Executive Committee

Timo Lehne, Executive Director, member of the Board
Chief Executive Officer
Timo Lehne was appointed CEO in April 2022 after joining the board as interim CEO and Executive Director on 1 January 2022. As Senior Managing Director he held full responsibility for the day-to-day running of SThree’s largest region, DACH, which comprises of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Timo studied International Economics in the Netherlands before joining our Progressive Recruitment business in Germany as a sales consultant in 2006. He was appointed Senior Business Manager in Düsseldorf for SThree in 2009, quickly turning it into our fastest growing business and growing the city’s share of net fees within the DACH region from 4% in 2009 to 27% in 2012. He was promoted to Senior Sales Director in 2013, taking joint responsibility for the running of the overall DACH business and in 2017 became Managing Director for the region, where he was responsible for the overall DACH business of SThree accounting for over 33% of the Group’s revenue and more than 1000 employees across 10 locations.

Andrew Beach, Executive Director, member of the Board
Chief Financial Officer
Andrew Beach was appointed to the SThree Board in July 2021, joining from Hyve Group plc, a global exhibitions business. As CFO he holds full responsibility for the financial strategy and financial activities across the SThree Group. He is an accomplished CFO with more than 13 years’ experience in listed companies. He has global experience of business transformation, funding and M&A in fast-paced and high-growth companies and has extensive experience of working alongside Boards and senior leadership on company strategy and direction.
As CFO of Hyve, Andrew was instrumental in leading the company through a period of significant transformation and rapid international growth, which resulted in its promotion to the FTSE 250. Previously, he held a number of roles at Ebiquity plc, joining as Group Financial Controller in 2007 and quickly being appointed as CFO in 2008. In 2014 he was promoted to Chief Financial and Operating Officer. Andrew trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC, working with them from 1998 until 2007.

Sunny Ackerman
President, US
Sunny joined SThree in 2021 as President of our business in the Americas. She is responsible for the strategy, performance and operations of Specialist Staffing Group (a division of SThree) and its brands in the US. Before her appointment she was the President of the Americas for Frank Recruitment Group, where she was responsible for the company’s largest region, leading professional IT experts in developing specialty markets, new brands and client expansion in North America.
Prior to this Sunny spent more than 14 years in a variety of executive positions with ManpowerGroup as Senior Vice-President and General Manager. Throughout her career, Sunny has worked with elite Fortune 500 clients and industry leaders as a strategic adviser and business partner. Sunny completed a BA from Texas A&M University.
Staffing Industry Analyst named Sunny in the “Global Power 100” – the most influential women in staffing over the past three years.

Kate Danson
Chief Legal Officer and Group Company Secretary
Kate Danson joined SThree in 2021. She is responsible for the provision of legal services and its operations across the SThree Group and is the PLC Company Secretary. Prior to joining, she was General Counsel, Group at Johnson Matthey plc, responsible for leading the provision of legal services across the global group functions. She had previously worked in a variety of senior global roles within Johnson Matthey.
Kate brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in complex global legal, ethics and compliance, business and risk management issues. She is a qualified solicitor and started her career in private practice at the international law firm Ince & Co.
Kate completed a degree in Religious Studies at Kings College London before studying at the College of Law between 2002 and 2004.

Nick Folkes
Chief Technology and Information Officer
Nick Folkes joined SThree in 2021. As CTIO, he is responsible for the technology and digital strategy and its operations across the SThree group. Nick is a highly experienced technology leader, with a breadth of experience in services and in-house environments. He has delivered major transformations in his previous roles, most recently was the Group CIO for G4S, the global security company operating across 85 countries.
Prior to joining G4S in March 2014, Nick served as director for IT Operations and Infrastructure at Tesco and as IT director for MSCI, a global provider of critical decision support tools and services for the financial investment community. Nick has also been a director at both Deloitte Consulting and Cable & Wireless and has more than 20 years of wide-ranging experience within the IT industry.
Nick holds a BSc in Cybernetics, Control Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science from the University of Reading.
The Board

James Bilefield, Chair
Non-Executive Chair
James Bilefield was appointed to the SThree Board as Senior Independent Director and Chair Designate in October 2017, becoming Chair in April 2018. He is Chair of the Nomination Committee and a member of the Remuneration Committee.
James is a Non-Executive Director of Stagecoach Group plc, where he serves on the Remuneration and Nomination Committees. He is a Trustee of the Science Museum Group, the world’s leading group of science museums, a Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company (and a Trustee of Teach First.
He managed the digital transformation of media group Condé Nast across 27 countries, scaled Skype’s global operations as part of its founding management team and held senior management roles at Yahoo! during its major growth phase. Formerly CEO of global advertising technology company, OpenX, he also co-founded the UK local information business, UpMyStreet, following an investment banking career at JP Morgan Chase. James was previously a non-executive director of MoneySupermarket.com, stepping down in May 2022.

Timo Lehne
CEO; Executive Director
Timo Lehne was appointed CEO in April 2022 after joining the board as interim CEO and Executive Director on 1 January 2022. As Senior Managing Director he held full responsibility for the day-to-day running of SThree’s largest region, DACH, which comprises of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Timo studied International Economics in the Netherlands before joining our Progressive Recruitment business in Germany as a sales consultant in 2006. He was appointed Senior Business Manager in Düsseldorf for SThree in 2009, quickly turning it into our fastest growing business and growing the city’s share of net fees within the DACH region from 4% in 2009 to 27% in 2012. He was promoted to Senior Sales Director in 2013, taking joint responsibility for the running of the overall DACH business and in 2017 became Managing Director for the region, where he was responsible for the overall DACH business of SThree accounting for over 33% of the Group’s revenue and more than 1000 employees across 10 locations.

