Senior Team
These are the people with the A4e vision that keep us moving forward and enable us to improve people’s lives every day. Click on the pictures below to read more information on our Senior Team and some of our trusted Advisers.
Mark Lovell - Executive Chairman
Mark Lovell
Executive Chairman
An entrepreneur and business leader focused on high growth business strategy in public service markets, Mark has led the strategy for the growth of A4e Ltd from start up to a £250m business over the last 20 years. As Executive Chairman, Mark has overall responsibility for group strategy, ensuring sustainable long term business growth in existing and new markets whilst maintaining a sustainable business model where the strategy and vision are aligned to 'Improve People's Lives'. Mark also works with the CBI.
Read Mark Lovell's blog
To contact Mark, please email his assistant, Deborah Grant
Andrew Dutton - Group CEO
Andrew Dutton
Group CEO
Andrew joined A4e in January 2008 and was appointed to the role of Group CEO in October 2010. Since joining the business Andrew's main focus has been on the development and integration of £900m of new contracts. Most recently Andrew was accountable for A4e's International business having led A4e's first ever acquisition of a training and skills business in Australia.
Read Andrew Dutton's blog
To contact Andrew, please email his assistant, Katy Robinson
Matt Stevens - Chief Financial Officer
Matt Stevens
Chief Financial Officer
Matt joined A4e in April 2012 as Chief Financial Officer. He has extensive experience of working within growing service businesses. Prior to this current role Matt held a number of senior financial positions including Group Finance Director for May Gurney Plc and Divisional Finance Director of Defence, Science and Technology within Serco.
To contact Matt, please email his assistant, Katy Robinson
Jo Blundell - Group Development Director
Jo Blundell
Group Development Director
Jo is Group Development Director, responsible for the delivery of the Group growth plan in the UK and overseas, managing the sales and development, marketing and employer engagement teams.
To contact Jo, please email her assistant, Philip Yiannitsaros
Steve Boyfield - Non Exec Director
Steve Boyfield
Non Exec Director
Currently a Non-Executive Director and management consultant, Steve has a successful record as a Chief Executive and Finance Director in both the public and private sectors, ranging from North & Mid-Cheshire TEC to TJ Hughes and Littlewoods. Steve joined A4e in 2001 as interim MD of Business Link County Durham. With his clear strategic thinking, Steve now chairs Group board Audit Committee, Group board Remuneration Committee and is Non Executive Chairman of A4e Israel.
Sir Robin Young - Non Executive Chairman
Sir Robin Young
Non Executive Chairman
Robin enjoyed an extensive career in Whitehall spanning over 30 years and culminating in Permanent Secretary positions in Department for Culture, Media and Sport then Department of Trade and Industry. He left the Civil Service in 2005 to start a new, non-executive career including Bovis Construction Ltd; Dr Foster Ltd; EEI (East of England International) EEI Board; Dr Foster Intelligence Ltd; Euro RSCG Apex Communications Ltd; the East of England Science and Industry Council; the Council of the Institute of Directors and the IOD Board.
Sir Hugh Sykes - Non Exec Director
Sir Hugh Sykes
Non Exec Director
A chartered accountant and law graduate, Hugh has had a wide and varied business career and has a proven track record in banking, finance, business and industry. He also has substantial experience in the public and voluntary sectors. His involvements include: Chairman of Yorkshire Bank, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive of Thermal Scientific plc, Co-founder and Trustee of the Hugh and Ruby Sykes Charitable Trust, Chairman of SheffCare, Chairman of the Industrial Trust, Chairman of the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHT Trust and Chairman of the Sheffield Development Corporation. Hugh was knighted in June 1997 in recognition of his services to urban regeneration and charity.
Roy Newey - Director (Advisor to Group Board)
Roy Newey
Director (Advisor to Group Board)
Following the sale of his restaurant business, Roy moved into a role with Merseyside TEC as Operations Director and Deputy Chief Executive. In this role he led the TEC for seven years delivering £65m of annual government budgets including strategy and turning around a failing Business Link. Since joining A4e in 2000 Roy has played a significant role in developing A4e's approach to delivering business support services under the Business Link brand and is now leading A4e's international development.
Read Roy Neweys's blog
Management Board
Andrew Dutton - Group CEO
Andrew Dutton
Group CEO
Andrew joined A4e in January 2008 and was appointed to the role of Group CEO in October 2010. Since joining the business Andrew's main focus has been on the development and integration of £900m of new contracts. Most recently Andrew was accountable for A4e's International business having led A4e's first ever acquisition of a training and skills business in Australia.
Read Andrew Dutton's blog
To contact Andrew, please email his assistant, Katy Robinson
Matt Stevens - Chief Financial Officer
Matt Stevens
Chief Financial Officer
Matt joined A4e in April 2012 as Chief Financial Officer. He has extensive experience of working within growing service businesses. Prior to this current role Matt held a number of senior financial positions including Group Finance Director for May Gurney Plc and Divisional Finance Director of Defence, Science and Technology within Serco.
To contact Matt, please email his assistant, Katy Robinson
Jo Blundell - Group Development Director
Jo Blundell
Group Development Director
Jo is Group Development Director, responsible for the delivery of the Group growth plan in the UK and overseas, managing the sales and development, marketing and employer engagement teams.
