Janet Ashdown graduated from Swansea University in 1980 with a BSc in Engineering. From here, Janet joined BP plc where she found scope for multiple roles in fuel supply, manufacturing, oil trading and retail marketing.
In her last role with BP, as head of the UK Fuels Business Unit, Janet was responsible for a £20 billion network of fuel outlets across the UK.
From 2010 to 2012, Janet served as CEO of Harvest Energy, an international private equity backed business. She has also served as non-executive director at SIG plc, Coventry Building Society, Marshalls plc and as chair of the Projects & Programs Committee of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
Since 2012 Janet has had an extensive Non-Executive Director portfolio and is currently; a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Victrex plc, Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Corporate Sustainability and Remuneration Committees at RHI - Magnesita NV, Senior Independent Director at Synthomer Plc, Non-Executive Director at Stolt Nielsen Ltd and has only recently after ten years’ service stepped down from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Board , a government arm’s length body where she was Senior Independent Director.