Our team

Gavin Freed

Chief Executive

Gavin joined esg. as CEO in September 2010, and until recently was also CEO of Paragon Skills which he joined in May 2007. Gavin’s role focuses on managing the executive team in its achievement of the operational and strategic business objectives of the company.  

Gavin’s previous roles have included ten years in the IT industry, gaining experience with global organisations such as IBM and also private equity backed technology businesses; elata as CEO and Civica plc as Group Business Development Director.
 

Joanna Dobson

Group Financial Director

Steve Moore

Group Commercial Director

Steve joined esg. in April 2010, having previously delivered significant business growth as Business Development Director of welfare to work and skills provider, Working Links. Additionally Steve’s career history includes working for a number of years in various roles at global recruitment company Adecco and as Sales Director for US health and social care company Allied Healthcare International. Steve has a burning ambition as Group Commercial Director at esg. to develop our business into a brand that is synonymous with innovation and originality in all the sectors in which it provide services.

Steve is married with three children and lives in Sheffield.

Di Herft

Group HR Director

Di joined esg. in April 2011 to lead the group’s national HR function. She works closely with esg.’s operations around the country to deliver on the company’s people strategy to ensure operational excellence. Di brings a wealth of experience with her, not only from the training and employment sector, but from her years in the healthcare sector where she spearheaded the HR strategy for the Nestor Healthcare Group, providing HR services to the company’s 81 branches.

An MCIPD qualified HR professional, Di plays a major part in the group’s continued growth strategy through directing and overseeing its ongoing organisational development.

Anthony Benton

Chief Operations Officer

Professionally qualified with a degree and background in Mechanical Engineering, Anthony has previously assumed leadership positions which have benefited from his systematic and pragmatic approach, most notably including his time as Managing Director of Foundation Software Solutions, Managing Director for Tribal Software and Services and more recently as Chief Operations Officer for Tribal Education.  

Anthony has successfully driven significant business improvements in his previous roles and was responsible for major organisational restructures which led to growth in both revenue and profits. Change programmes instigated by him have covered technology, processes and quality, which have been affected through inspiring people and engendering a spirit of teamwork. Most of all he believes in releasing people’s talent, building capacity and developing effective teams.

Matt Corden

Operations Performance Director

Matt joined esg. in August 2007 when the training provider he’d run since 2002 - orient - became part of our group. During his time heading up orient, Matt was responsible for developing a strong business with a reputable name amongst big brand name employers, providing them with quality vocational training and assessment. Since joining esg. Matt has carried out the role of New Business Director, where, as part of the senior management team, he was responsible for the growth of skills and employment contracts and the diversification of the business into new sectors. More recently, Matt has taken on the role of Operations Performance Director for skills, where he is utilising his experience from his days as CEO of orient.

Prior to entering the skills industry Matt spent the previous 11 years in the Royal Navy, ensuring, amongst other things, the operational effectiveness of his entire ship. Most notably in his naval career, Matt was the only Midshipman to have served on Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia.

In his spare time, Matt is rather unconventional in his pursuits, holding a private pilot’s licence and listing advanced diving, powerboat and fast-roping instruction as basic credentials on his CV. He’s also an avid supporter of Derby County football club, watching the Rams as often as he can.