Meet the team

Meet the team

We’re powered by people and as a result, can credit our success to a global team who work to improve people’s lives every day. Meet the leaders who design and implement our growth strategy, effectively scaling to support more people access our innovative healthcare, social care and life sciences solutions across the world.

Mike Barnard

Chief Executive Officer

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Mike was appointed CEO of Acacium Group in September 2019 to lead the Group through its next phase of growth across workforce, life sciences and health and social care managed services. Mike has led high-growth technology and services businesses over the last 15 years, working across a range of sectors, both public and private. Mike is passionate about the opportunity to help underpin our healthcare system, by combining specialist workforce, technology and process to improve the experience for the people we work with, the clients we work for and the patients we look after.

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Tom Richards

Chief Finance Officer

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Tom joined Acacium Group as deputy CFO in March 2017 and has been CFO since September 2017. Tom previously spent six years in Divisional Finance Director roles within Capita and eight years at the BPO business Xchanging. Tom qualified as an accountant at Arthur Andersen and holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Oxford in PPE.

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Amanda Hoffman

Chief Operating Officer

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Amanda is the COO of Acacium Group’s US Healthcare Solutions. She joined Favorite Healthcare Staffing in 2018 and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in December 2024, having previously served as Vice President of Favorite Managed Services and Chief Sales Officer. Amanda’s leadership and strategic vision have been instrumental in building high-calibre teams and fostering innovation. With a master’s degree in healthcare administration and extensive experience in clinical, medical device and pharmaceutical sales, she has significantly contributed to Favorite’s reputation as a trusted healthcare partner.

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Paul Strouts

Chief Operating Officer

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Paul is the CEO of Acacium Group’s life sciences division incorporating Proclinical, Hobson Prior, DRA and more recently R&D Partners. Overseeing all operations and sales for life sciences across twelve countries within the division’s portfolio, Paul drives the businesses forward on a strategic level. Having joined Acacium Group three years ago from a leading life sciences business, Paul has now been working in the sector for 21 years affording the opportunity to impact change at a global level.

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Sara James

Chief Operating Officer

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Sara, who started her career as a Registered Nurse, joined the Scottish Nursing Guild (SNG) in 1999 and has run the combined SNG and Thornbury Nursing Service’s (TNS) businesses since 2000. Today, Sara leads Acacium Group’s health and social care staffing businesses across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

An early adopter of technology, including launching the first app allowing nurses and clients to book shifts, Sara utilises deep analytics to drive efficiencies. Sara’s first-hand clinical experience and strategic knowledge ensure our businesses are ideally positioned to support public and private providers, driving efficiencies, safeguarding patients and keeping critical services running.

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Sunna van Loo

Chief Operating Officer

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Sunna van Loo is Chief Operating Officer for Health and Community Services which offers community based services and capacity solutions to support the NHS in its ambition to deliver the Long Term Plan. She is passionate about delivering health care solutions that have a direct and positive impact on people’s lives which is why she joined Acacium Group in 2018. Sunna joined from Capita where she worked for 12 years in a variety of senior roles predominantly focused on delivery of complex managed services.

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Alex Ryan

Group Service Development Director

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Alex joined the organisation in May 2021 to support the Group’s growth and ensure that new and existing propositions provide appropriate and effective support to the UK health economy. Beginning her career as a lawyer, Alex moved into healthcare over 10 years ago to work in the mental health space, working closely with both the NHS and independent providers to provide patient-focused care. Alex is passionate about building excellent relationships with customers to enable the co-creation of innovative solutions. Championing a sustainable business approach to people and the planet, Alex is the Executive Sponsor for our Responsible Business function.

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Andrew Taylor

Corporate Development Director

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Andrew joined Acacium Group in May 2020 to support the group’s international growth and further diversification into services in the UK and abroad. He was previously Group Acquisitions Director at Capita plc., and before that an investment banker at Quayle Munro and Bear Stearns. He started his career as a theatre producer, working on 70 shows in the West End and across Europe.

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Daniel Toner

Chief Legal officer and Group Company Secretary

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Dan joined Acacium Group in July 2021 and as General Counsel and Group Company Secretary looks after the Group’s legal affairs across the globe. Dan is a qualified UK solicitor with extensive experience working in business and commercial law firms. For the past 18 years, his focus has been exclusively on the healthcare sector, where he has held several senior roles including Head of Legal for Bupa Hospitals and General Counsel and Company Secretary for Spire Healthcare Group plc. He has also acted as an adviser to private healthcare groups and the UK government, most recently as the General Counsel for NHS Test & Trace during the height of the Covid pandemic.

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Chris Ronaldson

Chief Product and Information Officer

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Chris Ronaldson is Acacium Group’s Chief Product and Information Officer, leading technology and transformation activities, including digital development, support, and service delivery. The role oversees the implementation of key change activities that underpin Acacium Group’s growth agenda and front-line operations.

Prior to joining Acacium Group in 2023, Chris held senior and board-level positions within FTSE / NYSE listed companies. Chris has extensive experience in operational and technology transformations and is skilled in leading and optimising complex, scaled operations.

Outside of work, Chris’s passions are his family and friends, a love of music – listening and playing – and coastal living and being by the sea.

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Karen Matthews-Shard

Group Clinical Director

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Karen joined the organisation in March 2010 and has over 40 years nursing experience across the acute and primary NHS, private sector and Armed Forces and in both provider and commissioning organisations. She has 20 years’ experience operating at a strategic board level and leads on clinical governance and risk across the group ensuring high standards of care and the safety and quality of the organisation. Karen has the role of liaison between external regulatory bodies, insurers and legal teams and is the CQC Responsible Individual for the Group.

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Sara Andrews

Chief People Officer

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Sara leads Acacium Group’s Global People Strategy to create an employee experience that enables our talent to thrive through engagement, career development, and culture. A qualified engineer who has worked globally across the automotive, aerospace, power generation and financial services sectors in the USA, Europe and China, Sara is passionate about delivering value through people. She has 20 years’ experience working strategically at board level and is a Fellow of the CIPD, ILM and CMI.

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