Aston Martin names first female chair as it prepares for £5bn float

Carmaker appoints Penny Hughes and a string of other City heavyweights to board Aston Martin has appointed Penny Hughes, a former Coca-Cola executive, as its chair as the luxury carmaker prepares for a £5bn stock market flotation.Andy Palmer, the Aston Martin chief executive, said the appointment of Hughes and a string of other boardroom heavyweights was “a significant milestone in our history and of the successful turnaround of the company”, which has been bankrupt seven times