Community Profile
Neil Hayward
Board MentorCriticaleye
Neil is the Chair for the Industry People Board at British Horseracing, Governor & Trustee at Solent University, and a Non-Executive Director at the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR). In 2022 he was appointed as Non-executive Director at Applied Monitoring Ltd, a PE backed start-up developing a biosensor medical device to non-invasively test for alcohol and drugs in the bloodstream. He is also a Director and Independent Advisor at the rapidly growing Singapore-based Skills Union, a PE-backed enterprise learning technology platform connecting learners and businesses globally to plug the digital skills gap.
With more than 25 years’ experience as an Executive and Non-Executive Board Member, Neil has a recognised track record in successfully leading business transformation (including digital) as well as major change and capital programmes. He has also achieved step changes in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and employee engagement that have significantly improved workforce and organisational performance for companies and led the way for whole sectors of the economy.
His national and international business career has included Board and Executive Team leadership roles at High Speed Two (HS2), Post Office, BT, Ministry of Justice, Standard Chartered Bank, Gallaher Group, Serco Group and Booker as well as in the NHS and Higher and Further Education. His responsibilities have included strategy and planning, business development and bid management, business transformation, corporate communications and corporate affairs, as well as human resources.
Neil is now a Board Advisor to SMEs as well as a Director/Independent Board Advisor, Non-executive Remuneration Committee Chair and a Strategy/Business Transformation Chair. He has previously served as a Non-executive Director on Audit & Risk, Finance and Quality committees.
Neil is passionate about helping all the businesses he works with in whatever capacity succeed creating jobs and wealth as they do so. He is married to Adele, and away from work his interests include walking the family dog, playing golf, watching cricket and reading primarily history, biography, politics and sport.
With more than 25 years’ experience as an Executive and Non-Executive Board Member, Neil has a recognised track record in successfully leading business transformation (including digital) as well as major change and capital programmes. He has also achieved step changes in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and employee engagement that have significantly improved workforce and organisational performance for companies and led the way for whole sectors of the economy.
His national and international business career has included Board and Executive Team leadership roles at High Speed Two (HS2), Post Office, BT, Ministry of Justice, Standard Chartered Bank, Gallaher Group, Serco Group and Booker as well as in the NHS and Higher and Further Education. His responsibilities have included strategy and planning, business development and bid management, business transformation, corporate communications and corporate affairs, as well as human resources.
Neil is now a Board Advisor to SMEs as well as a Director/Independent Board Advisor, Non-executive Remuneration Committee Chair and a Strategy/Business Transformation Chair. He has previously served as a Non-executive Director on Audit & Risk, Finance and Quality committees.
Neil is passionate about helping all the businesses he works with in whatever capacity succeed creating jobs and wealth as they do so. He is married to Adele, and away from work his interests include walking the family dog, playing golf, watching cricket and reading primarily history, biography, politics and sport.
