Our People

Parkwood Leisure recognises and values the integral role that our staff members play in the ongoing success and prosperity of our organisation. Our diverse and talented teams, which include everyone from our esteemed Managing Director to dedicated site managers and passionate centre staff, are the driving force behind our continued growth and achievements. Each individual’s unique contributions and unwavering commitment are essential to propelling our business forward and maintaining our position as a leader in the leisure industry. We believe that fostering a culture of collaboration, recognition, and support is key to unlocking the full potential of our workforce and ensuring that Parkwood Leisure remains a dynamic and thriving organisation for years to come.

Directors and Senior Leaders

The Board of Directors guide Parkwood Leisure in providing the best possible services to clients and local communities alike, supported by a hugely experienced senior team.

With years of experience in leisure and other industries, and a range of unique skills and qualifications, our senior leaders are one of the many reasons that Parkwood Leisure is trusted to run 76 facilities on behalf of local authorities, government agencies and private partners across England and Wales.

The Board of Directors at Parkwood Leisure are committed to guiding the company in providing top-tier services to both clients and local communities. This commitment is bolstered by a highly experienced senior leadership team possessing a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Their combined years of experience in the leisure industry, as well as other sectors, have equipped them with a diverse range of skills and qualifications. This depth of experience within the senior leadership team is a key factor in Parkwood Leisure’s success and is one of the many reasons the company is entrusted to manage 76 facilities across England and Wales on behalf of local authorities, government agencies, and private partners.

If you are interested in a career with us, please see our latest job opportunities.

Glen Hall

Managing Director

Glen has over 30 years of experience working within the Leisure Industry, joining Parkwood Leisure in 1997. He has been a Company Director since 2005 and took the reigns as Managing Director in 2019.

Having worked in the public and private sector, Glen is particularly skilled in developing partnerships, delivering strategic outcomes, performance measurement & management, organisational improvement and commercial turnaround.

Glen has been integral in growing and diversifying the Parkwood Leisure business over the last 25+ years.

Giles Rawlinson

Commercial & Finance Director

Prior to becoming Parkwood Leisure’s Finance Director in 2003 Giles had held Senior Finance Positions at a number of Nasdaq and FTSE listed companies in the service, retail and FMCG markets. He trained and qualified with Ernst & Young in their Birmingham office.

Giles provides strategic Financial guidance for the business and has overseen a five fold growth in the company, numerous contract handovers, system changes and developments as well as leading on a number of acquisitions and disposals. He was promoted to Commercial and Finance Director in 2017, taking on additional responsibilities for the commercial outcome of the company.

Alex Godfrey

Operations Director

Alex has over 20 years in the Leisure and Fitness industry, joining Parkwood Leisure from his role in University Sport. He holds a degree in Sports Development, NEBOSH Diploma and is a chartered member of CIMPSA.

He has a wealth of experience at Parkwood Leisure, progressing upwards through the company since assuming his first role as Duty Manager in 2006. He has since then assumed multiple roles including Centre Manager, Contract Manager, Area Manager, Assistant Regional Director and is currently the Operations Director. Alex oversees the fitness, sales, swimming, safety and operations elements of the business.

Andy Farr

Strategic Director

Andy is widely recognised as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking leaders in the sector.

In his role, Andy shapes the strategic direction of the company, including seeking new business opportunities, driving innovation, improving third party partnerships and exploring wider Parkwood Leisure services. He oversees the Business Development, Heath & Wellbeing and Marketing teams, with a clear focus on customer and community engagement.

Graham Airey

IT Director

Graham joined Parkwood in 2010, becoming IT Director in 2012.

Graham has extensive experience leading digital transformation programmes and oversees the implementation, development, maintenance, usage and support of technology and IT systems throughout the organisation.

Alex Gibson

Head of Human Resources

Alexandria joined Parkwood Leisure in 2007 on the Company graduate scheme, working in various HR roles before her appointment as Head of HR in 2024. She has experienced first hand what it is like to be developed and nurtured by the Company during career progression.

Alexandria leads our People team, supporting both central and local teams to deliver an excellent experience for our colleagues. Our people make our business what it is and to be an employer of choice, we recruit the best people and make sure they are trained, developed and rewarded, whilst supporting their health and wellbeing. Having motivated and empowered employees contributes to our success by delivering exceptional experiences for our local communities. Our teams and our people strategies are the key to this.

Francois Smit

Regional Director – North & Midlands

Francois has a long career in leisure, joining Parkwood in 2020 as Regional Director for the North & Midlands. With 25 years of private and public leisure experience, he focuses on leading teams to create excellent facilities that customers will want to return to.

Darren Parrott

Regional Director – Wales & South West

Darren joined Parkwood Leisure in 2002 as a Contract Manager in Torridge, Devon, after starting his career as a lifeguard and swimming teacher in the late 1980s.

With 35 years of leisure experience, Darren excels in balancing strategic and operational needs, employing strong financial and people management skills alongside a hands-on management approach.

Overseeing 20 diverse sites ranging from a PFI leisure centre in Penzance to the company’s sole registered zoo in Swansea. Darren’s notable accomplishments include spearheading the development and successful launch of the Tarka DBOM facility in North Devon, surpassing all expectations. Outside of work, Darren resides on Dartmoor and enjoys cycling on sunny days.

