OUR PEOPLE & LEADERSHIPMeet the team

With personal experience of working in high-risk, fragile environments, the CTG team knows what it takes and are here to support both clients and consultants

Lord Westbury | Chairman of the Chelsea Group

Lord Westbury

Chairman of the Chelsea Group
Lord Westbury | Chairman of the Chelsea Group

Lord Westbury

Chairman of the Chelsea Group
Richard worked on every continent during his time in the SAS, and was intimately involved in many international incidents during the 1980s. He was decorated for bravery and appointed as MBE. Following his distinguished military career, he was Deputy Chief Executive of the Leadership Trust. A company specialising in leadership development training, the Leadership Trust later became a Chelsea Group company. In 1991, he joined Defence Systems Ltd, a company providing security services in Africa, and became their CEO in 1995. During this time, the client base increased from eight to over 200 multinational companies and supra-national agencies. In 1999, Richard formed the Hart Group, providing specialised global security services, and later created several other businesses that now make up the Chelsea Group. Today the Chelsea Group employs 16000+ people across 69 countries and offers services in risk management, crisis response, remote site management, aviation security and more. While Richard enjoys the innovation that is possible in enabling businesses to operate in challenging locations, he also recognises the absolute necessity of corporate social responsibility and is proud that the Group has been involved in numerous shared value projects.
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Lady Willcocks | Deputy Director of Post Conflict People

Lady Willcocks

Deputy Director of Post Conflict People
Lady Willcocks | Deputy Director of Post Conflict People

Lady Willcocks

Deputy Director of Post Conflict People
Penny is experienced in the International Security and Post-Conflict Stabilization fields. She has worked for the UK Government and in Private Security and Risk Management, and has taken an active role in Democracy Building with International Institutions including the United Nations. Her career began in 1973 in the UK Security Service.  She has served operationally in Northern Ireland (from 1976-77) and throughout the Balkans. Penny has worked on extensive missions for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Cabinet of the High Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina working closely with the European Commission, the European Council and NATO. Penny founded the NGO, Post Conflict People, which worked to improve practical performance of Governments, International Agencies, Companies and individuals working in post-conflict areas. Penny was a founding member of the British Association of Private Security Companies (BASC) which set the path towards international regulation of the private security industry.
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Claus Haugaard Sørensen | Senior EU Advisor and former Danish diplomat

Claus Haugaard Sørensen

Senior EU Advisor and former Danish diplomat

Claus Haugaard Sørensen

Senior EU Advisor and former Danish diplomat
Claus Haugaard Sørensen is Senior Adviser to the European Union. In 2006 he was appointed Director General for the Commissions’ Communication Department, and in 2011 he took on the role of head of the Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection DG in the European Commission (ECHO). During this role, Claus became a driving force in improving the EU’s responses to crisis and conflict-affected victims. He led the reform of the international Humanitarian system, leading up to the Istanbul Humanitarian Summit in May 2016; and he also promoted the resilience approach and disaster risk reduction approach, both globally and inside the European Union. Claus has a background as a diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and a long history of work within the EU. In 1990 he joined the European Commission’s Cabinet of Vice-president Henning Christophersen working on the EURO, relations with Eastern Europe, the Enlargement with Sweden, Austria and Finland as well as the European Social dimension and Environmental issues. From 1999 and 2011, he served as Director for International Environmental issues and Head of Cabinet for the Commissioner for Agriculture and the Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian assistance. Claus holds a Masters in Economics from Aarhus University and regularly lectures at Lund, York and Copenhagen Universities.
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Alice Laugher  | Chief Executive Officer

Alice Laugher

Chief Executive Officer

Alice Laugher

Chief Executive Officer

Alice is passionate about what CTG stands for: Committed To Good. A vocal advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals, Alice leads by example to ensure women play a broader role in humanitarian projects in high-risk environments by spearheading the CTG Female First initiative.  She is the winner of the Oslo Business For Peace For Award, as well as being an SDG Pioneer for the Empowerment of Women in Conflict Settings awarded by the UN Global Compact. She has 20 years of experience managing operations in challenging environments. From the day that Alice stepped into Iraq, in 2003, she felt a certainty that she was meant to work assisting communities, particularly local people, of fragile and conflict-affected countries. Over the years she has expanded CTG’s operations from an Afghanistan focus to 25 countries.

