Joanne Gretton Appointed Chief Executive Officer of Lanes Group

Lanes Group has announced that Joanne Gretton will join the business as Chief Executive Officer at the end of the month, bringing with her nearly two decades of leadership experience in the UK's critical infrastructure and technology sectors.

Joanne joins Lanes following a 19-year career with Telent Technology Services, one of the UK's leading providers of operational technology, digital infrastructure and mission-critical communications services. During her time with the business, she held a number of senior leadership positions before being appointed Chief Executive Officer, a role she held for the last five years.

As CEO, Joanne led the organisation through a period of growth and transformation, culminating in the successful sale of the business. Her leadership helped strengthen Telent's position across the transport, utilities, telecommunications and public sectors, delivering essential technology and infrastructure services that underpin some of the UK's most important networks.

Ahead of formally taking up her new role, Joanne has already begun spending time across the organisation, meeting employees, visiting operational sites and gaining first-hand insight into the business and its culture.

Reflecting on her early experiences, Joanne said she has been particularly impressed by the quality of the people within the organisation.

"What has struck me most is the strength of the people," she said. "There is deep expertise, a strong sense of pride and a clear focus on delivering for customers in sectors that really matter."

Her appointment comes at a pivotal time for the water and infrastructure industries, with significant investment planned across the UK and increasing expectations around resilience, environmental performance and service delivery.

Joanne believes businesses such as Lanes Group have a vital role to play in supporting these national priorities.

"Lanes is already in a strong position," she said. "Built over more than three decades, the business has real scale, capability and momentum. That is a huge credit to Wayne and everything he has achieved with his fantastic team. I am pleased to be stepping into a role with such a solid foundation."

Looking ahead, Joanne said her focus will be on building on that success by continuing to improve customer delivery, supporting the development of employees and ensuring the business is well positioned to seize future opportunities.

"The opportunity now is to build on that foundation, continue improving how we deliver for customers, support and develop our teams, and make sure we are ready for the next phase of growth in what is becoming an increasingly critical sector."

As she prepares to take on the role, Joanne said she is looking forward to spending more time with colleagues across the business, listening to their experiences and working together to shape the future direction of the company.

"I am looking forward to getting out across the business, listening carefully and working with all my new colleagues to help shape what comes next for Lanes Group."