Peace is chairman of the Midlands Engine Partnership and Midlands Connect. Sir John is also the Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire and the chancellor of Nottingham Trent University. He has had a long and distinguished business career covering the technology, financial services and retail sectors. He has been chairman, chief executive and founder of Experian, chief executive of GUS, chairman of Standard Chartered plc, chairman of Burberry, and is currently chairman of Octo Telematics.