Alison’s executive career includes leading large-scale, customer-facing businesses through growth, transformation and complexity. From 2014 to 2018 she was CEO of Countrywide, the UK listed residential and commercial property group, navigating both structural change in the property market and the demands of public company leadership. Prior to this, she spent more than 20 years with Bupa, progressing through a series of senior roles with responsibility for UK insurance, clinics and hospitals before leading Bupa’s emerging markets businesses. In that capacity she oversaw major acquisitions in Poland and Hong Kong and drove significant growth in Bupa’s joint ventures in Saudi Arabia and India, deepening her experience of international partnerships, regulation and diverse stakeholder environments. Alison began her career at British Airways, where she held several senior roles over 13 years, building early expertise in service, operational performance and global branding.

Alongside her executive and board roles, Alison has been a prominent advocate for gender equality and broader inclusion in business. She was a member of the steering group for the Hampton–Alexander Review (FTSE Women Leaders) and previously chaired Opportunity Now, a national initiative focused on accelerating progress for women in the workplace. Between 2005 and 2010 she served as a Non-Executive Director at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, contributing commercial and governance perspectives to foreign policy and departmental leadership.