As the UK's leading leisure and cultural services operator GLL is guided by an experienced senior leadership team. Find out more about them here.
Peter Bundey - Chief Executive
Philip Donnay - Deputy Chief Executive
Andy Bindon - Chief Change & Values Officer
Mark Sesnan, OBE - Strategic Advisor
Rebecca Gediking - Head of Libraries
Joseph Rham - Customer & Communities Director
Lorraine Patrinos - People Director
Justin Jardine - Business Strategy & Development Director
Sarahlise Evans - Accounting Director
Steve Ward - Digital & Technology Director
Chris Hebblewhite - National Standards and Compliance Director
Gareth Kirk - Senior Regional Director, North
Simon Sen - Operations Director
Peter Bundey - Chief Executive
Peter has worked in the sport, leisure and culture sector for over 35 years, including working with GLL for more than 25 years.
During that time, Peter has been involved with a wide range of high-profile national and international projects such as new company formation, policy review, organisational development, performance planning, international sport projects, conferences and facility management.
Peter has presented industry evidence to UK Parliamentary Select Committees at the House of Commons on two occasions, during sessions on the Olympic & Paralympic Games and Social Enterprise within the Public Sector.
He has supported the British Olympic Association with training camp preparations in Brazil and gave expert advice on Olympic & Paralympic legacy in Tokyo to the National Diet of Japan Session on Olympic Legacy, as well as presenting to the Japan National Sport Council and Tokyo City Government.
As well as being Chief Executive for GLL, Peter is Chair of the GLL Sport Foundation which is the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme.
Previously, Peter has been Chair of the Pro-Active East London Sports Board (CSP), Honorary Industrial Advisor to London Metropolitan University, National Council Member of Social Enterprise UK, a national assessor for Sport England’s National Management Awards and has contributed to Leisure Management publications.
Philip Donnay - Deputy Chief Executive
Philip is a Qualified Chartered Accountant with over 25 years' experience in the service industry (leisure and culture). He has spent over a decade as Director of Finance and Chief Finance Officer and now Deputy Chief Executive and CFRO for GLL.
In addition to his role as Chief Officer, he has served on the board of trustees for more than 20 years (including 4 years as Chair and 20 years as Company Secretary).
Philip is responsible to the board for the provision of a sound and effective framework of financial, people-based and trading policies, practices, procedures and controls. These have enabled the organisation to maximise its cash flow and revenue streams, minimise costs and deliver GLL's charitable social-objectives and meet all statutory and fiduciary obligations.
As Deputy Chief Executive, Philip contributes to the development of GLL by bringing strategic understanding and experience of the finance and leisure market as well as a good understanding of legal issues, strong analytical sills and sound business sense.
Philip is also a member of the Chartered Managers Institute and a Chartered Manager.
Andy Bindon - Chief Change and Values Officer
Andy rejoined GLL at the end of 2019 as Chief Change & Values Officer, having previously been our HR Director between 2002-2008. During the 11 years Andy was away from GLL, he was still involved with us as an independent trustee.
Prior to 2002, Andy held senior HR roles in the NHS, the printing industry and London Underground. From 2008 -19 he held HR Director roles in the rail industry for Southeastern, Southern and Thameslink. During his time in the transport sector, he was involved in big change programmes, including introducing new rolling stock and automation and making sure that people-strategies were at the heart of driving these changes.
Andy's focus now is to make GLL the best staff-owned business in the UK, with the focus on change that reflects and accentuates our values. This is what makes us different from other organisations, as we emerge from the challenges of the last two years and the impact of the pandemic.
Outside work, Andy's main interests are music and football - he is a keen Plymouth Argyle fan. He lives in north Kent with his family where they also look after foster children - with a special focus on young people with learning disabilities and autism. Andy has master's degree in Employment Strategy from the University of Greenwich and is a visiting lecturer at London South Bank University.
Mark Sesnan, OBE - Strategic Advisor
Mark was instrumental in the pioneering move back in 1993 to move the leisure service from Greenwich Council to a staff-led, not-for-profit Social Enterprise Leisure Trust – the first trust of this type.
Mark has extensive experience in leisure management, having worked for many years at senior level in local government and latterly in the ‘not-for-profit’ sector.
He is currently Honorary Secretary of Community Leisure UK, a board member of Ukactive and is Co-Chair of the London Social Enterprise Leaders Group.
