Plumbing and heating products distributor Ferguson PLC announced the appointment of Geoff Drabble as chairman designate and non-executive director.

Drabble will become chairman after the 2019 annual general meeting, subject to shareholder approval, replacing Gareth Davis, who will resign as a director in January 2020.

Drabble joins the company from Ashtead Group PLC, an industrial equipment rental company, where he was CEO.