QA’s management team
QA is led by a highly talented and experienced management team, which has shaped one of the most successful learning providers in the UK.
Christian Martin
Chairman
Christian has been Chairman of QA-IQ Group since 1999, becoming Executive in April 2001. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales having qualified with KMG (now KPMG). Between 1994 and 1997 Christian was Chief Executive of Azlan Group Plc, having been Finance Director from 1992. He was previously Finance Director of Erskine Ltd and Warner Fabrics Plc. Christian is also a non-executive director of Danwood Group Ltd, a large office solutions organisation.
William Macpherson
CEO
E-mail: william.macpherson@qa.com
William Macpherson joined QA-IQ as CEO in 2008 with over 12 years’ experience in senior management of training organisations. He was until recently the Chief Executive of Kaplan Professional & International, a major learning services organisation with sales in excess of $500 million. He began leading training companies in 1995 when he became Chief Executive of Financial Training, which he built into the UK’s largest accountancy training business.
Stuart Martin
Group Sales Director
E-mail: stuart.martin@qa.com
Stuart Martin has been with the company since 2000, having previously worked in the online education space for Ten-TV. He has over 12 years of experience in the learning industry. Having joined in the role of Account Manager he went on to take management responsibility before becoming Sales Director in 2005. Stuart went on to lead the successful sales integration during the merger between QA and InterQuad and latterly QA-IQ and Xpertise. In addition to focusing on developing relationships with customers and partners he continues to be responsible for the strategy and ongoing development of the sales organisation.
Harvey Thomas
Operations Director
E-mail: harvey.thomas@qa.com
Harvey Thomas joined QA-IQ in October 2007 in the role of Operations Director. He is a chartered accountant by training who in recent years has performed a number of senior operational and commercial roles with Capita Group and Norwich Union Healthcare.
Ben Pike
Managed Learning Services Director
E-mail: ben.pike@qa.com
Ben has nearly 15 years’ experience in senior leadership roles within the learning industry and now directs the QA Academy, providing IT Apprenticeships for young people. He joined QA as managing director of the managed learning services business following the merger of the QA with Xpertise in 2008. From 2002 to 2008, Ben was operations director and learning services director at Xpertise Group Plc – during a period of significant organic and acquisitive growth that built Xpertise into a leading learning business. Prior to this, Ben was operations director of a £43M training business that was a subsidiary of Skillsgroup plc.
Bill Walker
BSc(Hons) CEng MBCS CITP
Commercial and Technical DirectorE-mail: bill.walker@qa.com
Bill manages the company’s relationships with its major vendors and partners including Microsoft, Oracle, VMWare and Citrix. He is also responsible for marketing, bespoke e-learning and innovation activities. Bill was a director of Xpertise Group Plc, which was acquired by QA in September 2008, where he was responsible for growing the business in the Technical, Project Management, Service Management and Soft Skills areas. He also ran the Marketing team and was instrumental in the acquisition of Watermans, a Management & Personal Development company. Bill has a background in consultancy and application development having worked for Praxis Systems, PHH and Deloitte Consulting. He sits on Microsoft’s CPLS Advisory Council in Redmond, WA. which sets the direction for Microsoft learning products and services. Bill holds a BSc(Hons) in Computer Science and is a Chartered Engineer.
Ian Johnson
FCA
Group Finance DirectorE-mail: ian.johnson@qa.com
Ian is a chartered accountant and has over fifteen years’ experience in the IT training industry. Ian was a senior manager with Price Waterhouse in Manchester and between 1989 and 1992 he was Group Finance Director of Logitek plc, an IT services group with a turnover of £85 million. He was a member of the management buy-in team of Xpertise in 1993 and became Group Finance Director following the admission of Xpertise to the Alternative Investment Market in January 1999. Ian was Managing Director of Xpertise from October 2003 to December 2008 during which Xpertise’s revenue and operating profit grew substantially. He became Group Finance Director of QA in January 2009 following the merger of Xpertise and QA-IQ.
Jeff Payne
Director of Professional Best Practice
E-mail: jeff.payne@qa.com
Jeff Payne joined QA in early 2007 to initially develop the embryonic Service Management Business and building on its success he now leads the Professional Best Practice Portfolio which includes more than sixty managers, consultants and lecturers. Jeff has been a Managing Consultant and is well known in the industry with companies across the world including a significant number of FTSE 100 companies. Jeff is a former Managing Director and General Manager in recent years having built a number of successful Best Practice Businesses. He has been involved in Industry related bodies for many years including the itSMF and currently sits on the ITIL Qualifications Board representing the Accredited Training Organisations Sub Group.
Jeff Barnes
Director of Technical Education
E-mail: jeff.barnes@qa.com
Jeff joined QA in 1999 and has been involved in the IT Training industry for over 15 years, initially in a training role delivering courses covering operating systems, infrastructure and messaging. As the Director of Technical Education he now leads a delivery team of 150+ instructors, with responsibility for the technology curriculum and training solutions. Jeff looks to future technologies and industry innovations in order to ensure the comprehensive QA portfolio continues to bring benefit and value to our clients.