Meet the Team - Loveday & Co

Our People

Our people are hugely skilled, dedicated and loyal. All are dementia-trained to deliver the very highest standard of bespoke care and understand the specific needs of each individual member. To them the health and happiness of our Members is everything. So we build deep relationships with our staff and we’re proud that our staff retention rate is one of the highest in the sector. We’re also an Investors in People accredited organisation and winner of their Best Small Business award in 2020.

A culture of care

Each month we give our own ‘Above & Beyond’ award to an individual who has gone ‘that bit further’ and done something terrific for one of our Members.

Our ratio of Employees to Members is equivalent to a 5 star hotel and our experienced hospitality staff in each Residence offers a full concierge service, which is unique to the care environment. We know how important a personal touch is and nothing is too much trouble.

The Leadership Team

Laurence Geller, CBE

Loveday & Co Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder

“We are delivering innovative and pioneering care that is setting the standards that others must follow. Our elderly created the society we and our children enjoy today. They must be treated with the dignity, respect, care and empathy they have both earned and deserve”

Laurence is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Loveday & Co and Chairman of Geller Capital Partners. Both of his parents lived with Dementia. He is an accomplished businessman and entrepreneur who has led multi-national corporations in hospitality, most recently as President and Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: BEE). Previously, he held the positions of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Hyatt Development Corporation, where he jointly founded Classic Residences, a US-nationwide senior living and healthcare company.

On 31st December 2011, Laurence was named Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Previously Chairman of the Alzheimer's Society's Dementia Appeal Board, he is now proud to serve as its Global Business Ambassador. He is also the Chancellor of the University of West London (UWL), where the partnership has led, among other impressive achievements, to the creation of two Master's of Science programmes, in dementia care and person-centred health and social care, and the founding of The Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory Loveday.

Guy Geller

Loveday & Co, Director and Co-Founder

“We are dedicated to consistently improving and delivering operating systems and levels of care that have not been seen on either side of the Atlantic”

Guy is Chief Operating Officer of Chicago Pacific Founders Living Communities and President of Grace Management, Inc, which operates senior-living communities with a portfolio of approximately 50 buildings across North America. Guy is also Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of Loveday & Co.

Previously, Guy served as Managing Director of senior housing for DiNapoli Capital Partners, overseeing senior housing investments. Prior to this, he held the position of UK Managing Director of Sunrise Senior Living, a portfolio consisting of 27 assisted-living and memory-care communities with a capacity of 2,800 beds. Before taking the helm at Sunrise, Guy was Senior Director at Brookdale Senior Living.

Guy has served on the board of the Illinois chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and was an advisor to the Alzheimer's Society (UK) and a commissioner for the Commission on Residential Care (UK).

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts of Sciences from Cornell University.

Sian Hammer

Managing Director

With an extensive background in sales, marketing and operations in luxury care, retirement and housing sectors, holding senior and board roles for Sunrise Senior Living and most recently, Audley Group. Sian brings a wealth of leadership expertise to deliver excellence in both member experience and care standards.

As Managing Director, Sian believes in an organisational culture of nurturing strong relationships with Members and their families, fostering trust, respect and compassion on every level. Sian is dedicated to leading Loveday and Co with a focus on continuous improvement and empowering teams to deliver outstanding service to exceed Member expectations.

Yusrah Kandeerally

Director of People and Culture

Yusrah Kandeerally brings over two decades of invaluable experience in human resources to her role as the Director of People and Culture at Loveday. With a rich background in fast-paced HR environments within esteemed luxury hotels like The Taj, AB Hotels and IHG Hotels. Yusrah possesses a deep understanding of the intricacies of the hospitality industry, perfectly aligning with Loveday's commitment to delivering unparalleled service and excellence at every level.

Yusrah's thirst for knowledge is evident in her academic pursuits, which include a degree in Hospitality Management, an MA in Personnel and Development, Law and Personal Performance Coaching. Fluent in both French and English, she brings a global perspective to her roles, enriching the diversity of her contributions at Loveday.

Samuel Arnold ACCA

Financial Director

As Financial Director, Sam is responsible for financial leadership and business management at Loveday & Co.

Sam brings to Loveday his strong and extensive background as an enterprising, innovative and commercially astute group financial controller and finance director. He has significant experience in streamlining financial operational processes across a wide range of organisations, from hospitality to leisure and investments. For him, career highs incorporate setting up new processes, looking after companies and people who work in them - and helping them succeed to the best of their ability.

Sam’s strengths also include his warm, friendly and approachable manner, his passion for engaging with all team members in every area of the business and his calm head, thanks in part to outside interests that embrace snow-boarding, rafting and rock-climbing.

A member of Sam’s family lived in a care home, which made him realise how much better life is for people when they are in the right place. He was drawn to Loveday because of his desire to work for a company which genuinely makes a difference, and an organisation that is wholeheartedly dedicated to making people’s live as good as they can possibly be.

