City of London Investment Group PLC (LSE: CLIG) has announced that Independent Non-Executive Director Ben Stocks will take on a new external board role at AIM-quoted SDI Group plc. The disclosure, made in accordance with UKLR 6.4.9(2), confirms that Stocks will become Non-Executive Chairman-designate of SDI Group with effect from 1 November 2026, before formally assuming the chairmanship on 25 November 2026. The regulatory announcement reflects the Group's obligation to declare potential conflicts or additional commitments taken on by its directors, keeping investors informed of material changes to board members' external positions.

Key Points

  • City of London Investment Group PLC (CLIG), listed on the London Stock Exchange
  • Independent Non-Executive Director Ben Stocks will join SDI Group plc (AIM: SDI) as Non-Executive Chairman-designate from 1 November 2026
  • Stocks will assume the full Chairman role at SDI Group on 25 November 2026
  • Investors will be watching whether this additional commitment prompts any further board changes or conflict-of-interest disclosures at CLIG

Ben Stocks to Take Non-Executive Chairman Role at AIM-Listed SDI Group from November 2026

The announcement confirms that Ben Stocks, who currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director of City of London Investment Group, will broaden his board commitments by joining SDI Group plc in a senior governance capacity. SDI Group is quoted on AIM, the growth market operated by the London Stock Exchange. Stocks will take on the designation of Non-Executive Chairman-designate from 1 November 2026, a transitional title that precedes his formal appointment as Chairman on 25 November 2026. The company did not disclose this figure in the announcement regarding any remuneration associated with the SDI Group role.

UKLR 6.4.9(2) Compliance Drives CLIG's Regulatory Disclosure Obligation

City of London Investment Group made the declaration expressly in accordance with UKLR 6.4.9(2), the UK Listing Rules provision that requires listed companies to disclose when a director takes on a significant external appointment. This regulatory framework is designed to ensure transparency around potential conflicts of interest and time commitments affecting board members at premium-listed or standard-listed UK companies. The announcement does not indicate that CLIG's board considers Stocks's new role to conflict with his existing duties, nor does it reference any planned changes to his position within the Group at this stage.

City of London Investment Group's Board Structure and Adviser Relationships

City of London Investment Group is an asset management business listed on the London Stock Exchange, with CEO Cooper Abbott based in the United States, reflecting the Group's international operational footprint. Singer Capital Markets acts as both Financial Adviser and Broker to the Group, with Charles Leigh-Pemberton, James Todd, and Patrick Weaver named as contacts. The Group's use of Singer Capital Markets in this governance disclosure underscores the standard infrastructure supporting its UK listing obligations. Investors tracking CLIG's board composition may note that Stocks retains his independent non-executive role at the Group following this announcement.