Chair

The Role:

Circadian Trust

The Client:

The Client

Sphere Leisure Ltd is the wholly owned trading subsidiary of the charity Circadian Trust.

The charity operates 5 large leisure centres in South Gloucestershire enjoying nearly 3 million customer visits and with a turnover of c.£13million per annum.

The company is an innovative, social enterprise operating as an independent charity, which successfully manages leisure facilities across South Gloucestershire. Working in close partnership with South Gloucestershire Council balancing commercial reality with social conscience, to deliver both commercial and social return on investment, within the local community.

The Challenge

Circadian appointed Moon Executive Search as their official recruitment partner, to help shape the future of the company with the recruitment of a Chair. Working closely with the Chief Executive and the board of Trustees of Circadian Trust, the Chair is responsible for a board and the management team to account for the company’s performance, providing inclusive leadership to the board and ensuring that all Directors fulfil their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the company.

The ideal candidate would demonstrate a strong passion and commitment to the company and its charitable ethos. We searched for candidates that could exhibit strong inter-personal and thrived at relationship building using tact and diplomacy, with the ability to listen and engage effectively.

Circadian employ over 500 staff who run and operate the 5 Active Lifestyle Centres, with the mission of ‘Inspiring Active Lifestyles’.

Our Offering

Moon Executive Search obtained expressions of interests and CV’s from prospective candidates and individuals with experience of managing and leading teams at a senior level, searching for someone who has chaired meetings before. Sandy then carried out extensive research, conducted detailed candidate interviews and took careful consideration of all the brief requirements. She focused on individuals with a strong business commercial background ideally within retail, catering, hospitality or similar sector, but who can work in partnership and conjunction with the charity Circadian Trust and its ethos.

Our team is in constant contact with experienced Non-Executives and Chair candidates who could bring the experience required to the role. Furthermore, our network also includes those capable of offering experience of global market share growth and transformation. Our candidate network includes a wide range of Chairs, with a diverse range of backgrounds and experience.

The connections that our consultants have allows us to pinpoint the right track records of significant growth alongside the foresight to oversee positive transformation that will improve the local environment that they operate in.

The centres are based in Kingswood, Bradley Stoke, Yate, Thornbury and Longwell Green.

Our Outcome

We were delighted to present a shortlist to Circadian who agreed to take on two of our candidates; Valerie Lee was offered the role of Chair for Sphere Ltd. Valerie is an experienced Commercial Director who has worked across the UK and Europe within the retail, franchise and wholesale FMCG industries, including Debenhams, Clarks, Somerfield and Boots. Circadian also offered a trustee role at Circadian to Junior Sheikh. Junior is the Director at MTM Awards and has excellent access to networks across the area.

Mark Crutchley, Chief Executive of Circadian commented:

‘We are very happy with the work that Moon Executive Search carried out. Sandy provided some great candidates and made our decision very difficult. Valerie’s commercial experience will give us strategic insight as Chair and Juniors energy impressed us so much that we chose to offer him the role of trustee.’

Sandy Hinks said:

‘This was a really interesting campaign for a growing, community-based organisation. The time spent speaking with the client helped to identify the right persona that could chair and bring influence to help steer Sphere Ltd and Circadian to new heights. Both Junior and Val will bring energy and purpose in their roles.’

Vanessa Moon commented:

‘We are so pleased that Sandy found the right candidates to take them forward. All the credit goes to Sandy for her hard work to create a fantastic, tailored shortlist.’