Eric Born

Eric Born joined Grafton Group plc as Chief Executive Officer on 28 November 2022, succeeding Gavin Slark in leading the Dublin-headquartered builders merchants business. Born on 31 August 1970, he is a Swiss national who has built a distinguished international career spanning retail, aviation services, and logistics sectors.

Born holds a BBA degree from the University of Applied Science in Zurich and an MBA from Simon Business School at the University of Rochester, New York. His executive career reflects deep expertise across multiple industries. Born served as CEO of Wincanton plc from 2010 to 2015, where he joined as Chief Operating Officer in April 2009 before becoming CEO in December 2010, with a focus on improving profitability by increasing turnover and lowering costs, achieving £1bn turnover and £34.9m pre-tax profit by year ended March 2014. He then served as President and CEO of Swissport International from August 2015 until the end of 2020, leading the global aviation services provider through organic growth and targeted acquisitions.

Career history

• Swissport International AG – President and CEO (August 2015 to end of 2020)
• Wincanton plc – CEO (2010-2015)
• Gategroup – President, West & South Europe
• Various senior roles in retail sector in Switzerland and the UK
• Non-Executive Director of Serco Group plc and John Menzies plc

Beyond his business career, Born was a European Judo Champion in 1991 and competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, defeated in the first round, before winning a silver medal at the 1993 World Judo Championships. Following his distinguished sporting career, Born leveraged his high-performance skills and drive to build a successful business career.

What Eric Born could bring to Group Chief Executive at Grafton Group plc: Born's appointment reflects Grafton's confidence in his track record of creating shareholder value in publicly listed and private equity-owned businesses. His proven expertise in driving profitability improvements through operational efficiency and strategic growth—demonstrated at Wincanton and Swissport—positions him to guide Grafton's portfolio of building materials distribution and retail businesses through the next phase of development. His experience in transforming logistics and supply chain operations across the UK, Ireland, and global markets offers valuable perspective for a builders merchants business seeking international expansion and operational excellence.