Armstrong Bonham Carter Armstrong Bonham Carter, 1 Angel Court, EC2R 7HJ, England

Michael Benson, Adviser

The Hon. Michael Benson has had a broad and successful career in investment management for over 40 years. This consists of experience in starting up new businesses to managing large companies and has covered significant M & A activity and working overseas. But in particular he has significant and profound experience of Boards through his membership of a number of them over the last 25 years.

Michael is currently chairman of FTSE 250 listed Ashmore Group, a non-executive director of Border Asset Management and a Trustee of the Community Foundation. He was formerly a senior independent director of Morse (until February 2009). From 2001 to 2005 Michael was Vice Chairman of the FTSE 100 listed Amvescap plc., having been a member of the Amvescap Board since the beginning of 1994. He was CEO of all the Group’s non-US businesses and was responsible for overseeing two of the most significant acquisitions outside the US. Prior to that global role, Michael was responsible for the entire Asia Pacific region for the Amvescap Group.

From 1985 to 1994, Michael set up a new asset management company (Scimitar) for Standard Chartered Bank and following a change of strategy at Standard Chartered, he was then responsible for Scimitar's disposal and integration with the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Prior to that role, Michael had been a director of Lazard Brothers and was joint managing director of Lazard Securities having spent 18 years in the company. Michael started his career with L. Messel in 1963.