North West Business Leadership Team

Mike is a graduate of the University of Leeds, where he successfully completed an Honours degree in Management Studies with Russian. He is has been in BT for 15 years and has had several different roles in Government Services. He has a profound understanding of the local government market place and specialist knowledge of the education arena. Mike was born and lives in the North West and now represents BT as its Regional Director in the Region. In June 2008 Mike was appointed as the Chair of Greater Manchester’s Commission for Economic Development, Employment and Skills. Mike is married and lives in Cheshire and has two sons and a daughter.

Nick is the Senior Partner for our North West practice in Manchester and Liverpool. He is an Assurance partner, serving a number of audit clients across the North West Region. Nick read engineering at Worcester College, Oxford and qualified as a chartered accountant in 1989 with Price Waterhouse. He moved to the Manchester office in 2003, having been based previously in our London office. He has also been seconded to our offices in Padua and Milan in Italy, spending two years in each as a manager and partner respectively. In addition to the provision of audit services, he has extensive experience in IPO and other transaction related work. Nick is marred to Carah. They have three young children and live in the Peak District.

Steve was appointed Chief Executive of Speedy Hire Plc in April 2005. Having joined the company in 1989 when the business had 13 outlets, he has been progressively promoted "through the ranks". Having started the current survey and lifting businesses whilst MD of Speedy Southern, he was appointed to the role of Chief Operating Officer upon the companies' flotation in April 2000 and to his present role 5 years later. With over 20 years experience in the hire industry; he began his working career in the Royal Engineers after leaving grammar school and entered the hire industry in 1983. Steve is on the National Council of the CPA and of the Lighthouse Club (the construction industry charity) he is a member of the steering committee of the University of Liverpool Management School, a member of the North West Business Leaders Team and also a member of the AGMA (Association of Greater Manchester Authorities) Business Leadership Council and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Chris assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer, Virgin West Coast (on the retirement of Charles Belcher) in September 2007, whilst (in his role as MD, Virgin Cross Country) consecutively overseeing the transition of the Cross Country franchise to Arriva. Since joining the company in June, 2003 Chris has been responsible for all aspects of the operation (reporting to the Chief Executive of Virgin Rail Group), leading teams for production, customer service, safety and franchise management, and has responsibility for safe, reliable, profitable and efficient operations and 1700 staff. Chris is a member of the Virgin Rail Group Executive responsible for Group Finance, Commercial, HR and Communications activities, and is also a Board Member of the Virgin Rail Group (a joint venture between Virgin and Stagecoach), Cross Country Trains Ltd and West Coast Trains Ltd. Chris joined the railway in 1981 as a junior clerk, but his more recent career history included: Managing Director, Cardiff Railway Company Ltd, t/a Wales & Borders (October, 2001 to May, 2003); Managing Director, Wales & West Passenger Trains Ltd (November, 2000 to October, 2001); Re-franchising Director, Wales & West Passenger Trains Ltd (July, 2000 to November, 2000); Managing Director (Acting), Wales & West Passenger Trains Ltd (June, 1999 to October, 1999); Managing Director, At Seat Catering Ltd (April, 1998 to May, 2003); Operations Director (Wales & North), Wales & West Passenger Trains Ltd (January, 1997 to October, 1999). Chris is married with two young children and his interests (when he has time) are cycle racing and travel.

Philip Green became Chief Executive of United Utilities PLC in February 2006. United Utilities is one of the largest utilities (water, gas, and electricity) companies in the UK, ranked mid-way in the FTSE100, with a market cap of £5bn+ after recently returning £1.5bn to shareholders. In 2003 Philip was appointed CEO of P&O Nedlloyd, one of the largest container shipping companies in the world, and a joint venture between P&O and Royal Nedlloyd. He led the company to its successful listing as Royal P&O Nedlloyd BV in Amsterdam in April 2004. Under his leadership operating profit increased from $77m in 2003 to approximately $550m in 2005. In August 2005, the company was acquired at a share price of €57 compared to a market price of less than €10 in 2003. He was previously Chief Operating Officer at Reuters Group plc, which he joined in 1999. His responsibilities included the design and implementation of a global change management programme. From 1990 to 1999 he was at DHL, the global market leader for cross-border express delivery, becoming Chief Operating Officer for Europe and Africa. He holds an MBA from the London Business School and a BA (Hons) from the University of Wales. Philip is a non-executive Director of Lloyds Banking Group. He is a member of the Commission for Skills and Employment. He is also a Director of Business in the Community, and Chairman of BitC’s Environment Campaign. He is a Trustee of the Philharmonia Orchestra. He was born in 1953 and is married with two daughters.