Paul Blenkinsop MRICS

Group Property Director

Paul is a Chartered Surveyor with an honour’s degree in Quantity Surveying and over 30 years experience in Tier 1 construction and development in the UK and the Caribbean. He has written the design brand standards for all Loveday properties and acts as Technical Services Adviser on all new projects. Working extensively with the University of Sterling’s Dementia Services Development Centre, he ensures the adoption of best practice design for dementia principles throughout Loveday properties.

Paul’s father had vascular dementia, during this time it became clear to Paul that there is a general lack of support for those living with dementia, whether they live at home or in a care facility. This revelation prompted Paul to consider what he can do, through design and technology, to improve the quality of life of all those living with dementia.

Loveday Team

Cheryl Baird

Director of Care and Compliance

Cheryl is a registered nurse with 30 years’ experience in health and social care. She has held several senior posts, most recently as Director of care and quality at Orchard Care homes. She has led on quality assurance and compliance initiatives, digitalization and clinical strategies.

Ingrid van Veen

Director of Operations

Ingrid is responsible for the operational management of the group portfolio along with the opening of new sites. Additionally, she is overseeing the strategic implementation of company brand standards, systems and processes with the future growth of the business in mind.

She graduated from the Hotel Management School Leeuwarden (now called ‘Stenden University’) in 1995. Ingrid has a wealth of industry experience. Prior to joining Loveday & Co., she served as Operations Director at Guild Living, a global later living operator, where she developed the operational platform for new later living communities across the UK and Italy.

Janice Hawkins

Director of Sales

Janice has a wealth of sales leadership experience holding senior positions in luxury care organisations. Janice leads a motivated sales team with a focus on understanding the individual needs of every client. Her strategic approach has consistently driven growth while enhancing the company’s reputation for compassionate care and outstanding service.

Janice believes that exceptional customer service is at the heart of every successful business relationship. By prioritising empathy, trust and personalised solutions, she has continually strengthened client partnerships. Janice stays engaged with industry trends by participating in relevant conferences and workshops.

Annette Naughton

Director of Business Development

Annette has rich and varied experience in business development, spanning over 25 years. Possessing a wealth of experience in the healthcare industry, Annette’s previous role was at the Fortius Clinic, a private orthopaedic hospital in central London working with consultants, GP’s physicians, physiotherapists and corporate clients.

Annette has extensive experience in managing European teams and coaching and mentoring to achieve positive results for her team members. She also previously ran her own successful business consultancy specialising in hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing and renewable energy.

With in-depth knowledge and understanding of the healthcare industry and a passion for providing excellent service and care. Annette thrives on meeting new people, developing relationships and building mutually beneficial partnerships.

Matthew (Matt) Dodge

Executive Chef

Matt is not only a fabulous, multi-award-winning chef, but is also an ardent advocate for the optimisation of every diner's health through superb nutrition and delicious meals. He has carved out a thriving career in care, starting at London’s Savoy Hotel. His wealth of international culinary expertise means he understands the importance of flavour, quality produce and the vital role nutrition plays in later life.

Connected to London’s finest suppliers, Matt’s daily menus display an abundance of quality, fresh, seasonal produce. He befriends each Member, adapting their menus and monitoring their nutritional intake in tune with any change or decline in health or appetite.

In a testament to Matt’s talent, compassion and dedication to the care industry, in 2019 Channel 4 invited him to run a kitchen and train a 14-strong team of volunteers, all living with early-onset dementia, for an inspiring social experiment entitled ‘The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes'.

Sophia Graham

Executive Team Assistant

Sophia is the executive team assistant, keeping everyone on time, on track and meticulously organised.

With a legal secretarial background, Sophia has expertise in corporate, tax, commercial and environmental sectors and is well placed to assist with the fast-growing Loveday portfolio.

A keen runner who enjoys half marathons, Sophia is also adept at keeping business running smoothly with her practical and enthusiastic approach to every task.

Nothing is ever too much trouble for Sophia and nothing is unachievable. Solutions-based, a fast and practical thinker, Sophia thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys the diverse work at Loveday and the opportunities within the care sector.

Investors in People

Investing in our people, their contentment and their wellbeing lies at the heart of our values. We place great importance on building deep, meaningful relationships with all our staff. We are immensely proud that our staff retention rate is one of the highest in our industry, so much so that, since opening Chelsea Court Place in 2016, we have retained an absolutely exceptional 70 percent of our founding team.

Loveday is also proud to be an Investors in People-accredited organisation as well as one of the few care companies to offer the London Living Wage, a clear reflection of our commitment to our people. Having been Investors in People-accredited in 2019, we were delighted to be further acknowledged by winning Best Small Business at the 2020 Investors in People awards.

A favourite with both staff and families, our monthly ‘Above & Beyond’ award provides a wonderful opportunity for individual people to be acknowledged for going ‘that bit further’ and doing something really special for one of our Members.