Mark has been a Cabinet Office adviser on local authority mutual ‘spin outs’ and speaks regularly at conferences on social enterprise, business leadership, trusts and partnerships issues. He has co-authored papers for Sport England and other organisations.
Mark was awarded an OBE in 2022 for services to the UK leisure industry, in particular during Covid-19.
Justin Jardine - Business Strategy and Development Director
A masters graduate from Loughborough University, Justin has over 27 years' leisure and business management experience, and sits on GLL’s Senior Leadership Team. Leading a multi-disciplinary team, he has extensive experience of developing partnerships across a number of local authorities, community organisations and leisure trust partners.
As Director of Business Strategy and Development, Justin’s main responsibility is for the strategic development of GLL and in particular looking at innovative solutions for our client partners, new business models and wider partnering opportunities. Justin also leads the Business Insight Team and our Legal Support Team.
Justin has served on GLL’s Management Board and has undertaken the role of Vice Chair and Company Treasurer. He also represents GLL on a range of external groups. He is also a Fellow of CIMSPA and a Chartered Manager.
Outside of work Justin enjoys all sport in particular Rugby, Squash and Cricket.
Justin can be contacted on: justin.jardine@gll.org or 07966647706
Steve Ward - Digital & Technology Director
With over 25 years’ experience in the leisure industry, Steve originally began working with GLL as a recreation assistant before working his way up through a variety of roles including centre and regional management. This operational experience, coupled with business acumen, provides Steve with a rounded understanding of many areas of the business.
Steve holds various management and marketing qualifications including a postgraduate diploma in Marketing and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing as well as a registered Chartered Marketer. Having served on the GLL Board in various positions for over 20 years, he also served as GLL Chair for 11 years until 2017. Outside of GLL, Steve is Chair of Governors for a secondary academy school and has supported the governance agenda in education for around 10 years.
Steve now has overall responsibility for the company-wide use of digital and information technology. This new and exciting role will see Steve developing a short, medium and long-term strategy that provides both customer and staff a first-class experience, thus ensuring we are leaders in the digital space.
Lorraine Patrinos - People Director
With over 27 years of experience within the leisure industry, Lorraine is a founder member of GLL, and its first Chair. She worked her way up through the organisation, from lifeguard and receptionist to general manager, before deciding to retrain and specialise in HR in 2000.
Until 2022, Lorraine and her team were responsible for GLL Learning & Development for all 11,000 staff covering everything from induction, compliance, continuous development, professional qualifications, apprenticeships and development programmes including the award-winning Trainee Manager Scheme, GLL Talent initiatives and in house management development programme.
In January 2023, Lorraine was appointed the People Director for GLL and formed a more holistic approach to the employment journey by bringing together the people team and rooting them in the operational and strategic needs of the business. In her first year, she led and supported the managers and workforce in achieving Investors in People Gold Award for the organisation.
As a coach and mentor, Lorraine is passionate about providing training and employment opportunities and funding for our local communities and development pathways for the existing work force to support our More than a Job values as a charitable social enterprise. Creating opportunities for people to be their best at work and a strong learning and coaching culture are central within GLL.
Lorraine is a sociologist (BA); holding a post-graduate degree in Leisure and is MCIPD qualified. She completed her Masters in People & Organisation Development at Roffey Park Institute in 2022. A qualified coach and mentor, Lorraine coaches within the organisation and is a volunteer coach outside of it.
In her spare time, she enjoys fitness, weight training, art and travel.
Joseph Rham - Customer & Communities Director
Joseph is responsible for customer and communities at GLL and works with his team across communication, marketing, memberships, product development and customer service to put our customers at the heart of everything we do.
Before picking up his current remit, Joseph spent 15 years in various operational roles for GLL. Working in different locations throughout the UK, from General Manager through to Regional Director, he has acquired extensive experience of our centres, services and relationships. Joseph also spent 9 years as a GLL Board Member until 2017.
Coming from a professional health background before he worked in the leisure industry, Joseph is passionate about benefits of health and wellbeing and the role it can play in tackling health inequality and helping to create healthier and happier communities.
Email: joseph.rham@gll.org
Chris Hebblewhite - National Standards and Compliance Director
Chris has been with GLL since 1998. Over the course of his career, he has worked at various levels from General Manager to Head of Operations.
