Mark Horsley - Northern Gas Networks

Our guest is Mark Horsley, Chief Executive Officer of Northern Gas Networks, the business that delivers gas to the North of England through a network of more than 37,000 km of gas pipes.

He describes how Northern Gas Networks moved to industry leading performance by focusing on their customers, the communities they operate in, and their own employees and partners.  He also shares how a big setback in his career changed his approach to leadership.  And, he highlights why he thinks it’s critical that private companies don’t wait for government action on net zero – and gives practical examples of what can be done to accelerate needed private sector investment.

Mark has been Chief Executive Officer of Northern Gas Networks (NGN) since 2011.

He has over 40 years of experience in the energy sector. Since joining NGN the company has transformed its approach to customer service, securing 12 national accolades for customer and employee experience, including a National Business Award for ‘Customer Focus’.

Mark was awarded ‘Inspirational Leader’ at the UK Employee Experience Awards in March 2015 in recognition of his innovative approach to employee engagement which has been instrumental to NGN’s cultural transformation.

Mark has held a number of senior appointments in the industry including Equity Partner and Head of Power Distribution at EC Harris, an international built asset consultancy, Strategy and Central Programmes Director at Scottish Power and President and Chief Operating Officer at CE Electric UK. Mark held the post of Chairman of the UK Energy Networks Association from 2004 to 2006, and was Chairman of the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) from 2014 to 2017. He was appointed Non-Executive Director of the EIC in September 2017.

Mark Horsley

Matt Westmore - Health Research Authority

Matt (he/him) talks about the journey they have been on to identify and realise a clear, distinctive purpose in a complicated environment. He shares lessons for any leader who realises that the pursuit of purpose requires an organisation to embrace innovation and manage new risks. He describes how they ensure that their purpose drives their strategy, rather than the other way round, and how they engage with a broader ecosystem to deliver that purpose.

The HRA works in partnership with others to support and regulate health and social care research in the UK, with responsibility to protect and promote the interests of patients and the public. 

Matt has a background in research funding, policy and practice. He was previously a professor of enterprise with a focus on improving the relevance, transparency and quality of research at the University of Southampton and remains an adjunct Professor. 

Matt Westmore

Graham Vidler - Confederation of Passenger Transport UK

Our guest is Graham Vidler, Chief Executive. Confederation of Passenger Transport UK. The Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (or CPT) is the trade body for the bus and coach industries in the UK. 

Graham will share with us the benefits of taking a more inclusive approach to developing their strategy and how they found the right balance for CPT’s purpose between – on the one hand – being just about what they do and on the other hand focusing only on the social benefits that flow from that.

Graham joined the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) as CEO in May 2019. CPT is the trade association for the UK’s bus and coach industries, with members providing around 95% of UK bus services and the majority of UK coach services. Graham’s focus has been on transforming CPT to have a clearer, stronger voice on behalf of its members.

His previous roles include a number of senior policy and communication roles in the financial services sector, Head of Policy at Which? and a senior researcher in the House of Commons Library. In all of these roles he’s sought to bring simplicity and clarity and a strong focus on customer outcomes.

Graham Vidler

Paul Pester - Cardeo

Our guest is Paul Pester, a portfolio non-executive Chair and Director.

Paul was the founding Group Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Money, where he established the business as an early digital disruptor in UK financial services and went on to launch the iconic Virgin brand in retail financial services in Australia and South Africa.  He was Managing Director at Santander UK, leading the acquisition of Bradford & Bingley and Alliance & Leicester, and was the CEO of TSB Banking Group for seven years.  During this time, he led the creation and successful launch of the bank in 2013, its £1.4bn IPO on the London Stock Exchange in 2014 and built the business to become the UK’s largest challenger bank.  TSB was the subject of a £1.7bn acquisition by the Spanish bank Sabadell in mid-2015.

Currently, he Chairs Fairer Finance’s Consumer Advisory Board, is a non-executive Director at the consumer lending business Oplo, a Board advisor at credit card business Jaja Finance and an advisor to the fintech start-up Cardeo. 

A former advisor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on banking competition, Paul spent his early career in management consulting, the majority of which was at McKinsey & Co.

Paul Pester

Tara Waite - Premium Credit

Our guest is Tara Waite, Group Chief Executive Officer of Premium Credit, a consumer and business lending business that operates in the UK and Ireland. She shares with us the process they used to involve and embolden all their colleagues in defining their purpose, how their private equity owners relate to their purpose, the importance of letting go as a senior executive to get real employee engagement, and how they use their purpose in making investment decisions – particularly the ones that require a leap of faith.

Tara (nee Kneafsey) has over 20 years’ experience in financial services in both UK and International roles, beginning her career as a management consultant at Andersen, and subsequently at Ernst and Young. Prior to her current role, she was Group Chief Executive Officer of Wonga Group, a consumer lending business operating in Europe and South Africa.

Tara has also held leadership roles at RSA Insurance Group, including Managing Director of the UK’s SME and Delegated Authority business, and CEO of RSA’s market leading business in Latvia. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics from Trinity College Dublin and a Master’s degree in Applied Physics. She is also a visiting Fellow at Oxford University’s SAID Business School.

Tara Waite

Stephen Haddrill - Finance and Leasing Association

Our guest is Stephen Haddrill, Director General of the Finance & Leasing Association.

The Finance & Leasing Association is the leading trade body for the asset, consumer and motor finance sectors in the UK. Their members include banks, subsidiaries of banks and building societies, the finance arms of leading retailers and manufacturing companies, and a range of independent firms.

Stephen was appointed Director General of the FLA in October 2019 and took up his role in early December 2019. Prior to this he was CEO of the Financial Reporting Council 2009-2019, was Director General of the ABI 2005-2009, and Chairman of the Institute of Employment Studies 2007-2011. He also held various senior positions at the Department of Trade and Industry including as Director General of Fair Markets, responsible for a wide range of regulatory functions, covering consumer, competition, company law and employment policy.

Stephen Haddrill