The Leadership team
Paul McPartlan - Chief Executive Officer
Paul joined Places Leisure in August 2020. He is a graduate of Oxford Brookes University and spent much of his early career in the Leisure, Hospitality and Wellness arena.
More recently, Paul was National Operations Director for Nuffield Health, with operational responsibility for 31 Hospitals and over 300 Fitness and wellbeing sites.
At a very challenging time for the sector, Paul will be leading the team to deliver the highest levels of safety and quality for both customers and staff.
The longer term opportunity to deliver ‘prescription’ exercise and a broader spectrum of health and wellbeing services for communities will be at the front of strategic planning for 2021 and beyond.
Carolyn D'Costa - Finance Director
Carolyn qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2002 and has been with the company for over 13 years, previously holding the position of Chief Financial Officer. She has considerable experience in financial strategy and management and was instrumental in the expansion of the business in 2012, when Places Leisure (previously DC Leisure) joined the Places for People Group, resulting in the company status changing to that of a social enterprise.
Dan Walker – Business Development Director
Dan has a wealth of experience in the industry and was appointed as Business Development Director in 2019.
Dan leads a dedicated team undertaking the business development function to secure new leisure management opportunities including new build projects, as well as the extension of our current contracts.
Martin Anderson - Capital Projects Director
Martin is a Chartered Surveyor with over 30 years experience of managing construction projects for both Private Clients and Local Authorities. Before joining Places Leisure Martin was involved in a diverse range of projects including town centre redevelopments, large infrastructure projects and defence projects. He also has considerable experience in leisure projects starting with indoor tennis centres under the ITI scheme through to large private health clubs incorporating the latest spa and sports facilities and most recently budget gyms. His experience includes a diverse range of PFI and PPP projects. Martin’s involvement ranges from input into the technical aspects of bids through to managing the construction stages of all the major capital investment projects that Places Leisure undertake.
Tom Goodhand - Operations Director
Tom began his career as Duty Manager at Cleethorpes Leisure Centre in 1983. After a brief flirtation with accountancy, he started with Places Leisure (formally DC Leisure) in 1988 and quickly progressed through a wide range of operational posts culminating in his current role as Operations Director.
While in the position of Contract Manager his site was FIA FLAME Centre of the Year Award Winner 1998 and in the same year he was Centre Manager of the Year finalist. Tom has gained vast experience in managing change, including responsibility for numerous new contract mobilisation projects, several major multi-million pound site refurbishments together with closure of old buildings followed by the opening of new state of the art facilities.
During all of this he has enjoyed and suffered the ups and downs of following Grimsby Town FC… the only way is up!
Jamie Brown – Commercial Activities Director
Jamie has over 15 years’ leisure management experience having worked in the private, public and third sector.
Jamie joined Places Leisure in 2013 as a Contract Manager. Prior to that he was the Operations Director for Aquaterra Leisure. In 2016 Jamie was appointed as Head of Commercial Activities, before he was then appointed as Commercial Activities Director in April 2019.
He leads the Sales, Fitness and Marketing teams and a plays key role in project development and delivery. Projects include implementing Salesforce, Places Locker app and restructuring our membership product range.
