Lifeways – CCO, CPO, CIO, CTO

Post-transaction C-suite team build for HIG Capital backed supported living provider

Background

Lifeways is one of the UK’s largest supported living specialists, providing tailored care to almost 5,000 people across the country. Following the appointments of CEO Andrea Kinkade and Chair Mark Beadle, US private equity investor H.I.G. Capital sought to accelerate a transformation agenda designed to strengthen Lifeways’ leadership platform, improve operational performance, and support long-term value creation.

To deliver this, Compass Carter Osborne was mandated to appoint a quartet of critical C-suite executives: Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Transformation Officer (CTO), Chief People Officer (CPO), and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). These appointments were considered foundational to executing the change programme and positioning the business for sustainable growth under private equity ownership.

The Brief

H.I.G. Capital and Lifeways required executives who could bring both sector insight and fresh perspective. The mandate was not simply to fill roles, but to identify leaders capable of embedding change, driving digital and operational transformation, and aligning the organisation with the investor’s strategic objectives.

Each role was designed to act as a catalyst within the senior leadership team:

• CIO: to implement technology solutions that would improve efficiency and care delivery.
• CTO: to drive a complex transformation agenda across business units.
• CPO: to strengthen organisational culture and employee value proposition.
• CCO: to sharpen commercial focus, improve market positioning, and deepen relationships with commissioners.

Why Compass Carter Osborne?

Compass Carter Osborne was selected for its strong track record of executive appointments across private equity-backed healthcare and social care businesses, with a particular reputation for understanding investor imperatives. The firm’s credibility with US investors, deep senior network, and ability to operate across adjacent sectors gave H.I.G. Capital confidence that the mandates could be delivered rapidly and to a world-class standard.

Search Process & Methodology

Senior Partner Adam Carter led an accelerated search process, leveraging Compass Carter Osborne’s established investor and operator networks. The approach was borderless, reflecting H.I.G. Capital’s requirement to bring in high-calibre leaders with diverse backgrounds:

• A broad search across adjacent healthcare segments was combined with targeted approaches to senior leaders in B2C and industrial sectors.
• A rigorous screening and referencing process ensured that each candidate could deliver against both sector-specific challenges and the broader transformation agenda.

Of the four final appointments, only one came from within the core supported living marketplace; two were sourced from the wider healthcare ecosystem, and one from outside the sector, underscoring the breadth of search Compass Carter Osborne conducted.

Outcome

All four appointments were delivered to brief and within accelerated timeframes:

• CIO – Andy Ferrington (Spire Healthcare, acute sector)
• CTO – Amanda Brooke (Nuffield Health, acute sector)
• CPO – James Westwood-Beere (Rolls Royce, industrial/manufacturing)
• CCO – Chris Woodhead (Dimensions, adult social care)

Together, this new executive team brought a complementary mix of sectoral knowledge, transformation experience, and cross-industry innovation. Their combined expertise has been instrumental in delivering the investor-led change agenda and supporting H.I.G. Capital’s ambitions for the platform.