Prior to GLL, Chris worked in numerous leisure-focused roles with the London Borough of Waltham Forest, Huntingdonshire District Council and Lincoln City Council, clocking up nearly 35 years in this industry.
As a Chartered Manager and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, Chris plays an active part in the field of leisure and fitness. He represents CLUK on a number of BSI working groups for swimming pool and aquatics equipment, including contributions to British and European Standards. He has also worked on Automated Drowning Detection Systems.
Chris is a joint author of CIMSPA publications and contributed to the editorial panel for the rewrite of, 'Managing Safety in Swimming Pools', and also the PWTAG publication, 'Swimming Pool Water'.
In 2016 Chris assisted the British Olympic Association on pool safety assessments for the Rio 2016 training camps.
In his current role, Chris works across all divisions of GLL including leisure, libraries and children’s services and is a member of UK Active Standards and Legislation Committee.
Chris has also been active on the GLL Board, having worked as both Treasurer and Vice Chair.
Rebecca Gediking, Head of Libraries
Rebecca is a qualified Librarian with a Masters Degree in Library and Information Studies and twenty years’ experience working in public libraries across the country. Rebecca has held a variety of positions from junior to senior roles and is the Head of Libraries for GLL, responsible for managing and implementing change programmes to develop the library offer at scale for over 120 public and prison libraries across London, Dudley, Lincolnshire and Wales.
Rebecca has been an advocate for libraries locally and nationally. Rebecca has worked with national bodies on programmes for libraries as a judge, panellist and advisor and has contributed to the creation of guidance and standards set by sector agencies including Arts Council England, The Reading Agency, CILIP, Booktust and Libraries Connected. Rebecca has spoken at national and international conferences on matters related to Public Libraries and has worked as a guest lecturer at University College London (UCL).
Rebecca is a creative and imaginative person who loves stories, theatre, bringing people together and supporting communities to thrive. Rebecca is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Sarahlise Evans - Accounting Director
Sarahlise started her career working in local government and, after qualifying as an accountant, her first role was as the leisure department accountant at Chiltern District Council.
Sarahlise was part of the team that set up the Chiltern Leisure Trust in 2000 to run the council’s leisure services and has remained in the leisure and social enterprise sector since then.
She is now responsible for managing the GLL finance department and, with her excellent team, aims to provide a strong finance function, supporting the organisation to be efficient, effective and sustainable.
Gareth Kirk - Senior Regional Director, North
Gareth is actively involved with social enterprise networks across the UK and has previously held the position of Society Chair for GLL, leading our worker-board and society members. Representing SENI in Northern Ireland, he has been a judge on the annual social enterprise awards-panel and supports the sector by speaking publicly on the benefits of social enterprises in the business world. Holding observer roles on the Active Belfast Limited board and GMactive board, he has a keen interest in embracing a strong social model in key cities across the UK.
A master's graduate from the University of Ulster in Executive Leadership, Gareth has studied with the Irish Times in Dublin and Boston College in the US, developing key skills in coaching and mentoring, governance and strategic planning. Collaborating with national and international partners on community and sporting events and sharing the benefits of the social enterprise movement, he worked with SOPAC (Sydney Olympic Park Authority Company). In Gareth’s day job, he works with our teams across Cardiff, Manchester, York, Newcastle, Cumbria, Preston and Belfast connecting closely with local authority partners and elected representatives within the local government establishments.
As he himself started as a trainee manager with GLL more than 20 years ago, Gareth fully believes in our meritocratic approach to staff development and applies daily coaching to support the learning and progression of the members of his team. Outside work, Gareth focuses on family life with his wife, daughter, son and dogs in his home in Northern Ireland as well as sporting activities as a good way to create that all-important balance with work. Over the years, he has taken part in long-distance running events with marathons in Istanbul, Paris and New York, and triathlons across the UK.”
Simon Sen - Operations Director
Simon has enjoyed a 25 year career in the Leisure and Health & Fitness industry – including 20 at GLL.
As Operations Director, Simon leads on service delivery across the organisation ensuring service excellence for customers and communities.
Simon’s passion is for Health & Fitness with a strong focus on People Development, helping staff reach their full potential and make a real difference to GLL’s remit to improve physical and mental health.
His personal philosophy is to engage and connect with people and develop a ‘can-do’ culture to benefit staff and customers.
He holds a Diploma in Leisure Management, is a Qualified Coach (Coaching & Mentoring Level 6) and a qualified Personal Trainer.