Steve Bambury

Regional Director – South East

Steve is Regional Director for the South East overseeing all of the 1Life contracts and a number of Parkwood contracts, he joined Parkwood following the acquisition of 1Life Management Solutions in 2023, and had previously been with 1Life since 1999.

Steve is a knowledgeable Director with strong experience in Business Planning, Troubleshooting, Sales & Marketing, Operations Management, Energy Management, Project Delivery in all of the Corporate, PFI and Local Authority Contract Management sectors. He has a BA (Hons) focused in Leisure Management & Business Studies from De Montfort University and is currently studying for his NEBOSH National General Certificate.

Nicola Jones

Financial Controller

Nicola is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, having originally trained with PKF as an external auditor where she also served as her office specialist for delivering internal, pension and RICS audit services to clients.

She joined Parkwood Leisure’s management accounts team in 2004 and was promoted to Financial Controller in 2008. Since her promotion, she has taken full responsibility for the day to day financial management of Parkwood Leisure, its subsidiaries and partner organisations. She has extensive knowledge of leisure, retail and hospitality related VAT regulations and has been finance lead on multiple system changes and enhancements which have driven commercial opportunities and process improvements across the wider business. She prides herself on making financial concepts accessible to non-finance colleagues, and has a proven track record of balancing the management of financial control risk with the identification of practical solutions for the operational business to drive organisational efficiency.

Matt De’Ath

Director of Catering & Retail

Matt De’Ath, Director of Catering & Retail at Parkwood, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role. Prior to joining Parkwood in 2008, Matt held various operational positions across the hospitality industry.

Matt is responsible for developing and implementing the company’s Catering & Retail Strategy, focusing on creating tailored solutions for Parkwood’s diverse operational estate. He actively visits sites, reviews operational standards, and analyzes financial performance nationwide.

Matt leads food and beverage procurement for the company, overseeing the supply chain, logistics, and supplier relationships. His extensive knowledge and connections in the industry enable him to secure the best products and services for Parkwood.

Rob Grant

Head of Commercial

Rob is a member of Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), having previously trained as a Project Manager in new build commercial & residential buildings, then progressing into renewable energy, delivering one of the biggest roll outs of Solar PV for the Fire Service in the UK.

Rob joined Parkwood Leisure in 2016 as Head of Facilities then after a short period took up the role of Head of Commercial, since the latest appointment, Rob has taken full responsibility for the Commercial team and the procurement of goods and services for Parkwood Leisure, its subsidiaries and partner organisation, along with risk mitigation, legal compliance, contract negotiation & fleet management whilst still having involvement in facilities management, he prides himself on the attention to detail and loves a challenge, getting the best results possible for the company.

Mike Price

Health, Safety & Compliance Manager

Mike has over 20 years of experience in the Leisure and Fitness industry, the majority of which have been spent with Parkwood Leisure. He joined Parkwood Leisure as a lifeguard and has progressed through various roles within the company, leading to his current role as Health, Safety, and Compliance Manager. Mike leads health, safety and compliance across the organisation, ensuring health & safety remain our number one priority. He is a technical member of IOSH and a member of the Standards and Legislation Committee for UK Active. Mike is an experienced lead in ISO45001 standard, to which Parkwood Leisure has held successfully since 2018.

Cath Leonard

Head of Marketing & Campaigns

Cath joined Parkwood in 2024, bringing with her a wealth of marketing experience gained across various industries, including over 20 years in the leisure sector. She has a proven track record in developing and executing omni-channel marketing strategies, while also leading and mentoring diverse marketing teams. Cath is eager to elevate Parkwood’s marketing function to new heights.

With a degree in Recreation Management, Cath began her career in the leisure industry as a lifeguard before transitioning into a marketing role. After gaining valuable experience outside the leisure sector and earning a CIM Level 6 Diploma in Professional Marketing, Cath was excited to return to the industry and support Parkwood’s ambitious plans for the future.

Tony Doherty

Director of Parkwood Theatres

Tony is a specialist in venue management and commercial strategy, with over 30 years of experience in the entertainment, visitor attraction and events industry. He has a proven track record in developing and executing commercial strategies that drive revenue growth, optimise operations, and maximise profitability.

Within the not-for-profit, the subsidised sector and the commercial sector, Tony has successfully reanimated underperforming venues. Tony Has been leading Parkwood Theatres development since 2014.
Prior to a career in theatre management Tony had contemplated greatness as a highly (self) acclaimed punk rock bass player, but mysteriously those talents remained unrecognised!

Sarah Lilley

SPV Projects Director, Parkwood Project Management

With a BA (Hons) degree from Stirling University, Sarah joined PPM in 2006 as part of the Parkwood graduate training scheme. Since then, Sarah has held positions in all stages of a project’s lifecycle, including inception to overseeing the built asset. As SPV Projects Director, Sarah oversees a team who perform SPV Contractor Representative roles across various contract structures including PFI, PPP and DBOMs.

Tom Burbridge

Director, Parkwood Project Management

Tom, with a BSc (Hons) in Building Surveying from UCE in 2004, joined PPM in 2013 after gaining expertise in the Building Consultancy Services industry. He manages Planned Lifecycle Investment programs worth over £30 million, overseeing Facilities Maintenance Contracts and Lifecycle Projects across 11 buildings in PPM’s large leisure portfolio.