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Alexander Bethell  | Non-Executive Director

Alexander Bethell

Non-Executive Director

Alexander Bethell

Non-Executive Director

Former Senior Vice President of CTG, Alexander was responsible for overseeing CTG’s business strategy and managing the company’s humanitarian client relationships globally. Alexander started at CTG in 2010 as an Account Manager supporting client projects in Afghanistan and Iraq, and proceeded to spearhead the development of CTG’s operations in Somalia – which under his management became the company’s largest operational hub. Alexander then led CTG’s expansion wider across Africa and into new territories, overseeing the implementation of special projects, including its disaster response to the Ebola crisis in Liberia and Sierra Leone in 2015. Thorough planning and execution are Alexander’s keys to success, and he hopes to show the world how effective CTG’s operations have been as he remains an important part of the CTG Board with close visibility on the company’s strategic direction and monitoring performance.

In 2018 Alexander moved to the role of Chief Operating Officer for the Chelsea Group, expanding the Group’s global reach and local impact across South America, Africa and the Middle East.

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James Veysey | Chief Operating Officer

James Veysey

Chief Operating Officer

James Veysey

Chief Operating Officer

James has more than 20 years’ experience in Human Resources and Operations Management. He began his career at the European Commission in the office for Humanitarian Aid then went on to work for the UN in East Africa. Following this he spent several years in Paris, London and Dubai as a management consultant specialising in HR and Organisational Development. Prior to joining CTG in 2015, James was HR Director for a large British security firm operating in high-risk areas and he also ran the operations for a renowned remote-site medical company. James is a linguist and has his Masters in International Relations. Inspired by the culture of the company to make a difference, James most enjoys the fact that CTG’s work makes an impact on people’s lives.

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Ben Coleridge Cole | Chief Financial Officer

Ben Coleridge Cole

Chief Financial Officer
Ben Coleridge Cole | Chief Financial Officer

Ben Coleridge Cole

Chief Financial Officer

Ben is a seasoned finance executive with 13 years of experience in finance and accounting across diverse sectors. His expertise lies in developing and leading teams across multiple projects and countries.

Ben‘s career journey began with PwC in London, where he qualified as an accountant before venturing to New York, to work for a number of renowned global banks. Returning to the UK, Ben further honed his expertise during his tenure at PwC and thereafter Deloitte. Driven by a passion for new challenges, he assumed the role of Finance Director at a UK health and wellbeing tech start-up, navigating the complexities of military and government contracts. Throughout his career, Ben has demonstrated unwavering dedication to fostering the growth and success of his colleagues, actively supporting their development and enabling them to reach their full potential.

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Louisa Elkington | Client Services Director & General Counsel

Louisa Elkington

Client Services Director & General Counsel

Louisa Elkington

Client Services Director & General Counsel

After graduating with a Modern History degree from Oxford University, Louisa studied further to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. After spending several years working in London and Tokyo for a UK law firm, Louisa left the corporate world to join CTG and lead all the legal and compliance aspects of CTG’s global business. Louisa is responsible for CTG’s internal compliance and quality programmes, including ISO 9001, commercial compliance, Good Governance, labour law and service delivery. In 2017, Louisa’s role also diversified into operations where she is responsible for the standardisation of CTG’s project delivery including mobilisation, reporting and new country start-ups.

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Claire Hoey | Commercial Director

Claire Hoey

Commercial Director

Claire Hoey

Commercial Director

Claire joined CTG in 2023 as Commercial Director. Claire’s focus is on examining CTG’s current strategies, improving upon our current processes, and developing and implementing financial and commercial strategies to accelerate growth.

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Algene Suria  | Director of Support Services

Algene Suria

Director of Support Services
Headquarters

Algene Suria

Director of Support Services
Headquarters

Algene possesses the remarkable ability to convert complex ideas into user-friendly solutions. With a decade of experience in progressively responsible positions within Business Transformation, Digitalisation and Business Operations roles, Algene has made a mark in the field.  He derives immense satisfaction from introducing enterprises to the digitalized world and optimising their processes in the most efficient manner possible. As the Director of Support and Services, Algene oversees the Recruitment, Technology & Innovation and Customer Service team with precision and competence.

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Anthony Jouannic | Regional Manager

Anthony Jouannic

Regional Manager
South Sudan, Sudan & Ethiopia

Anthony Jouannic

Regional Manager
South Sudan, Sudan & Ethiopia

Anthony first joined CTG in 2019 after having spent a few years with MSF in Iraq, South Sudan, Jordan, Congo (DRC), Cameroun and Central Africa. He has a Master of Science in international management and when he is not working on some humanitarian project, he gets lost in the mountains with his tent and his backpack, crosses the US, from Mexico to Canada, on foot, sails the Indian ocean in a local fishing boat or crosses India, from the Himalayas to Kerala, in a tuk-tuk with a bunch of friend.

