel Land and Northstone. Prior to joining Peel, Mr Whittaker qualified as a Chartered Surveyor at Cushman & Wakefield and spent time in the investment banking division at Rothschild. 

Ian Ball (Executive Director) currently works in the Peel Group Investments team. Mr Ball previously worked for Harworth from 2014 to 2022, serving as Chief Operating Officer at the time of his departure. During his tenure, Mr Ball was involved in, and led, a number of Harworth’s acquisitions, disposals and logistics developments, including the purchase of Gateway 45 Leeds, the purchase of NuFarm, the sale of land at Ansty to Frasers, and the creation and build-out of the Multiply Logistics joint venture at Logistics North. Mr Ball has prior experience in the private equity and banking sectors, having worked for J.P. Morgan, Doughty Hanson, Barclays and NatWest, and was also a director of Rushbond PLC until 1 May 2024.

Mark Whitworth (Non-Executive Chair) has been Chairman of the Peel Group since 2023 and Chairman of the Peel Ports Group since April 2022, prior to which he served as Chief Executive Officer of Peel Ports from 2010 to 2022. Before that, Mr Whitworth was Chief Executive Officer of Peel Airports between 2007 and 2010. Mr Whitworth started his career as an Operations Manager for Marks & Spencer plc, before spending 12 years at Speedy Hire plc in various managing director roles.