New appointments strengthen NCG executive team

Mike Wilmot joins the group as Chief Finance Officer and Karen Heaney has been appointed Chief Operating Officer. 

Mike, who will take up his post at Newcastle-headquartered NCG in September 2018, joins the national training and further education group from Parkdean Resorts, which was acquired in a £1.35bn deal in 2016 and where he was Director of Finance.  

He will also bring experience from Big Four accounting firm PwC where he worked on some of the North East’s largest audit accounts. 

Mike joined Parkdean in 2002 as Internal Auditor before progressing to Financial Controller and then he was Finance Director for six years.

During this time he was involved with four acquisition projects and successfully delivered a business growth strategy.

Mike was then involved in the merger of Parkdean and Park Resorts to create the UK’s largest holiday park operator where he performed the role of Director of Finance, delivering finance integration, and was involved in the £1.35bn sale of the business to ONEX.

Mike said: “I’m excited to be joining NCG – which has established a reputation for high quality and innovation within the further education sector. 

“I’m particularly looking forward to joining the talented NCG team as it continues to grow the organisation and therefore help many more thousands of people to reach their potential through learning.

“My experience from different sectors will help us work towards this goal.”

Karen joins NCG from one of the UK’s largest social housing and adult residential care providers, Home Group, where she was director of regeneration.

She has substantial experience in asset management and development, and in delivering improved services to internal and external customers in a large group.

At NCG Karen will be responsible for HR, organisation development, communications, IT, procurement, property and estates. 

Karen said: “NCG is a forward-thinking organisation that is pioneering new ways of delivering further education.

“I am tremendously excited to join the group and to play a role in delivering the group’s purpose – that is unlocking potential through learning.”

Joe Docherty, Chief Executive of NCG, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Mike and Karen to the NCG team. 

“We are committed to hiring and retaining top talent and these appointments show that NCG – the UK’s largest further education provider – continues to attract the best talent from across different sectors.

“Mike’s skills will help us build on existing financial strengths including scale, diversity of cash generation and one of the strongest balance sheets in further education.

“Karen’s skills will help us develop further our pioneering model for further education – that of a group of high performing colleges supported by efficient and effective central services.”