We’d like to give a warm Beyond Empower welcome to Craig and Laila who have joined us as our new non-executive board directors.

Both have a wealth of experience and knowledge across a range of fields but will be helping particularly in areas of finance for Craig and marketing and communications for Laila.

Having already done quite a lot with us in their first month, we’re excited to see what Craig and Laila bring to Beyond Empower in the years to come.

But, for now, here’s a little more about our new non-executives.

Craig

Craig has been a qualified accountant for twenty-five years. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountancy (CIPFA), have training at KPMG, in Manchester and worked for their consultancy arm.

He subsequently worked at BAE Systems, before embarking on a seventeen-year career in NHS finance. This included working at Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership. He was a director of a Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in Wigan and worked closely with the local authority in developing new models of health and social care.

Craig is currently the Director of Finance, Procurement and Estates at Alternative Future Group, a leading North West Mental Health and Learning Disabilities charity. He was keen to share his skills and experiences whilst working at board level with a forward-thinking charity. This he has found at Beyond Empower.

Craig has been married for twenty-five years with one son. He enjoys travelling, reading and music. He has also self-published a number of non-fiction books.

Craig became a board member in 2023 and is looking forward to supporting the development of the Company over the coming years with his skills, knowledge and wide health and social care network.

Laila

Laila has worked in marketing and communications under various roles over the past ten years. The last five years has seen her focus on inclusive communications.

She has been involved in a number of campaigns that encourage disabled people to get active, and also educate individuals and organisations on providing more inclusive offerings. Her current role as a content designer in the Health and Safety Executive sees her improving the accessibility of digital services and guidance for employers, organisations, workers and the public of Great Britain.

Laila is passionate about communicating change for a meaningful difference. She is an advocate for audiences, as well as colleagues, to access and receive information in an accessible way. She strives to pass on her knowledge around Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and teach others how to be more accessible in their communications.

Away from her work, Laila loves to make time for her family and friends. She loves Marvel films and one of her biggest achievements is finishing the London Marathon in 2021.

Laila became a Board member in 2023 and is looking forward to bringing her accessibility and inclusive communications knowledge to support Beyond Empower’s vision of an inclusive world for disabled people.