Board of Directors and Executive team

Role: Non-Executive Chairman
Board member since: April 2021

About John

John joined the Group in April 2021 as Non-Executive Chair Designate.

John brings extensive experience having served at Ferguson plc, the FTSE 100 leading specialist distributor of plumbing and heating products, for over nine years until November 2019, most recently as CEO. During his tenure, Ferguson was significantly simplified and strengthened, substantially improved its market positions, and generated excellent returns for shareholders.

Before joining Ferguson, John was a partner at Alchemy Partners, the private equity group, and prior to that was Chief Financial Officer of Travelex plc and Hays plc. John is a Chartered Accountant and started his career at Arthur Andersen. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of Ocado plc, where he serves on the Nomination and Audit Committees.

Role: Group Chief Executive
Board member since: November 2018
Other roles: Iain is a member of the Executive Committee. 

About Iain
Iain was appointed Group Chief Executive in January 2020. Iain was appointed Chief Executive of Partnerships South on 1 November 2018, having previously been Managing Director of the Southern region of the Housebuilding Division from September 2014 when he joined the Group.

Iain has worked in the housing sector in London and the South East in various roles over the last 23 years. He originally worked for local government in what is now known as Homes England before moving to join Hyde Housing Association in his first development role. He then moved into private housing by joining Crest Nicholson in 2008 where he was promoted to Managing Director

Role: Chairman of the Remuneration Committee
Board member since: December 2015
Other roles: Amanda is also a member of the Audit and Nomination Committees.

About Amanda
Amanda joined the Group in October 2014 as a Non-Executive Director of Copthorn Holdings Limited.

She joined Clifford Chance LLP in 2000 where she left in December 2014 as their Global Chief Operating Officer. Prior to this, she was at Meyer International plc where she was a Director and Chairman of its Timber Group. She also served nine years on the Board at Galliford Try plc as a Non-Executive Director from 2005 and as Senior Independent Director from 2008.

Amanda is also Senior Independent Non-Executive Director of HSS Hire Group plc, a Non-Executive Director of Skipton Building Society and Chairman a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee of Connells Limited.

Role: Sally is a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees. She is also the designated Non-Executive Director for employee engagement.
Board member since: December 2015

About Sally

Baroness Morgan joined the Group in October 2014 as a Non-Executive Director.

Baroness Morgan had a long and successful career in Central Government, serving as Director of Government Relations at 10 Downing Street from 2001 to 2005. Prior to this, she was Political Secretary to the Prime Minister from 1997 to 2001. She was appointed Minister for Women and Equalities in 2001, being made a life peer in the same year. She previously served as a board member for the Olympic Delivery Authority, as Chair of Ofsted and as a member of the advisory committee of Virgin Group Holdings Limited.

Baroness Morgan is Master of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, Chair of Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, an advisor to the board of the children’s charity ARK and a trustee of a number of charities.

Role: Chairman of the Audit Committee
Board member since: January 2018
Other roles: Douglas is also a member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees.

About Douglas
Douglas is a Chartered Accountant and has significant financial experience, having served as Finance Director of IMI plc, the global engineering group, from 2006 to 2015.

Prior to this, Douglas held a number of senior finance and general management positions at GlaxoSmithKline plc, which he joined in 1983, previously having worked at Price Waterhouse. He is also Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Vesuvius PLC, a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of BSI Group and a Non-Executive Director of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC.

Role: Chair of the Sustainability Committee
Board member since: March 2019 
Other roles: Simon is also a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination
Committees

About Simon
Simon joined the Group on 1 March 2019 as a Non-Executive Director. He has extensive experience in the UK hospitality industry, having worked for over 30 years in various sales, marketing, commercial and operational roles, serving from 2014 to 2020 as Chief Executive Officer of Ei Group plc, the owner and operator of over 4,000 public houses across England and Wales. Prior to joining Ei Group plc in 1999, he was previously with Whitbread PLC, Allied Domecq PLC, The Rank Group Plc and Marston, Thompson & Evershed PLC.

Simon is a Director of The Elms (Colwall) Limited and a member of the advisory board of Women in Hospitality, Travel & Leisure 2020.

