Resume
2023 - Current
The Liberation GroupChair
Premium hospitality company. Liberation Group currently oversees an estate of around 130 pubs, made up of managed and tenanted sites, with accommodation of more than 400 rooms and an exceptional food offering. Operating the Butcombe and Liberation brands. We are looking to significantly expand the number of rooms across our estate and we will create a destination of choice for consumers, particularly around "Events" and breakfasts.
2023 - Current
Sunweb GroupChair
Sunweb serves ~1.3 million passengers annually, providing packaged holidays to more than 20 focal destinations across Europe and the Mediterranean. Sunweb’s online tour operating model is a differentiated hybrid between traditional tour operators and online travel agencies, which combines the best features of the online travel agencies‘ asset light business model and the content quality and customer experience provided by traditional tour operators. The company retains leading European market positions in both winter sports and sun & beach holiday offerings. I became Chair in September 2023.
2021 - Current
Explore LearningChair
Explore Learning is a leading provider of after-school tuition for 4 - 16 year olds across the UK. Nearly 30,000 children benefit from Explore tuition every week, either at one of our vibrant learning centres or through our online Explore at Home tuition service. The organisation designs and embeds curriculum in a modern, digital platform, which is delivered by a network of in-house tutors, through 100 centres or online. A Graphite-backed business.
2014 - Current
Simply BusinessChair
Previously an Aquiline capital partners owned business, SB was sold to the Travelers Insurance Group for £400m in 2017. SB offers a range of tailored business insurance quotes to compare from leading business insurance companies. Continually recognised for innovation and being a diverse and inclusive organisation. This is a regulated under by FCA. I have been a director at Simply Business since January 2014.
2008 - Current
Holiday ExtrasNon executive director
Holidayextras is a family-owned company. It is the UK market leader for travel add-ons, with airport hotels, parking, lounges and insurance as its core offerings. An increasingly important segment in travel. It is a very strong technology and distribution business that is continually recognised as an innovative organisation and a great place to work. MBO completed in 2018. It has a fast growing international business, based in Germany and Netherlands.
2015 - 2024
On The BeachNon Executive Director (RemCo Chair / SID)
Founded by Simon Cooper, On the Beach is one of the UK's leading OTAs. It offers customers choice and value for money flights and hotels to the world's most popular beach holiday destinations. I joined the company for the IPO in 2015. Interim Chairman (2018-2019), Senior Independent Director (2019-2023) and Chair of the Remuneration Committee (2015-2023).
2020 - 2023
National LotteryNon Executive Director (Audit Chair) (acquired)
Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) is the regulated operator of the Irish National Lottery. PLI was awarded a twenty year licence to operate the National Lottery by the Irish Government in November 2014. I act as a Non-Executive Director, and Chair of the board’s Audit and Risk Committee for the operating company which holds the licence for Ireland’s National Lottery. PLI were acquired by FDJ in November 2023.
2016 - 2023
The Gym GroupNon Executive Director (RemCo Chair, Audit Chair)
Founded by John Treharne, The Gym Group is a fast growing, leading disruptive provider of high-quality low-cost gyms, with 200 gyms in major towns and cities across the UK. Second largest UK low cost operator. A digital business which conducted a main Market IPO. Chair of Remuneration (2016 - 2021); Chair of Audit (2021 - 2022). Retired at May AGM.
2014 - 2023
Camelot Lottery SolutionsNon Executive Director (acquired)
Camelot Lottery Solutions is the leading solutions and technology provider to lotteries around the world, helping customers reach new players and deliver responsible growth through increasing engagement with the lottery brand, leveraging digital technology, and providing new ways to play. Our next-generation digital and data platforms, technology and advisory partnerships power some of the most innovative and fastest growing lotteries in the world. Camelot CLS was acquired by The Allwyn Group in March 2023 for an undisclosed sum.
2014 - 2023
Camelot IllinoisNon Executive Director (acquired)
Camelot Illinois operates the Illinois Lottery, a modern enterprise that truly benefits the people of Illinois. It places consumers and social responsibility at its core, providing funding for schools, capital projects and special causes. The Illinois Lottery, a regulated entity, has contributed over $24 billion to the state’s Common School Fund to assist K-12 public schools, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars to the Capital Projects Fund and to special causes. Camelot Illinois was acquired by The Allwyn Group in March 2023 for an undisclosed sum.
2014 - 2023
CamelotNon Executive Director (acquired)
National Lottery. A pension-backed business, owned by Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP) which runs the UK National Lottery, regulated by The GamblingbCommission. Camelot transforms lives of its many winners, and the countless individuals and communities which benefit from lottery funding. Over the years, it made a winning business of running one of the world’s most successful lotteries. Camelot UK was acquired by The Allwyn Group in February 2023.
2014 - 2023
Reach plcNon Executive Director (RemCo Chair)
Reach PLC is one of the largest multimedia publishers in the UK. Lead by Jim Mullen as CEO, the business is creating a unique digital news organisation supported by a set of national and regional print brands. I joined the Board in 2014 and Chair the Remuneration Committee.
