Builders’ merchant Travis Perkins insists that incoming chairman Stuart Chambers, who is taking the same role at miner Anglo American, is not going out to work for anyone else. He will spend up to two days week at the construction industry supplier, and a similar amount of time at the mining group. He may need to — and the use of two mobile phones.
Despite extensive boardroom experience — at Arm, Rexam and Pilkington — Mr Chambers has not worked in either sector. So the scope for mishearing messages about iron ore and mitre saws, coal mines and hydrated limes, South African politics and South Circular traffic are perhaps just a little too great.