Board of Directors

Richard Last

Non-Executive Chairman

Richard joined Hyve Group plc as Chairman and Non-Executive Director in February 2018. He is also the Chairman of Gamma Communications plc, which has a market capitalisation of over £1.5bn, revenues of over £300m and provides cloud, voice and data communications solutions to UK businesses, and the Chairman of Tribal Group plc, an international technology solutions provider for the higher and further education sectors which is listed on AIM.

Richard, who is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, is an experienced chairman, with over 30 years of public company board experience.

Richard is keen to promote the use of technology to improve customer experience, efficiency and profitability. He is also very passionate about the promotion and development of young talent and promoting wider diversity in organisations.

Mark Shashoua

Chief Executive Officer

Mark was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in September 2016. Mark was previously the CEO of i2i Events Group, the event arm of Ascential plc, where he spent five years leading the internationalisation and diversification of the business.

Mark was one of the founding members of Hyve Group plc, then called ITE Group, in 1991, where he was a senior Director and Board member for eight years. He is also a prominent figure in the international events industry and was recently appointed to the Board of UFI, the Global Association of the Events Industry. 

Mark’s focus is on evolving the business and working towards achieving its ambition. He spends considerable time alongside regional leaders and event teams, discussing the strategy of each market-leading show and planning for sustainable growth.

Mark is passionate about representing the evolution of customers’ behaviours in the events industry and pioneering constant change, while delivering value to shareholders.

John Gulliver

Chief Finance and Operations Officer

John was appointed as the Company’s COO in October 2017. With effect from 1 October 2020 John took up the newly-formed combined role of CFO and COO. He oversaw the rollout of best practice as part of the TAG programme. John also has responsibility for implementing and maintaining our best practice operating model across our global network of exhibitions.

Prior to joining, John held senior financial positions in the media sector, including Interim CFO at Emap/Top Right Group and also Divisional CFO at Ascential, and CFO of i2i Events Group from June 2012 to June 2017, where he worked alongside Mark Shashoua, CEO. Prior to that, John was Finance Director at Precise Media from 2008 to 2010.

John’s background in finance and operational transformation, as well as his experience in the events sector, underpins his passion for bringing about positive change and disruption within the industry. John enjoys working in a change-led environment and loves the passion, energy and sense of achievement that occur as the company, and the people working within it, realise their potential. 

Nicholas Backhouse

Non-Executive Director

Nicholas was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Group on 1 May 2019 and Chair of the Audit Committee in January 2020. He is also a member of the Remuneration Committee.

Nicholas has extensive experience at board level and is currently the Senior Independent Director of both Hollywood Bowl Group plc and Loungers plc and the Chairman of the Giggling Squid restaurant group. He has also held positions as Senior Independent Director of Guardian Media Group plc and Non-Executive Director of Marston’s PLC, All3media Limited, Eaton Gate Gaming Limited and Chichester Festival Theatre. Nicholas was previously the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the David Lloyd Leisure Group, Group Finance Director of National Car Parks and Chief Financial Officer of both the Laurel Pub Company and Freeserve PLC. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and has an MA in economics from Cambridge University.

Nicholas has significant experience with companies undergoing operating model and cultural change. 

Sharon Baylay

Non-Executive Director

Sharon was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Group in April 2014 and became Chair of the Remuneration Committee in October 2017. She is the Senior Independent Director and Risk Chairman at Restore plc, and Non-Executive Chairman at Unique X, a privately-owned company. Sharon joined Ted Baker plc as a Non-Executive Director in June 2018 and was acting Chair from December 2019 until she stepped down from the Board in July 2020. From 2009 to 2011 Sharon was Marketing Director and a Main Board Director of the BBC, responsible for all aspects of Marketing, Communications and Audiences. She was also on the Board of BBC Worldwide, Freesat and Digital UK. Prior to the BBC, Sharon held a number of senior roles at Microsoft Corporation over a period of 15 years, including General Manager of the UK Online and Advertising business.

Sharon is an Advanced Coach & Mentor, accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and a Member of Women in Advertising and Communications, London (WACL). Sharon brings extensive digital experience to the Board in addition to recent corporate governance experience.

Stephen Puckett

Non-Executive Senior Independent Director

Stephen was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Group in July 2013 and is a member of the Audit Committee, having been the Chair until January 2020. He was appointed Chair of the Group’s Risk Committee in January 2020.  He has been the Group’s Non-Executive Senior Independent Director since January 2019.

From March 2015 to October 2020, Stephen was Chairman of Hydrogen Group plc, having joined the board in 2012. He is a Chartered Accountant who brings a wealth of financial and accounting experience amassed through his work with listed companies. In 2012, Stephen retired from the Board of Page Group plc (formerly Michael Page International plc) after more than 11 years as Group Finance Director, during which time he oversaw a period of significant overseas expansion and growth.

Stephen is a strong advocate for ensuring that the views of a wide range of stakeholders, particularly employees, are considered by the Board and that it is important to have a culture where everyone enjoys coming into work.