Trevor Gregory is Chief Executive Officer of ABB Ltd in the UK and Ireland. ABB is a leading power and automation technology company whose aim is to enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs around 120,000 people. In the UK, ABB currently employs around 3,000 people. Gregory is an engineer by profession and training, and started his career in electronics before moving into the electrical power sector, where he has worked for 20 years. He joined ABB in 1995 and has held a number of managerial positions. He took up the position of Managing Director, ABB Ltd in January 2003.

Stephen Henwood was appointed Chairman of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on 1st March 2008 and is responsible for the decommissioning of 20 legacy nuclear sites including Sellafield. A Chartered Management Accountant, he read Economics at Liverpool University and in 1999 attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. His business career has combined financial and general management roles initially in the food industry with Tate & Lyle PLC and from 1992 to 2006 with BAE Systems. His roles at BAES included Managing Director of Royal Ordnance based at Chorley and Group Managing Director, Programmes based at Warton. Since 2006 he has been involved in a range of activities including the Chairmanship of an engineering business funded by the Carlyle Group. He has held a number of non-executive directorships including Saab AB and Nord Anglia Education and remains a Director of Hampson Industries PLC.

Paul Lee is Senior Partner of law firm Addleshaw Goddard LLP. He was born in Manchester in 1946, and studied Law at Clare College Cambridge before returning to Manchester to complete his training. Paul has a key role in leading the formulation and execution of Addleshaw Goddard's strategy with particular emphasis on business development. He is also heavily involved in certain other key projects within the firm, in particular its International programme and its Culture & Values initiative. Paul is committed to diversity and inclusion, and four of Addleshaw Goddard's eleven Board Members are women. Paul maintains close links with many of the firm's most important clients, and is liaison partner for several of the largest. He also seeks to build links into the business community at a national level through his membership of various organisations. He is a member of the Board of the CBI and sits on its Audit Committee. He also sits on the Board of Barlows plc, a North West based property investment and management business. Paul is involved in the Arts and fund-raising, being Chairman of the Royal Exchange Theatre and Chairman of the Feoffees of Chetham's School of Music, both of which are based in Manchester. He is also a former Chairman of the North West Development Committee of The Prince's Trust. Paul is married to Elisabeth and has three grown up children.

Manchester Metropolitan University; Deputy Chair of the North West Leadership Team; Associate Member of Greater Manchester Chamber and Geoff Muirhead CBE, FCIT, FRSA, FICE, was appointed Group Chief Executive of the Manchester Airports Group (comprising Manchester, East Midlands, Humberside and Bournemouth Airports) in June 2001 having joined Manchester Airport PLC in 1988. Chief Executive from April 1993. External appointments include – Board Member of Airports Council International and Forum Member of 4NW.

Vanda Murray has over 20 years’ experience at a senior level across a range of industries in the UK, Europe, Asia and the USA. After graduating with a BA (Hons) in European Business Administration and a French Business Diploma from Reims Management School, France, Vanda joined ICI’s graduate trainee scheme and her career progressed with International Marketing roles with GTE Inc, BET plc and Expamet plc. In 1991, she joined PAC International Ltd, a high tech electronics manufacturing company, where she became Managing Director. During her tenure sales doubled and profitability quadrupled. Exports grew to 40% of turnover. The business won many awards, including a Best Factory Award in 1998 and Marketing and Customer Service Awards in 1998 and 2000. From 2001-2004, she was CEO of Blick plc, a FTSE quoted international Group of manufacturing and installation businesses. In the two years to December 2003, she doubled the market capitalisation of the business on the London Stock Exchange as she refocused the business on higher value differentiated products and restructured the Group. In February 2004, she sold the business to The Stanley Works Inc, a US corporation and then spent six months overseeing the post-acquisition integration strategy. From 2004-2006, she was Managing Director of Ultraframe (UK) Ltd, prior to its sale to Latium Group Holdings in July 2006. Vanda now holds a Non-Executive Directorship with Carillion plc, and the North West Regional Development Agency where she is Deputy Chair. She is also Non-Executive Chair of Eazyfone, a mobile phone recycling company. She was appointed OBE for services to Industry and to Export in 2002. She has not taken part in any political activities in the last five years and holds no other ministerial appointments. Board sub-committee involvement: · Member of the Enterprise & Skills Sub-committee (Chair) · Member of the Business Link Task and Finish Group (Chair) · Member of the Marketing, Communication & Tourism Sub-committee · Member of the Development & Infrastructure Sub-committee · Member of the RES Maximising the Potential of the Workforce Group (Chair) · Member of the NW Manufacturing Strategy Group (Chair) · Member of the Northern Way · Member of the North West Business Leadership Team