Alison Platt
Born
Alison Elizabeth Platt

(1962-02-25) 25 February 1962 (age 62)
Oldham, Greater Manchester, England
TitleChair, Dechra Pharmaceuticals,
TermMarch 2020 -

Alison Elizabeth Platt (born 25 February 1962) is a British businesswoman. She was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Countrywide, the UK's largest estate agency group from 2014 to January 2018.

Personal life

Alison Elizabeth Platt was born on 25 February 1962 in Oldham, England.[1] She is married, with two grown-up stepchildren and a 14-year-old son. She lives in Teddington.[2]

Career

Platt joined British Airways as a management trainee straight from school, turning down the offer of a university place. She worked there for 13 years, including as a flight attendant.[3]

She joined BUPA in 1993 and over 20 years held a number of progressively senior roles.[3][2]

She completed the Advanced Management Programme at Wharton School in 1998.[1]

In 2014, Platt was appointed CEO of Countrywide, the UK's largest estate agency group.[4][2]

She resigned in January 2018 after Countrywide issued its second profit warning in three months, and its shares fell to an all-time low. Her role was taken over by the chairman Peter Long, while a successor was sought.[5][6][7]

Non-executive roles

Platt was appointed a non-executive director of Tesco in 2016, a role she still holds.[8]

She was a non-executive director at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.[1]

She was appointed non-executive director of veterinary pharmaceuticals company Dechra Pharmaceuticals plc in March 2020, becoming chair in January 2022.[9] In June 2023, the firm agreed to a £4.5bn takeover from Swedish private equity firm EQT AB.[10]

In October 2022, she was appointed chair of the UK subsidiary of global insurer Ageas.[11]

In December 2023, she was announced as chair-elect at FTSE 250 wealth manager Hargreaves Lansdown replacing Deanna Oppenheimer.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c Chynoweth, Carly (12 July 2005). "Managing with the mandarins". The Times.
  2. ^ a b c Blackhurst, Chris (22 January 2016). "Countrywide chief Alison Platt: The former air steward who's flying high at helm of Britain's biggest estate agent". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  3. ^ a b Smithers, Rebecca (26 February 2011). "I'm a believer – how women can achieve managerial career success". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Alison Platt Helen Normoyle". Bloomberg. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  5. ^ Smith, Rebecca (24 January 2018). "Countrywide's chief executive has resigned after recent profit warning". cityam.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  6. ^ Strydom, Martin (2 February 2018). "Countrywide chief Alison Platt quits after share price hits record low". Retrieved 2 February 2018 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  7. ^ Monaghan, Angela (24 January 2018). "Countrywide boss resigns as shares hit new low". the Guardian. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  8. ^ "Tesco's Board and Executive Committee". Tesco. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Dechra Board and Senior Executive Team". www.dechra.com.
  10. ^ Kelly, Maxine (2 June 2023). "Dechra agrees £4.5bn takeover offer from buyout group EQT". Financial Times. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  11. ^ Kokozka, Pamela (14 June 2022). "Alison Platt to replace Mark Winlow as chair of Ageas UK board". Insurance Post. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  12. ^ O'Conner, Tara (29 November 2023). "Hargreaves Lansdown chairperson to step down". FT Advisors. Retrieved 3 January 2024.


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