Meet the team

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.

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.

Christopher Brink was named COO of US Healthcare Solutions for Acacium Group and Chief Executive Officer of Favorite Healthcare Staffing in January 2022. Christopher joined Favorite in 2000 as Controller and was subsequently promoted to Chief Financial Officer where he played a pivotal role in logistics for emergency response management. In January 2019, he was promoted to Chief Operations Officer and then to President in 2020 where he served in this influential role to provide strategic enterprise-wide workforce solutions to our healthcare partners. Under his leadership, Favorite has moved in to the top 10 of the US largest healthcare staffing firms. Christopher led Favorite Healthcare Staffing through the acquisition process to join Acacium Group in December 2021.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.