Our Leadership

Michael Findlay

Non-Executive Chair

Appointed: 20 January 2025 (and as Chair 1 May 2025). Announced as interim Executive Chair in November 2025, while Hays CEO, Dirk Hahn, takes medical leave.

Committees: Nomination (Chair)

Skills, competencies and experience:

Michael is a highly accomplished business leader and a proven Non-Executive and Chair. Having spent his executive career in corporate broking and investment banking, Michael has advised many leading UK plcs on a wide range of strategic, financing and governance matters. He also brings a strong understanding of people intensive and service orientated businesses.

External appointments:

Non-Executive Chair of London Stock Exchange plc

Non-Executive Director of Jarrold Group Holdings.

Helen Cunningham

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 1 March 2024

Committees: Nomination, Remuneration and Sustainability, Workforce Engagement Director

Skills, competencies and experience: Helen brings extensive HR functional expertise and has specialist knowledge in remuneration, ESG and Board and Executive succession planning. She also has global experience in leading cultural transformation and talent management, as well as M&A and Divestments programmes.

Helen is currently the Chief People Officer at Inchcape plc, where she has responsibility for People and Culture strategy, as well as Corporate Communications and Employee Engagement. Prior to joining Inchcape, Helen held numerous senior People leadership and strategy roles at Mitie Group PLC, Bureau Veritas Group and Nationwide Building Society.

External appointments: Chief People Officer at Inchcape plc.

Anthony Kirby

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 1 April 2024

Committees: Audit & Risk, Nomination and Remuneration

Skills, competencies and experience: Anthony brings extensive experience in senior operational and human resources roles across a number of sectors.

Anthony is currently Group Chief Executive at Serco Group plc, where he is responsible for a business that operates in 20 countries and is powered by over 50,000 people working across Citizen Services, Defence, Health & Facilities Management, Immigration and Transport. Prior to this, Anthony served as Chief Executive Officer for Serco UK and Europe from 2023, following his initial appointment to Serco Group plc, where he served as Chief People Officer from 2017 and Group Chief Operating Officer from 2020. Anthony also has a wealth of experience from more than 17 years at Compass Group Plc, where he held various senior leadership positions.

External appointments: Group Chief Executive, Serco Group plc.

Joe Hurd

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 1 December 2021

Committees: Nomination and Sustainability (Chair)

Skills, competencies and experience: Joe has significant global experience in consumer-facing technology businesses. He also brings expertise as an independent public board director, advising on strategic growth, ESG, workforce engagement, innovation, governance, compensation, board recruitment and diversity.

Joe began his career in corporate and securities law with Linklaters, before establishing himself as an entrepreneur with successful start-ups Friendster and VideoEgg. Previously he served as a Non-Executive Director of GoCo Group plc (now Future plc) and as an Independent Director of SilverBox Engaged Merger Corp I. From 2009 until 2012, Joe served in the Obama Administration as a political appointee at the Department of Commerce, serving on the White House Business Council.

External appointments: Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Katama Group LLC. A Non-Executive Director of Trustpilot Group plc. A nominated member of Lloyd’s Council.

Susan Murray

Independent Non-Executive Director

Skills, competencies and experience: Susan brings extensive experience in international consumer goods and services businesses. She has specialist knowledge and experience in strategy, marketing, remuneration and general management.

Susan is a former Chair of Farrow & Ball, and a former Non-Executive Director of Mitchells & Butlers plc, Compass Group plc, Pernod Ricard S.A., Imperial Tobacco plc, Enterprise Inns plc, Aberdeen Asset Management plc, SSL International plc, 2 Sisters Food Group and Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc. She is also a former Chief Executive of Littlewoods Stores Limited and former Worldwide President and Chief Executive of The Pierre Smirnoff Company, part of Diageo plc.

External appointments: Senior Independent Director and Chair of Remuneration Committee at Grafton Group plc. Senior Independent Director of William Grant & Sons Limited.

Zarin Patel

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 1 January 2023

Committees: Audit & Risk (Chair), Nomination and Sustainability

Skills, competencies and experience: Zarin brings expertise in managing transformation within complex digital- centric businesses. She also has wide- ranging experience across finance, investment and customer in both executive and non-executive roles.

Zarin spent 15 years at each of KPMG and the BBC, where she was Chief Financial Officer for nine years. From 2014 to 2016, she was the Chief Operating Officer of The Grass Roots Group plc. Previously, Zarin was a Non-Executive Director of Post Office Limited and an independent member of the Audit and Risk Committee of John Lewis Partnership plc. Zarin is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and has recent and relevant financial experience.

External appointments: Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of Pets at Home Group plc. A Non-Executive Director at HM Treasury and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. A trustee of National Trust and Chair of its Audit Committee.

Cheryl Millington

Senior Independent Director

Appointed: 17 June 2019

Committees: Audit & Risk and Nomination

Skills, competencies and experience: A strategic technology leader, Cheryl also brings extensive general management, data and people experience to the Board. Cheryl was Chief Digital Officer of Travis Perkins plc from 2016 to 2018, Executive Director, IT, for Waitrose from 2012 to 2016 and Chief Information and Data Officer for Asda Stores Ltd from 2009 to 2012. Prior to those positions, Cheryl held senior management roles at HBOS plc, Innogy plc and National Power plc, and began her career as a management consultant with Price Waterhouse. Cheryl has also previously served as a Non-Executive Director of National Savings and Investments, Intu Properties plc and Equiniti Group plc.

External appoinments: Non-Executive Director of Atom Bank plc and Chair of Remuneration Committee. Non-Executive Director of AXA Insurance UK plc. Non-Executive Director of Orbit Private Holdings Ltd, where she is a member of the Human Capital Committee.