IG Group Appoints Former Virgin Media COO Andrew Barron as Incoming Chair

Leading UK-based online trading provider IG Group Holdings plc (LON: IGG) has announced the appointment of Andrew Barron as Board Chair Designate and Non-Executive Director, effective immediately. He will formally assume the role of Chair once the required regulatory approvals are secured.

Barron will succeed Mike McTighe, who has chaired the company for more than six years, overseeing a period of significant expansion and diversification. McTighe will remain in the role until regulatory clearances are completed to ensure a smooth handover, after which he will step down from the Board.

Barron brings extensive leadership experience, with a 25-year executive career largely spanning the technology, media and telecommunications sectors. He most recently served as Chief Operating Officer of Virgin Media.

Jonathan Moulds, Senior Independent Director who led the succession process, thanked McTighe for his contribution and said Barron’s experience guiding technology-driven businesses through growth and transformation makes him well suited to chair IG.

Barron said he was pleased to join IG at what he described as an important stage in its development, noting the company’s strong position in global financial technology and its potential for continued expansion.

Professional Background

Barron has more than 35 years of operating and board-level experience. In addition to his role at Virgin Media (2008–2013), he previously served as COO of Modern Times Group and held senior positions at UPC and The Walt Disney Company. He began his career at McKinsey & Company.

He currently serves as:

• Non-Executive Director at Openreach (since 2020)

• Non-Executive Director at Verisure (since 2020)

• Senior Operating Partner at Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners (since 2020), representing the firm on the boards of Delta Fiber and Astound

His previous board roles include Deputy Chair and Chair of Tele2, Chair of Comhem, Chair of Primacom, and co-founder of the SPAC Ocelot.

Barron holds an MBA from Stanford University and a BA from University of Cambridge.