Leadership Team

Claire McKinley Smith

CEO

Claire has over 30 years’ experience in the soft service sector. Twenty years delivering exceptional services to the retail sector working in high profile leisure developments such as The Trafford Centre and Meadowhall shopping centre. Claire has a wealth of experience in working with Managing Agents and Landlords such as Peel Holdings and Westfield, taking shopping centres through construction and re-developments and providing advice on all elements of soft service delivery. Claire joined Westgrove in 2010 after being one of Westgrove’s key partners in her time as National Operations Director at Westfield.

Claire was fundamental in developing ‘Westgrove Aspire’ service excellence initiative through which teams work towards attaining different status levels based on their knowledge of, and commitment to, the delivery of service of the highest standard. Claire is passionate about our colleagues ensuring our principles of business are engrained in all aspects of The Westgrove Group in order to recognise and reward talent.

Glenn Wilson

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR

Prior to starting his career in the FM industry, Glenn spent 16 successful years with a global logistics company. Starting out as an apprentice in 1994 Glenn progressed through the organisation into a senior leadership role heading up the strategic management of a key national account in the financial sector.

In 2010 Glenn moved into the Facilities Management sector, joining an independent FM organisation, namely Incentive FM. Glenn’s extensive experience from the logistics sector transferred seamlessly into the world of FM and in particular innovating resource models and solutions to give clients an added service delivery dynamic.

Starting as a Regional Manager, Glenn was then promoted to Regional Director in 2014, leading a team of high calibre Regional Managers. Glenn gained a further promotion to the senior board role of Operations Director in 2017, implementing new strategies of people development, continuous improvement and sustainable solutions internally and externally. This helped build unprecedented momentum for the company which subsequently resulted in the organic progression for his final role of ‘Divisional Director- Retail & Distribution.

Glenn’s solution orientated ethos resulted in an array of his own initiatives being adopted as best practice by the business and played a pivotal role in the strong client focused growth that eventually led to the organisations acquisition by a renowned plc in 2022.

Glenn joined Westgrove in August 2023 as our Group Managing Director and will be intrinsically responsible for all the company’s day to day trading and service delivery elements. Glenn’s aspirational leadership style, colleague centric development and partner innovation mantra aligns perfectly with Westgrove’s Principles of Business borne from our incorporation in 1998.

Glenn will provide a key element in our succession planning objectives within the company and facilitate a highly value-added dimension in forging collaborative relationships with both existing and prospective portfolio partners across the UK.

Phil Tomlinson

FINANCE DIRECTOR

Philip is a qualified chartered accountant with over twenty years’ experience.  He is responsible for all financial & commercial aspects of the business ensuring all accounting standards are adhered too and is the first point of contact for all external stakeholders. Philip has a wealth of experience in working in SME’s & contributing to the efficiencies & developing systems which enable the operational team to work to capacity. Since he joined the business in 2012 Philip has implemented a number of procedures which have streamlined the business.  He has a ‘can do’ attitude with a first rate customer service focus. Philip is part of the senior management team & has regular meetings with non- financial managers highlighting anomalies in the performance of individual contracts.

Paul Booth

TECHNICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR

Paul Booth joined Westgrove in August 2020 as Technical Services Director.  Paul has spent a lifelong career in Facilities Management both on the front line and in management and he brings with him a wealth of experience in the delivery of engineering services to a broad range of partners.  Paul held the post of National Operations Director for a large UK engineering services business where he was employed for over 30 years.  During his career he has both mobilised and managed large multi-million-pound contracts within NHS facilities, the banking sector and a host of known names in the commercial and retail sectors.

Ray Robertson

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Ray has over 25 years of extensive and varied experience gained in different working environments including building maintenance, hard and soft services and the facilities management industry.

His years of experience range from high profile Government sites through to many well-known Global Brands in many different sectors of the industry, as well as supporting high value National portfolios and many Management Agents.

​A firm believer in developing others, colleague welfare and service delivery to all Partners, Ray is responsible for the service delivery across the UK portfolio.

Ray holds memberships with the Chartered Management Institute, Institute of Workplace Management and British Institute of Cleaning Science.

Lisa Knowles

HEAD OF HR & COLLEAGUE DEVELOPMENT

Lisa is a passionate level 7 CIPD qualified HR professional with over 27 years’ experience in HR of which 17 years are within facilities management.

Lisa and her team are instrumental in supporting the business with TUPE processes, recruitment, employee relations, training, talent management, colleague engagement, change management and supporting the business strategy and objectives.

Angela Crawford

HEAD OF HEALTH, SAFETY & COMPLIANCE

Angela is a qualified Health and Safety professional with a wide range of skills and experience gained over 18 years operating in a number of diverse and challenging organisations which include, housing services, construction, facilities management, asset management, compliance, corporate services and development.

Angela provides support and advice across the business to our colleagues within operations, corporate services and our technical services division. She is passionate about creating a safe and healthy working environment, and enjoys working with the teams on site and our partners to continually improve our Health & Safety culture, and support the implementation of our business strategy and objectives.

Mark Allison

HEAD OF ESG

Mark joins the business with over 30 years’ experience working with companies in both public and private sectors including British Land at Meadowhall, the NHS and Marks & Spencer, leading and supporting initiatives that advance sustainable futures for all, with a particular emphasis on harnessing ESG and innovation.