Technology and transformation executive with international experience – business information, media and publishing, industrial/engineering, IoT, open data, digital scale-up, third sector. Oxford Saïd prizewinner (strategy & innovation); ranked in Information Age Data 50 in 2015; shortlisted for Civil Service Awards – Digital.
Executive experience across private, public listed and government, social organisations; with non-executive experience in a mid-sized social enterprise. Roles include Digital Chief Operating Officer, Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer.
Post-graduate qualifications in Strategy & Innovation (Oxford Saïd), Law (LPC) and Accountancy (ACA); coupled with management across a range of functions: technology, product, project, marketing, customer service, sales, new ventures. Focused on digital transformation of business models, business units and technology solutions; with M&A experience: investor-readiness, due diligence and post-merger integration.
Chief Information and Transformation Officer, Stonewater Housing (2023-)
Reading
Stonewater is one of the largest social housing providers in the UK, providing 36,000 homes for 78,000 customers. Driven by our vision of everyone having the opportunity to have a place that they can call home, we offer homes for rent, shared ownership and sale. We also have specialist housing, retirement and supported living schemes for older and more vulnerable people, domestic abuse refuges, LGBTQ+ Safe Spaces, and young people’s foyers. As Chief Information and Transformation Officer, I lead the great teams responsible for technology, HR (people & change), data, comms & innovation across Stonewater – driving purposeful digital transformation for our customers and colleagues.
Interim Group Chief Information Officer, Next 15 Group plc (2022-23)
London
Next 15 is an AIM-listed US and UK marketing services group of 24 autonomous brands, providing data-led products and services to the world’s largest technology companies, retailers and other businesses. With turnover of £470m, Next 15 is growing quickly, driven organically and by multiple acquisitions. My role as Interim Group CIO was about technology strategy leadership; resetting key strategic initiatives on CRM and data privacy; and combining two IT departments into a single team.
Chief Digital & Information Officer, Loxam Powered Access (formerly Lavendon Group plc) 2016-2022
Leicestershire
Loxam Powered Access is a self-contained division within the Loxam Group that specialises in the rental of powered access equipment. We are the largest rental company in Europe and 3rd largest globally. Our division has operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, France, Italy, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. We enable users to work safely at height, using our fleet of 50,000 access platforms. As CIO, I lead the UK and international technology and transformation teams, in service delivery, digital transformation, information security, and programme management. We’re doing exciting work on IoT / telematics, digital commerce and cloud, as well as transitioning to more agile and mobile ways of working.
Chief Digital Officer, Companies House (2014-2016)
Cardiff, Wales
Chief Digital Officer (aka Chief Information Officer) and Main Board member, implementing the government’s open data and digital by default agendas in the world’s leading corporate registry, an executive agency of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. Led the release of 170m company records as open data, resulting in an increase in searches (corporate transparency) from 12m per day.
Non Executive Director, Curo (2013-2016)
Bath, Somerset
Main Board Director and Finance Committee Member. Curo is a dynamic and innovative social housing provider, with interests in commercial housing development and care and support. The group is one of the largest landlords in the West of England, owning more than 12,000 homes in South West England.
Director of Operations & Product – Digital Classifieds, Trinity Mirror Digital (2008 – 2013)
London
Executive role at one of the largest classified technology groups in the UK, powering market-leading vertical brands and mass-market generalist brands, in the recruitment and property sectors. As COO (Director of Operations and Product), I led the company’s back office operations including technology, product, project and some customer service teams, as well as strategy and new ventures.
Chief Operating Officer – Financial Times Exec-Appointments (2007 – 2008)
Bath and London
Hired by the founders to help scale up this SME digital recruitment business in preparation for a trade sale. We delivered high revenue growth and a successful exit to the Financial Times within 12 months. I ran the corporate services functions, focusing on revenue enhancement, building operational excellence into a fast-growing business, investor readiness and post-merger integration.
Director of Technology and Business Strategy – Adcorp Australia (2005 – 2007)
Sydney, Australia
ASX-listed Australasian advertising agency, with 12 offices across Australia and New Zealand. My role as CIO, and as part of the head office executive, was digital transformation of the agency including new products and services.
Director – Deloitte Australia (1999 – 2005)
London and Sydney
- GrowthPLUS Project Director, Sydney.
- Senior Manager – TMT Strategy Consulting, London.
- Venture Capital – Business Coach, Sydney.
- Growth Solutions Director, Sydney.
- Project manager for Tech Fast 50 programme.
Corporate Services Manager – Grant Thornton (1994 – 1999)
Sydney and Sheffield
Chartered Accountant, working in Sheffield UK and then Sydney Australia.
Education
2013 University of Oxford Said Business School: Masters Diploma in Strategy and Innovation (Distinction, and Dean’s Award for Best Overall Mark)
1997 Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales: ACA
1994 York College of Law: Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Merit)
1993 University of Leicester: Bachelor of Laws LL.B (Hons)
Gareth Lloyd 