Our People

Appointment 
Rachel Warren was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Michelmersh to lead the company’s financial strategy, governance, and long-term value creation. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing financial operations, driving efficiency, and supporting the Group’s continued growth as the UK’s brick manufacturing specialist.

Skills and Experience
Rachel brings a wealth of experience in senior finance leadership. Prior to joining Michelmersh, she was Group Finance Director at Wincanton, where she played a pivotal role in strengthening financial performance and guiding strategic transformation. She began her career with British Airways, advancing to Financial Controller, where she gained deep expertise in financial management, reporting, and operations within a global, highly regulated industry.

Her career reflects strong commercial acumen, a rigorous approach to financial governance, and a proven ability to support businesses through change and growth.

Appointment: Paula joined Michelmersh as an Independent Non-Executive Director in June 2020 and was immediately appointed as a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees. Since then, she was appointed as Chair of the Audit Committee in August 2020, and as Chair of the Remuneration Committee in May 2024. Paula also holds the role of Senior Independent Director.

Skills and Experience: Paula has extensive directorship experience and has sat on the Board of a number of prominent organisations in the property sector. Paula is a board member of Shurgard Self Storage Limited, as well as a Trustee of Calthorpe Estates and a Trustee of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme. Until recently Paula was on the Board at The Crown Estate and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. In her executive career, Paula was Corporate Finance and Group Reporting Director at Marks & Spencer Plc, and Chief Executive of national regeneration agency English Partnerships. With her extensive experience, Paula brings wide-ranging finance, governance and risk management expertise to the Board. Her experience in stakeholder engagement, corporate finance, major project delivery and pensions and investment management enhances the Board’s overall skill mix. Paula is a Chartered Accountant (FCA) and is a Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers.

Appointments: Ryan was appointed as Chief Financial Officer on 3 June 2021. Alongside the announcement in December 2024 of Peter Sharp’s decision to retire from the Board, it was announced that Ryan was appointed as the Designate Chief Executive Officer.   He took over the role in September 2025.

Skills and Experience: Prior to joining the Company, Ryan was previously Deputy Chief Financial Officer of Avon Rubber, the FTSE 250 defence engineering and manufacturing Group, from April 2018. Ryan had also been the Group Financial Controller of Unite Students, the FTSE 250 property group, from November 2015 having previously held other senior roles within the business. Ryan is a qualified Chartered Accountant (FCA) and prior to joining Unite, Ryan worked for KPMG in both advisory and audit roles. Ryan’s background brings a broad range of skills to the Board including expertise across finance, risk and assurance and M&A activities.

Appointment: Tony joined Michelmersh initially as an independent Non-Executive Director in November 2020, before taking over as Chair of Michelmersh in May 2024. He currently also chairs the Nomination Committee and remains a member of Audit and Remuneration Committees.

Skills and Experience: Tony has over 20 years’ experience as principal and advisor in M&A, and equity capital markets and holds a number of directorships within public and private companies in an executive and non-executive capacity. He began his career in credit working within leveraged finance at Barclays, before moving to Marwyn Capital, a UK-based listed equity investor that backed consolidation strategies within numerous sectors including software, media and entertainment rights, support services and industrials. In 2012, he co-founded Tessera, a strategic advisory firm that works with organisations and family offices in the development and execution of their acquisition and investment strategies, where he remains a director. Tony was also formerly a Non-Executive Director of Summerway Capital Plc. Tony graduated from Kings College London with a first-class honours degree in Business Management (BSc)