Vivify, the technology-enabled operator that helps schools unlock the full value of their facilities, has appointed Katie Winstanley as its new chief operating officer.
Winstanley joins Vivify from Morson Group and will become part of the company’s executive leadership team alongside founder and CEO Russell Teale and CFO Stephanie Potts.
The Manchester-headquartered company is embarking on a period of national growth, and Winstanley will be tasked with leading its operational delivery, people strategy, customer experience and business transformation.
Founded in 2020 and backed by Arete and the William Currie Group, Vivify is one of the UK’s fastest-growing technology-enabled operators helping schools unlock the full value of their estates.
Teale, who was included in BusinessCloud’s inaugural Founder 250 list, said: “We’re incredibly pleased to welcome Katie to Vivify. Over the last few years, we’ve been intentional about building the right leadership team for the future of the business.
“Steph has built a finance function capable of supporting significant growth, and Katie now joins us to lead the operational excellence that will underpin everything we do.
“We’ve built a business that has grown quickly because of an exceptional team, an ambitious vision and an unwavering focus on delivering for schools. The next chapter is about scaling that success without losing what makes us different.
“Katie brings exactly the experience we need. She has an outstanding track record of leading transformation, developing leaders and building organisations that can scale successfully.
“Just as importantly, she shares our values and our belief that commercial success and social impact go hand in hand. I know she’ll play a pivotal role in helping us achieve our ambitions over the coming years.”
Ambitious
Winstanley added: “Russell and I met a number of years ago, and from my first conversations with him, it was clear that Vivify was building something genuinely special. The combination of commercial ambition, technology-led innovation and a clear social purpose is incredibly compelling.
“My focus will be on strengthening our operations, investing in our people and building the systems, capabilities and leadership that will allow Vivify to continue scaling while delivering an exceptional experience for every school, customer and colleague.
“Vivify has already built an outstanding reputation, and I’m looking forward to working alongside the team to help shape the next chapter of the business.”
By combining market-leading technology with operational excellence, Vivify generates vital income for schools while creating more opportunities for local communities to access sport, health and wellbeing activities.
The business continues to invest in technology, leadership and innovation as it expands its impact nationwide.