UK

Chris Charlton is a Managing Partner & the CEO of GPMIP UK and is a member of the global leadership team member of Global PMI Partners.

Chris has an extensive background in business & IT consulting services, specialising in the delivery of complex M&A and change programmes.

He is a highly experienced Business & IT Leader & Board Advisor, with a background in B2B, B2C, technology, financial services, FMCG, healthcare, telecoms, pharma, logistics, energy, aviation, gaming & manufacturing sectors. He has also been a leadership team member of multiple Global and European businesses.

Chris has a highly collaborative approach to successful M&A integration, business transformation and change leadership, engaging with all levels of stakeholder to deliver ‘fit for purpose’ business- and IT-driven solutions and is expert at driving organisation and process change, business and IT transformation, business integration/divestment, operational performance improvement, cost reduction, business and IT strategy execution.

He has been published many times, including by the Financial Times, on the subjects of M&A, business strategy, programme delivery and managing complex change.

Mark Bevan is a Managing Partner & the COO of GPMIP UK and is a member of the global leadership team for Global PMI Partners.

He has a strong background in Technology transformation and M&A, having previously worked in multiple different consulting organisations in senior roles at Capgemini, DXC and Deloitte.

Mark has worked across multiple sectors including aviation, retail, logistics, manufacturing, banking, insurance, healthcare, consumer goods, and media & technology and has helped dozens of clients navigate the challenges of their M&A transaction and tranformational change progremmes.

Additionally, Mark’s collaborative and pragmatic approach enables him adapt and support clients with their ever changing and evolving transcation requirements, across all business functions, utilising the experiences gained from working with multiple blue-chip corporate and PE organisations and clients.

Allen Gibbons is the GPMIP UK Associate Partner for the Media, Telco, Consumer and Retail sectors.

He has led intergrations and carve outs across a broad spectrum of sectors including Consumer Goods, Technology, Media, Events and Professional Services and has experience from multinationals to SMEs including Diageo, Georgia Pacific and Del Monte as well as international business experience in Europe, North America, Asia and Sub Saharan Africa.

Whilst CEO of an international events and media group Allen led the international expansion with 70% of revenues from newly acquired businesses.

Chris Airey is the GPMIP UK Associate Partner for the Business and Professional Services, Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain.

He has experience in strategy and change delivery for process driven, b2b and b2c, technology and data enabled businesses and is expert at driving engagements and running programmes of work (business and / or technology). Additionally, he has a long track record in DD for technology enabled and SaaS businesses.

His experience extends to business operating models, technology strategy, integration planning & delivery, Business Services, Business Process Outsourcing solutions and Shared Services spanning Logistics, Retail, Technology, Maritime, SaaS and Financial Services.

Chris is the GPMIP UK Associate Partner for the Financial Services and Pharma & Healthcare sectors.

He is a proven C-Suite leader combining some unique experiences with the vision, skills, and energy to move organisations to the next level. Over twenty years’ experience in the Financial Services industry as a COO and Management Consultant, following six years’ service in the British Army. Recent startup experience as Chief Corporate Development Officer in leading healthtech firm Doctor Care Anywhere. Extensive Middle Eastern experience.

He has previously led the strategic acquisition and integration of the Australian GP2U business for Doctor Care Anywhere. He also previously managed the integration of Credit Suisse and First Boston.

Claire McCourt is the Executive Assistant to Mark Bevan and Chris Charlton.

Claire joined GPMIP in 2021 and is responsible for all support requirements for the senior leadership in the UK. Claire’s role is critical to the successful running of the team and provides administrative support for the execs as well as over-seeing the administration and implementation of the recruitment process for all new UK Associates. In addition to that she supports business development and events management.