Role: Group Chief Executive
Team member since: November 2018

About Iain
Iain was appointed Group Chief Executive in January 2020. Iain was appointed Chief Executive of Partnerships South on 1 November 2018, having previously been Managing Director of the Southern region of the Housebuilding Division from September 2014 when he joined the Group.

Role: Chief Executive, Manufacturing and Operations
Team member since: May 2017

About Phillip

Phillip was announced as Chief Executive, Manufacturing and Operations in April 2021. He has also held divisional CEO roles in Housebuilding and most recently served as Interim CEO in Partnerships North, where he took the lead in the restructuring of the North & Midlands divisions. 

In addition Phillip also oversees the responsibilities of the Group Commercial (Surveying & Estimating), Technical, Procurement and Construction Directors creating efficient and future proof production operations for the business. Phillip’s role provides a critical strategic link between Manufacturing, Group production and the Divisions.

Phillip previously worked with Taylor Wimpey, where he was the Divisional Managing Director, London and South East. 

He has over 30 years’ industry experience and is responsible for developing and delivering the strategy to enable the business to achieve its modular housing plans.

Role: Chief Executive, Partnerships South
Team member since: January 2020
Other roles: Mike was previously Managing Director of the Partnerships South, West London region

Mike joined the Group in April 2014 to establish and lead the West London region of the Partnerships division. In his role as Managing Director for the region he led several major mixed-use developments and strategic partnerships that have become industry reference points for good design and community development. He is a member of the Group Executive Committee and he sponsors the Group’s Social Value and Sustainability Committee.

Mike joined Countryside having been Managing Director at Berkeley Group. 

Role: General Counsel & Company Secretary
Team member since: November 2015

About Gary
Gary was previously the General Counsel and Company Secretary for Xchanging plc for 15 years, which specialised in technology and outsourcing.

He trained as a solicitor with Norton Rose, and qualified into the corporate finance team, working in their London and Moscow offices. Prior to Norton Rose, he served an 11-year commission in the Royal Navy, fleet air arm.

Role: Managing Director, Corporate Affairs
Team member since: July 2020

About Victoria
Victoria joined the business five years ago, leading on investor relations advising the Executive Management Team and communicating the group’s key messages to external stakeholders. In March 2020, she was promoted to Managing Director of Corporate Affairs, a newly created role to oversee wider brand and corporate communications initiatives, including Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).

Role: CEO, Housebuilding

Team member since: July 2020

About Philip

Phil became interim CEO, Housebuilding in July 2020 and he has taken on the role on a permanent basis.

Phil joined the business with more than 30 years’ experience working at large housebuilders including Bryant Homes, Taylor Wimpey, and most recently for Linden Homes where he was Divisional Managing Director covering the whole of the South of the country.

Role: Group Chief People & Culture Officer
Team member since: January 2021

About Sian

Sian joined Countryside in 2015 to lead the group’s reward and employee relations strategies during Countryside’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) before entering the London Stock Exchange. Since then, she has assumed Group HR responsibilities, managing vital employee engagement and development processes across the entire business.

Throughout 2020, Sian prepared the groundwork for Countryside’s new set of company values which is now the roadmap to the business’ way of life moving forward. As of January 2021, Sian undertakes the role of Group Chief People & Culture Officer in order to lead the Company’s people and culture strategies.   

Role: Chief Executive, Partnerships North
Team member since: January 2021

About Jo

Jo is an experienced company director and innovative strategist in business operations and governance. Prior to joining Countryside, Jo held a number of leadership roles across construction companies in the North and Midlands. Most recently, Jo was Managing Director for United Living Group Ltd. improving the company’s new build and planned maintenance processes.

Jo, as of January 2021, takes the lead of Countryside’s Partnerships North division – driving forward development and strengthening relations with local authorities and partners across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Yorkshire.  

Role: Chief Executive, Partnerships Midlands

Team member since: April 2021

About Daniel

Daniel joins Countryside with over 25 years’ experience in housebuilding across the South West, Midlands and the North of England. Most recently, Daniel was the Northern Divisional Chair for Taylor Wimpey overseeing the division’s business growth, customer excellence and operations.

Daniel takes lead of the Partnerships Midlands division which highlights Countryside’s ambitious growth plans and incorporates the regions of East, West and South Midlands, enabling continued geographical expansion in England including Bristol and Chilterns.

Role: Interim Chief Financial Officer