Andrew Beach
CFO; Executive Director
Andrew Beach was appointed to the SThree Board in July 2021, joining from Hyve Group plc, a global exhibitions business. As CFO he holds full responsibility for the financial strategy and financial activities across the SThree Group. He is an accomplished CFO with more than 13 years’ experience in listed companies. He has global experience of business transformation, funding and M&A in fast-paced and high-growth companies and has extensive experience of working alongside Boards and senior leadership on company strategy and direction.
As CFO of Hyve, Andrew was instrumental in leading the company through a period of significant transformation and rapid international growth, which resulted in its promotion to the FTSE 250. Previously, he held a number of roles at Ebiquity plc, joining as Group Financial Controller in 2007 and quickly being appointed as CFO in 2008. In 2014 he was promoted to Chief Financial and Operating Officer. Andrew trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC, working with them from 1998 until 2007.

Denise Collis
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director and Employee Engagement NED
Denise Collis was appointed to the SThree Board, Nomination Committee and Remuneration Committee in July 2016. Denise was appointed as Chair of the Remuneration Committee in September 2016 became a member of the Audit & Risk Committee in April 2018 and was appointed Senior Independent Director in October 2018. With effect from 1 December 2018, she was appointed as Employee Engagement NED.
Denise is also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Smiths News plc, the specialist distribution company, a Non-Executive Director of Emis Group plc, a major provider of healthcare software, information technology and related services, where she is Chair of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Audit and Nomination committees, and Chair of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Advisory Council at the British Heart Foundation. Prior to this, she was Group HR Director for 3i Group plc, and most recently Chief People Officer for Bupa. She has extensive international Human Resources and executive committee experience, and has also held senior roles at EY, Standard Chartered plc and HSBC. Denise is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Barrie Brien
Non-Executive Director
Barrie Brien was appointed to the SThree Board, Audit & Risk, Nomination and Remuneration Committees in September 2017.
He is also Group Chief Executive Officer of STRAT7, a data analytics and strategy consultancy, and was the former Chief Executive Officer of Creston plc, a media and marketing communications group, stepping down in 2017 following its sale and de-listing. Barrie was extensively involved in the growth of Creston plc from 2004 with its buy-and-build strategy and had also been Chief Operating and Financial Officer.
In addition to extensive public company experience, including M&A fundraisings and Investor Relations, Barrie has spent 30 years in global media, digital, and marketing communication companies, advising a portfolio of boards and clients across multiple industries on their growth strategies.

Imogen Joss
Non-Executive Director
Imogen was appointed to the SThree Board, the Audit & Risk, Remuneration and Nomination Committees in December 2022.
Imogen is Non-Executive Director and Senior Independent Director of Fintel plc and Chair of its Remuneration Committee. Imogen is also Chair of Grant Thornton UK LLP, the accounting and consulting firm, and a Non-Executive Director of IPSX UK Ltd and Envetec Sustainable Technologies.
Imogen spent her executive career working in senior general management, sales and marketing roles for a range of information services and other companies, including the London Stock Exchange Group plc and S&P Global Inc.
Imogen was previously a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of Euromoney Institutional Investor plc, stepping down in November 2022 on completion of the acquisition of Euromoney and its delisting from the London Stock Exchange.

Elaine O’Donnell
Non-Executive Director
Elaine was appointed to the SThree Board, the Remuneration and Nomination Committees and as Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee in October 2022.
Elaine is Chair of Games Workshop Group plc and Chair of its Nomination Committee. Elaine is also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at both On the Beach Group plc and The Gym Group plc.
Elaine qualified as a chartered accountant at PWC and then spent the majority of her executive career specialising in corporate finance, latterly serving as a partner in Transaction Advisory Services at EY. Throughout her career, she has worked extensively with global businesses across a range of market capitalisations and industry sectors. Elaine was previously a Non-Executive director of Studio Retail Group plc, stepping down in September 2021.
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Latest news from SThree
SThree leaders named on SIA’s Staffing Europe 100 and Global Power 150 List
Timo Lehne, Sunnny Ackerman and Karima Green have been recognised on SIA staffing lists
Timo Lehne appointed CEO of SThree plc
SThree plc is pleased to announce the appointment of Timo Lehne as permanent Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect.
Sunny Ackerman is named one of North America's 100 most influential leaders in staffing
President of SThree Americas has been recognised on the Staffing Industry Analysts’ (SIA) Staffing 100 North America list for 2022.
2021 Annual Report: Discover how SThree is delivering STEM talent
Read how SThree is connecting sought-after STEM specialists with pioneering global companies in our 2021 Annual Report and TCFD statement.
SThree posts record profits with performance up 111% year-on-year
Full-year results for the year ended 30 November 2021 show profit before tax of £60m.
SThree appoints new Chief Technology and Information Officer
Nick Folkes takes on role of Chief Technology and Information Officer, having been in the role as an interim since October 2021.
SThree ranks top in Support Services sector in Britain’s Most Admired Companies 2021
Study published by Management Today puts SThree first in eight of the 13 key criteria.
SThree named ‘Top Employer’ in Germany for a ninth consecutive year
Top Employer Institute recognises our approach to creating a positive culture and supporting colleagues.
SThree delivers record full-year net fee performance with strong growth across all major geographies
Increased demand for STEM skills and execution of our strategy sees net fees rise 19% year-on-year, to £355.7m, up 9% versus 2019.