Background:

• 35+ years of finance and management positions in a variety of sectors.
• 10+ years of change management experience primarily in the delivery of finance, IT and operations
• Owner and manager of CTCM Change Management Specialists
• Industry experience includes but not limited to facilities management, landscaping, aviation, real estate, general outsourcing and construction
• Experience of local, regional and global projects

Skills and Expertise:

• Qualified accountant with 25+ years of PQE
• Post-merger integration assessment and planning
• PMI Workstream management of Finance, Payroll, IT, Corporate and Operations
• Organisational transformation/change management and team building
• Operational finance coaching, training and management as part of transformation
• Finance team review, design and deployment
• ERP system review, design and implementation

Experience:
Relevant experience includes:

• Aviator UK & Aviator Group Nordic: IMO Project Management Co-lead of the PMI of 3 acquired operations with 600 TUPE staff into the Aviator Group structure and Carve-out from 2 other companies. Drove the review and implementation of finance, operational, T&A and payroll systems. Managed the TSA relationship with the sellers over the 6 month deadline period
• MITIE Landscaping Services: Led the end to end integration of 3 businesses into a single legal entity. Managed corporate and accounting processes to migrate vendors and customers externally plus staff and systems internally. Also dealt with the close-out of the 2 entities integrated
• Nokia Networks: Managed the contractual and financial transitioning of their outsourced FM services. This involved demobilizing the ending provider and overseeing the mobilization of the new contract. From budget management to reviewing and recommending processes & training plans which lead to a successful rollout and integration between provider and client

Isabella McKenzie-Sanchez holds the position of Sales, Marketing, and Communications Manager at Global PMI Partners. In this capacity, she manages many key aspects of our business development and relationship-building initiatives. Additionally, Isabella oversees our content and social media outreach and the development of our thought leadership articles.

Larisa Stephenson is the GPMIP UK Finance and Operations Manager.

She is responsible for Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable as well finance system management and is an indispensable part of the UK operations team.

Larisa is also a qualified solicitor and is based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Lesley-Ann Kenrick is the Associate Partner that leads the GPMIP UK HR capability.

She is a highly experienced & results driven HRD with deep experience in outsourcing/M&A (client and supplier side) international industrial relations, TUPE/ARD, organisational design, rightsizing, global HR shared service centre set up and HR transformation.

Her experience also covers the implementation of global HR programmes, specifically she has managed global HR programmes spanning 99 countries, European union/works council as well as Commercial due diligence and HR contract negotiations.

Background:

• A highly experienced Chairman, CEO, Main Board Level Executive and Non Executive Director
• 33 Years experience in the pan European Tank Storage Sector
• Proven track record of strategic business development and profitable growth within a strong corporate governance framework
• A chartered management professional with extensive experience of successful joint ventures, acquisitions and disposals
• Significant experience of post merger integration

Skills and Expertise:

• Highly skilled at working in high pressure environments with tight deadlines
• Significant expertise in managing a rapidly expanding pan European Business portfolio through organic business development and concurrent expansion via acquisition
• Highly skilled at pre acquisition due diligence and post merger integration including organisational restructuring
• Has presented multiple management presentations to prospective company buyers and assisted with providing clarity and understanding to 3rd party advisers
• Significant expertise in managing and improving profit margin and free cash generation through business development, cost and capex control
• Expertise in formulating forward looking Strategic Plans and presenting them for Board approval and then implementing agreed strategic objectives

Experience:

• As CEO of Inter Terminals, I was the European lead for multiple acquisitions in Sweden, the Netherlands,UK and Ireland
• In my 33 years with Inter Terminals the business was transformed from a sub 1million cubic metre UK only tank storage business to be one of the largest tank storage businesses in Europe with 6 million cubic metres of tank storage over 23 terminals in 6 major European Countries
• All above mentioned acquisitions were completed successfully and then integrated, along with organisational structure reviews and reshaping of the core management team to cope with an ever expanding business portfolio
• Significant experience of working within UK plc framework, private equity ownership and international listed Company ownership
• I was Chairman and director of the UK Tank Storage Association (TSA) for over 10 years and am now a non executive director of TSA

Background:

• Broad experience delivering Change in businesses and projects in UK, Europe and Middle East, specifically helping clients move to value faster and more efficiently
• Experience of working with clients through change such as M&A (pre and post), Leadership, Ownership, IPO, Tech/IT
• Culture change programmes for businesses of 50+ people to the likes of HSBC and Barclays
• Purpose led programmes for businesses to unearth their purpose and link to SDGs and ESG
• Considerable experience working with individuals and teams to harness potential that exists in businesses, but remains untapped

Skills and Expertise:

• Broad experience delivering Change in businesses and projects in UK, Europe and Middle East, specifically helping clients move to value faster and more efficiently
• Experience of working with clients through change such as M&A (pre and post), Leadership, Ownership, IPO, Tech/IT
• Culture change programmes for businesses of 50+ people to the likes of HSBC and Barclays
• Purpose led programmes for businesses to unearth their purpose and link to SDGs and ESG
• Considerable experience working with individuals and teams to harness potential that exists in businesses, but remains untapped

Experience:
Relevant experience includes:

• IT Workstream lead responsible for leading the separation of GTA and GTS divisions of the Kuoni Group in readiness for the integration of GTA into Hotelbeds Group
• IT Workstream lead for the integration of newly formed Hotelbeds Group consisting of Hotelbeds, GTA and Tourico holidays
• Responsible for leading the successful consolidation and development of legacy technical capabilities, with a remit to strengthen technical capability, stakeholders relationships to deliver fit-for-purpose operating models
• Lead recovery for Telrock to deliver previously-failing programme to achieve PCI DSS Certification
• IT Programme lead at Kuoni delivering transformational projects across multiple technologies
• Lead successful global outsourcing & insourcing programmes (IT Global Service Centre & Finance IT)

Rebecca Smith is GPMIP UK’s Chief Legal Officer and Associate Partner.

She has an extensive background as C-suite lawyer and business leader in large FTSE listed organisations, as well as privately owned and PE-backed companies. Rebecca has led global legal and compliance teams in a number of B2B, B2C and B2G industries and is well versed in providing value-adding, strategic guidance across all manner of legal, compliance and risk matters in regulated and unregulated environments. She is also highly skilled in change management and board transformation in an M&A environment.

Rebecca has worked in multiple sectors including FMCG, Healthcare, Technology, Gaming and Insurance.

Roy Mitroploulos is the GPMIP UK Associate Partner who leads the Energy sector.

Roy. has 30+ years’ experience in Downstream Oil and Gas, where he has worked in a number of spaces including Fuels, Lubricants, Trading, LPG, Refining and Aviation. The constant theme of his work has been leading business change, whether through M&A, restructuring or strategic initiatives. Roy got into M&A by accident in 2012, when the business he was working in was being sold, and he was asked to stay on and project manage the divestment. He has stayed in M&A since, and very much enjoys the intellectual challenge, the people side, and the demands of making deals a success.

Roy has learnt through deep experience where value is added, where value can be put at risk, and crucially where value is lost.

Robert Peopall is the GPMIP Associate Partner for the Technology and Property and Facilities Management sectors.

Robert has broad experience gained from working on complex global enterprise scale engagements working at CxO board level & across all stakeholder groups. He has worked on Exit Strategy, ERP, Business & Technology Transformation projects and worked on large-scale M&A & Business & IT Transformation projects as a Managing Partner at HP Enterprise and Transformation Director, CSC.

He was also previously an Associate Director at Ernst & Young working on pre and post deal buy and sell side delivery projects & DD exercises.

Steve Taylor is a Delivery Associate Partner for GPMIP UK with responsibility for supporting our Engagement Leads on the use of our methodologies in a consistent manner.

Steve has over 30 years’ experience in FTSE 100 & Fortune 500 organisations and has led multiple M&A transactions (Integrations & Carve Outs) and complex transformation programme delivery roles across numerous sectors.

He has over 15 years’ experience specifically in M&A delivery & advisory experience with total deal value of over £15.5bn.

Steve has an exemplary client delivery focus and stakeholder management skills built through many years of client delivery work for consultancies such as IBM, Capgemini and Global PMI Partners.