To contact Jo, please email her assistant, Katy Robinson
Caroline Roberts - Group HR Director
Nigel Lemmon - Executive Director
Nigel Lemmon
Executive Director
Nigel's most recent role was as Managing Director of a division of Rok Plc. Previously he has held leadership roles in a number of businesses including Centrica, British American Tobacco and the Reliance Group. He has a background of international leadership delivering large-scale change and business improvement. He has lived and worked in the USA, South Africa and Europe during his career and held several executive Board positions. Nigel is married has two children and lives in South West London.
To contact Nigel, please email his assistant, Michaela Brennan
Susan Yates - Executive Director for Developing Markets
Susan Yates
Executive Director for Developing Markets
Susan joined A4e in September 2009 and was appointed as Executive Director for Developing Markets in 2010. Previously, she held senior leadership positions with a leading Business Process Outsourcer, Vertex. Susan has worked in the service industry across a number of different sectors including Public Sector, Telecommunications, Retail and Financial Services leading on operational delivery, business improvement and client relationships.
A4e Advisors
Mark Runacres - India
Mark Runacres
India
Mark is currently on sabbatical from the British Diplomatic Service after 25 years of service. This took him to India, France and the U.S and gave him experience in international trade and investment, international security, development, political analysis, strategy and policy formulation, and over a decade working on Indian affairs, most recently as Minister and Deputy High Commissioner from 2002 to 2006. Mark works in various corporate and civil society roles, including as the CBI's India Adviser.
David Blunkett -
David Blunkett
David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and has been Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside since 1987, as well as a Member of the British Cabinet between 1997 and 2005. Combining reforming zeal with social conservatism, his successful career in Government spans roles as Education Secretary, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. With A4e, David undertakes roles to develop the business offer across the Development of International Public Services with overseas governments and the promotion of UK Social and Economic Policy with Governments outside the UK.
Tim Seymour - Corporate Financial Adviser
Tim Seymour
Corporate Financial Adviser
Brought up in South Africa, Tim went to university in England. After qualifying as a chartered accountant with Price Waterhouse, he spent his career as a merchant banker with the Accepting Houses S.G.Warburg and Rea Brothers and with NatWest bank. He has advised a wide range of clients, including NatWest, Securicor, Saatchi & Saatchi, Sandell Perkins, Thermal Scientific and Emess Lighting. Tim has a great deal of experience in all areas of corporate finance advice for growing companies, both quoted and unquoted. Tim has also held Directorships in a number of public and private companies including Thomas Miller, Le Creuset and Royal Sovereign, where he was non-executive Chairman.
Professor Russel Griggs OBE - Scotland
Professor Russel Griggs OBE
Scotland
Russel started his business life in marketing the pharmaceutical industry and spent over 20 years in the private sector in various industries and roles, rising to be CEO of part of a publically quoted business. He joined Scottish Enterprise in a business development role, before becoming an Executive Director running the investment and business development arms, plus Scotland the Brand and The Scottish Science Trust. His current roles include board membership of Imes Group Ltd, chairmanship of the Institute of Occupational Medicine, chairmanship of the CBI's national SME Council at UK national level and the Regulatory Review Group for the Scottish Government. He is also chair of Marie Curie Cancer Care Advisory Board in Scotland. He is honorary Professor of the University of Glasgow, which awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2002 for services to industry and the University, and he was awarded an OBE in 2008 for services to Scottish business.
Mike Gordon - Australia
Mike Gordon
Australia
With 22 years of Non Executive Director experience, Mike is currently Chairman of PreVisor Pty Ltd, the Australian operations of an international company providing objective assessment tools and consulting for talent management and Ballyward Pty Ltd, a trust managing superannuation funds, as well as A4e Pty Ltd. Prior to this, Mike enjoyed 10 years as a missile electronics engineer, 10 years of managing consultancy, firstly with PA and then Booz, Allen & Hamilton, in Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe, and 30 years as Chief Operating Officer for both BIS, an international provider of Information Technology products and services; then the Spring Group, an international recruitment and training company.
Julian Browne - Market Development
Julian Browne
Market Development
Julian is the senior Advisor for The Carlyle Group in Europe for Defence, Aerospace and Government industries. Having served in the British Army from 1968-1993 (including serving in the Royal Anglian Regiment, commanding the 33 Armoured Brigade and Chief of Staff of the 2nd Division), Julian took early retirement for a career in the defence industry. This spanned leading the work with Westland Helicopters Ltd to win the UK MoD Attack Helicopter programme, as well as serving on the Boards of Racal Defence Electronics Ltd, Racal-Thompson Networks Ltd and Thales International. He was appointed an MBE in 1980 for work in connection with US/UK special operations. In addition to his Carlyle responsibilities, Julian serves as Chairman of Lifesaver Defence Ltd, Deputy Chairman of Arkonia and NP Aerospace Ltd, and a Non-Executive Director of Clarion Defence Ltd. He is also a Senior Advisor to the Boards of Exensor AB (Sweden), DSM Ltd, All Sec Technologies (Chennai, India), EADS Test Services Ltd, Hacking Team srl (Italy) and Ubisense Ltd.