2019 - 2022
Forest HolidaysChair (acquired)
Forest Holidays create authentic experiences in Britain’s amazing forests. We have ten sites and 500 cabins across the UK. Working with local partners (Forestry England, Forestry and Land Scotland, Natural Resources Wales) we connect people, nature and local communities. This is a Phoenix backed business, supported by LDC. I have chaired the business since January 2020.
2013 - 2021
Chair (acquired)Pure360
Pure360 is an Email Marketing, Email Personalisation, Website Personalisation and Marketing Automation provider. Differentiated through service, results and agility. Pure360 is a private equity-backed business serving the enterprise and mid market sectors. Acquired by The Spotler Group in November 2021.
2017 - 2019
PrezolaChair (acquired)
Prior to being acquired in August 2019, Prezola was the UK’s no.1 Wedding gift list company. Founded in 2012 by Dom and Ali Beaven, Bath-based Prezola was backed by BGF. It works as an aggregator, allowing users to compile wedding gift lists from 300 different shops. The sister site, GettingMarried.co.uk, allows customers to create customisable wedding websites. The business consistently delivered 50% year over year growth. Prezola was acquired by The Wedding Shop for an undisclosed sum.
2013 - 2018
TalmixChair (acquired)
I chaired Talmix, the leading marketplace for matching the top 1% of consulting professionals to opportunities around the world for 5 years. We worked with clients in the FTSE 100 / Fortune 500, SMEs and Startups in over 30 countries and can provide resources in over 100, ensuring a truly global reach. We are backed by several leading VC funds within Europe. The CEO is Sandeep Dhillon.
2012 - 2017
Love Home SwapChair (acquired)
We sold LHS to the Wyndham Hotel Group for $53m in August 2017. A business founded by Debbie and Ben Wosskow. It enables members to enjoy home exchange vacations in over 70 countries worldwide. I chaired the business between April 2012 and August 2017.
2012 - 2017
Qliro GroupNon Executive Director
Qliro Group’s business concept is to offer the best range of products via the internet, both own and external brands within the segments where the business operates. Increasingly, the ecommerce operation helped create a large financial services business. Qliro is a public company, with its headquarters in Stockholm. I was non-executive director between May 2012 and May 2017.
2014 - 2016
ZutoChair
Zuto was founded in 2006 with a mission to remove the complexity and hassle out of finding and financing a car. Since then it has helped 2 million UK car buyers and provided access to more than £1.1 billion in finance but the mission is far from complete. Leveraging investment in technology and data, and a transparent approach to financing the business wants to build an experience so compelling that customers wouldn’t want to buy a car any other way. I chaired the business from 2014 to 2016 and remain a shareholder.
2011 - 2013
BaseKitNon Executive Director
BaseKit’s technology makes it easy for small businesses to create an effective and great looking online presence. The company's success made it one of Europe’s most exciting tech start-ups. I was non-executive director between 2011 and 2013. Basekit has helped over 9 million small businesses get online by partnering with Telecom and hosting companies.
2010 - 2012
Rackspace TechnologySVP / Managing Director, International
Rackspace was a cloud computing services pioneer, who delivered deliver proven multicloud solutions across apps, data, and security. During my time Rackspace was differentiated by its amazing culture. I led the Rackspace Cloud and Managed Hosting business outside North America, reporting to CEO Lanham Napier, and managed the transformation of the international business into cloud.
2007 - 2010
mydecoFounder / CEO
Founded mydeco with Brent Hoberman and Paul Chudleigh. An online marketplace for home design. We developed mydeco over a five year period and the made.com business originated from that team.
2003 - 2007
eBayVP Operations / COO
eBay Inc. is an American multinational e-commerce corporation based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995. I was responsible for the European operations at eBay, reporting to Philip Justus and Lorrie Norrington. I was a Board member of the International business in Bern and lead the European functions.
2000 - 2003
lastminute.comCOO
lastminute.com is an online travel and leisure retailer. The company was founded by Martha Lane Fox and Brent Hoberman in 1998 and was a part of the UK internet boom of the late 1990s, part of the dot-com bubble and trading on the London Stock Exchange. I was COO at lastminute.com, reporting to Martha Lane Fox. Responsible for the day-to-day management of the business. Main market IPO in 2000.
1998 - 2000
AmazonOperations Director
Amazon.com, Inc. is an American multinational technology company based in Seattle, Washington, which focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. I was Operations Director, reporting, in the early days, to Simon Murdoch. We grew and scaled the operations across the UK and Europe.
1995 - 1999
Cass Business SchoolPHD, Product Development
1991 - 1995
FileNetManager of Strategic Partnerships
FileNet, a company acquired by IBM, developed software to help enterprises manage their content and business processes. I established the third party channel for sales and implementation of workflow systems, working largely with the large scale integrators and management consultancies.
1986 - 1991
NCREuropean Product Manager
NCR Corporation is an American software, managed and professional services, consulting and technology company that also makes self-service kiosks, point-of-sale terminals, automated teller machines, check processing systems, and barcode scanners. I set up the new image processing and workflow product / team for NCR (AT&T) Europe.