Our Team

Senior Leadership Team

Guy Ballantine CEO

Guy Ballantine

Chief Executive

Piran Scott

Chief Financial Officer

Rhian Old

Chief Commercial Officer

Steve Mitchell

Steven Mitchell

Director of Research, Innovation and Development

Michelle Hill

Michelle Hill

Director of Curriculum and Learner Progress

Joanne Heywood

Director of Youth Programmes

Jenny Parkes, Director of Apprenticeships at Skills Training UK

Jenny Parkes

Director of Apprenticeships

Michelle Allen

Michelle Allen

Head of People

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Guy Ballantine CEO

Guy Ballantine

Chief Executive

Guy Ballantine was appointed CEO of Skills Training UK in June 2022. He joined Skills Training UK from psychometric testing business Thomas International where, as COO, he drove the company’s transformation to a SaaS-based talent assessment platform provider.

He brings a strong mix of financial and strategic skills from the first half of his career in Corporate Finance, alongside hands-on operational and leadership experience from roles in professional services, education and assessment businesses in the last ten years.

He also has experience of highly regulated businesses having led the business operations at Cambridge Education Group and at a large college delivering further and higher education.

Piran Scott

Chief Financial Officer

Piran joined Skills Training UK in January 2022 and is responsible for the Finance, HR and IT support functions of the Business.

He qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC and has since worked within the Financial Services, Media, and Construction industries. Piran was previously the Divisional Finance Director at Lifetime Training Group before joining Skills Training UK.

He has extensive knowledge of ESFA funding and strong experience of financial stewardship in high growth businesses. Piran is also a governor of his local primary school.

Rhian Old

Chief Commercial Officer

Steve Mitchell

Steven Mitchell

Director of Research, Innovation and Development

Steven has led Skills Training UK to a number of important quality milestones: the first organisation to achieve an ‘Excellent’ rating for the Merlin Standard twice; an overall grade of ‘Good’ from Ofsted; and full assurance from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) Provider Assurance Team.

Steven started his career at ABN AMRO bank before joining Reed In Partnership to lead the quality team. He joined Skills Training UK in 2009 and was appointed to the Board in 2014.

Steven is a member of the AELP Quality Forum which supports Ofsted and the inspection of further education and skills. He is also a member of the AELP London advisory board which helps to shape the Mayor of London’s Skills for Londoners Strategy.

Michelle Hill

Michelle Hill

Director of Curriculum and Learner Progress

Joanne Heywood

Director of Youth Programmes

Jenny Parkes, Director of Apprenticeships at Skills Training UK

Jenny Parkes

Director of Apprenticeships

Michelle Allen

Michelle Allen

Head of People