Alison became Chair of Dechra, the FTSE 100 global specialist veterinary pharmaceuticals business in January of 2022. She is currently Chair of remuneration on the Board of Tesco (FTSE 30) and since October 2022 has been the Chair of Ageas UK. She is a board member of Spectrum Life, one of Ireland’s fastest growing digital health businesses with a focus on mental health and wellbeing and an expanding presence in the UK and a member of the advisory board of Huntswood. She was previously the inaugural Chair of Legal & General’s newly established financial advisory business , served on the Board of Cable & Wireless Communications (FTSE 250), on a listed Saudi joint venture Board and on an Indian joint venture, in both cases as Vice Chair. She is the first British woman ever to have served on a listed Saudi Board.
Alison was CEO of Countrywide plc the UK listed residential and commercial property group, between September 2014 and January 2018. Prior to that she spent over twenty years in healthcare and financial services with Bupa responsible for a range of businesses in the UK including insurance, clinics and hospitals. In her last five years there she led the development of Bupa’s emerging markets businesses – including major acquisitions in Poland and Hong Kong and the significant growth of Bupa’s JVs in Saudi Arabia and India. She spent her early career at BA where she held a number of senior positions over thirteen years.
Alison was a member of the steering group of the ‘Hampton Alexander’ Review ( FTSE Women Leaders) and was previously the Chair of ‘Opportunity Now’ which seeks to accelerate change for women in the workplace . She was a non-executive director for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office between 2005 one 2010 and in 2011 was awarded the CMG (Companion of the order of St Michael and St George) for services to the Foreign Office.