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David Owen | Regional Manager

David Owen

Regional Manager

David Owen

Regional Manager
David joined CTG in 2021 as Country Manager for Libya. Born and raised in South Africa, he started his career in Sales. He later moved into Human Resources and spent several years living and working in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and the USA in a variety of industries including the textile, pharmaceutical, healthcare and retail sectors. He is now one of CTG’s Regional Managers. David is a certified senior and global professional in Human Resources with the American Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and holds degrees in Business and Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of South Africa.
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Iman Shawwa | Regional Director

Iman Shawwa

Regional Director

Iman Shawwa

Regional Director

Iman joined CTG in 2018 as Country Director in Somalia and is now Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. She is responsible for the overall strategic leadership and direction of the CTG MENA Region. Iman has a Master of Science Degree in Sustainable Development from the University of London and specialised in Development Management at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). With more than 29 years of professional experience, of which 17 were acquired working with the United Nations in Palestine and Libya, Iman has extensive experience in humanitarian and socioeconomic development processes, and more specifically with the ‘New Way of Working’ that addresses the Humanitarian–Peace–Development (HDP) nexus. She also has vast experience in aid effectiveness, programme management and global partnership formulation. Iman is Lebanese Canadian and has a son and a daughter.

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Jakob Kejerud | Bid Director

Jakob Kejerud

Bid Director
South Africa

Jakob Kejerud

Bid Director
South Africa

Jakob joined CTG in 2018 as the company’s Bid Manager and was promoted to Bid Director in 2023, making him responsible for the Bid Team and compilation of all proposals. The role primarily entails researching, preparing, writing, managing the bid team and submitting all necessary information required from CTG clients or potential business associates, with the goal to continue the organic growth of the company. Jakob has an MBA in Logistics and International Marketing and has for an additional 7 years before joining CTG worked within Bid Management in different multinational companies in the service sector.

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Lucy Holliday | Global Account Director

Lucy Holliday

Global Account Director

Lucy Holliday

Global Account Director

Lucy Joined CTG in 2014 having run her own business in Delhi before that. After spending three years based in Kenya and Somalia, Lucy became the Commercial Manager for the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region based out of the London office but spending the majority of her time in Tunis, Amman and Beirut. Today she is the Global Account Director.

Lucy enjoys the challenge of operating in high-risk locations and believes it is all made worthwhile by enabling clients to implement humanitarian aid and assistance that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. She’s a yoga nut, with a love of travel and used to ride professionally, representing Great Britain.

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Louisa Elkington | Client Services Director & General Counsel

Louisa Elkington

Client Services Director & General Counsel
Dubai

Louisa Elkington

Client Services Director & General Counsel
Dubai

After graduating with a Modern History degree from Oxford University, Louisa studied further to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. After spending several years working in London and Tokyo for a UK law firm, Louisa left the corporate world to join CTG and lead all the legal and compliance aspects of CTG’s global business. Louisa is responsible for CTG’s internal compliance and quality programmes, including ISO 9001, commercial compliance, Good Governance, labour law and service delivery. In 2017, Louisa’s role also diversified into operations where she is responsible for the standardisation of CTG’s project delivery including mobilisation, reporting and new country start-ups.

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Mary Ellen Havlik | Regional Manager

Mary Ellen Havlik

Regional Manager
West Africa

Mary Ellen Havlik

Regional Manager
West Africa

Mary Ellen, a Canadian living in Nigeria for 16 years, joined CTG in 2021 as the Country Manager. She has over 30 years of professional experience and has worked and volunteered across a variety of sectors. Over the years, she has held management positions in media relations, corporate services, information management as well as strategic planning.

She has been fortunate to travel with her work to other African locales including Kenya, Uganda, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Togo, and South Africa. Mary Ellen enjoys travel as it gives her the opportunity to meet new people and to explore the cultures and traditions of other world citizens. As an avid art collector, this also gives her the opportunity to find new artists and invest in their work.

She is now Regional Manager for CTG’s operations across West Africa.

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Vanessa McCulloch | Communications Director

Vanessa McCulloch

Communications Director
South Africa

Vanessa McCulloch

Communications Director
South Africa

Vanessa joined the Chelsea Group in 2015, overseeing the marketing for several of the companies including CTG. A Brit living in Cape Town, with a degree in English Literature from Durham University, she spent 11 years in publishing before taking a side step into the world of marketing. Highlights of the role have included the rebranding of CTG in 2017 and working on the ‘Day In The Life’ campaign that shares stories from the inspiring CTG humanitarians working in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Vanessa looks forward to continuing to share CTG’s stories and their commitment as an ethical partner for the humanitarian and development communities. She heads up the Cape Town support office which houses CTG’s bids, marketing team and Assist360.

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FEMALE FIRST

Find out more about CTG’s commitment to women’s
empowerment through employment in conflict settings.