Heartwood Collection Board & Exec

Mark founded Brasserie Bar Co and previously founded Loch Fyne Restaurants prior to its sale to Greene King in 2007. Mark has also held senior roles at TGI Friday’s, Be At One and New World Trading. As the Non-Executive Chairman of Heartwood Collection, Mark supports the curation of the business strategy and management of external corporate relations. 

An avid Man City fan Mark started his working life on oil rigs.

Rich joined Heartwood Collection in 2011 and held the roles of Operations Director of Brasserie Blanc and Chief Commercial Officer before becoming Managing Director in February 2020, followed by a promotion to Chief Executive Officer in January 2024. In his role, Rich is responsible for the running of the business. 

He is a passionate Welsh rugby fan and usually the first to take to the stage for karaoke.

Henry joined Heartwood as Financial Controller in 2017 and has led the finance team since that time. He stepped up into the Chief Financial Officer role in early 2026.

When not spending time with his young family, Henry can often be found on a golf course or on the tennis court.

Helen joined Heartwood Collection in 2011 and oversees the Recruitment, Learning & Development and HR teams alongside overseeing Heartwood’s overall people strategy. Formerly Heartwood’s Finance Director, Helen moved across into her current role in 2018. 

Away from work, Helen can often be found in a sailing boat or on the ski slopes of France.

Ed joined Heartwood in 2022 as Property Director. He is responsible for all things property including acquisitions, compliance and maintenance. Prior to Heartwood, Ed held similar roles at Redcat and Hawthorn Leisure and is a Chartered Surveyor (MRICS).

Ed is a Chelsea fan although he generally keeps this to himself!

A member of the Heartwood family since 2012, Rob is responsible for our IT & Systems. Rob brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously run his own IT business as well as having been Head of IT at Luminar Plc. 

When not launching new systems, Rob is kept busy renovating his house and spending time with his family.

Sam joined Heartwood Collection in 2010 as an Assistant Manager in Heartwood Inns. Sam progressed through the ranks of the business, having held the positions of General Manager, Openings Manager, Operations Manager and Regional Director before becoming an Operations Director in 2022.

Sam is responsible for all our new openings and refurbishments from an operational standpoint, and works closely with Tom Palfreeman to support our Operations Team. He is also the Group’s sustainability lead.

If you happen to speak to Sam, it won’t be long before he reminds you about Leicester winning the Premier League in 2016!

Tom joined Heartwood Collection in 2011 as an Assistant Manager in Brasserie Blanc and has since held the roles of General Manager, Operations manager and Regional Director, before being appointed as an Operations Director in 2022. Tom operates both our pubs and brasseries on a day-to-day basis.

Most weekends, Tom can be heard on the sidelines supporting his daughter at football as part of his dream of her becoming a future lioness. He insists she gets her skills from him…

Kate joined Heartwood Collection in early 2025 as Rooms Director and is responsible for driving performance of Heartwood’s accommodation offering. She also heads up the Central Reservations function for the group.

Outside of work she enjoys long walks and time with friends and family, usually involving good food and wine.

Laura joined Heartwood Collection in September 2025, taking on the role of Sales & Marketing Director. In her role, Laura is responsible for overseeing the company’s marketing strategy, brand positioning, and integrated campaigns to drive continued growth and success across the entire business.

She is a keen swimmer, enjoys the spa, and loves spending quality time with her friends and family on the weekends.

Simon joined Heartwood Collection in early 2026, as Commercial Director; responsible for Purchasing & Supply Chain, Menu & Bar Development.

His previous roles include Commercial Director at Cote Brasserie, Purchasing Director at Wagamama as well as other senior procurement jobs with Pizza Express & Burger King having started his career as a buyer at Safeway supermarkets.

Outside of work; he’s a keen runner and rugby supporter; in particular Reading Rams RFC where his son plays at junior level.