Groundwork Yorkshire’s Cooperative Executive Leadership Office (CELO)
Adrian Curtis, our long-standing Executive Director, recently announced his retirement, after 24 years at the helm of Groundwork Yorkshire. Adrian’s leadership has been transformational for Groundwork across Yorkshire, most notably as the driving force behind the successful merger of three local Trusts to create Groundwork Yorkshire in 2021. Over decades, he has been at the heart of pioneering, boundary pushing regeneration programmes. Beginning with the landmark transformation of Rothwell Country Park from post industrial dereliction into a thriving green space, and continuing through a legacy of impactful projects including Victoria Gardens, which established Groundwork’s community led design approach in a major city centre setting, and Better Start Bradford which demonstrated the lasting power of inclusive, community focused greenspace regeneration for all ages.
During the COVID 19 pandemic, Adrian’s stewardship exemplified resilience and our values in action, as Groundwork adapted, sustained its operations and supported thousands of people with vital practical help, reinforcing both the organisation’s purpose and its pride in the difference it makes. Adrian will retire this summer, leaving a strong and resilient charity well positioned for the future.
Our Trustees have decided to introduce a Cooperative Executive Leadership Office (CELO), a new way of leading our charity, that reflects our values of collaboration, shared responsibility, and working in the best interests of the people, places and communities we serve. In place of a single Executive Director, our charity will be led by a small group of executive leaders who share responsibility for running the organisation. Together they will act as a unified executive team, making decisions and taking responsibility as a collective, supporting one another to deliver our mission.
Antony Nelson, Groundwork Yorkshire’s Chair, said: “On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Adrian for his outstanding leadership, commitment and vision over so many years. His impact on Groundwork Yorkshire and the lives of the people in the communities we serve has been profound and lasting, and we are immensely grateful for the legacy he leaves us with. As we build on that legacy, I am also excited about the future and very much looking forward to working closely with our new CELO as we continue to grow our impact for people, communities and the environment across the region.”
Our CELO has been drawn from Groundwork Yorkshire’s senior management team, a group with deep experience in shaping, delivering, and expanding Groundwork’s services:
Emily Thompson joined Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale in 2004, before joining Groundwork Leeds in 2009. With over 20 years’ experience in Groundwork, Emily has a proven track record of building high-impact partnerships across public and private sectors, unlocking investment and scaling programmes that address housing, health and energy challenges. She’s previously led on our employment, skills and lifelong learning programmes and currently leads our Green Doctor Fuel Poverty and Retrofit programmes.
Her expertise spans retrofit strategy, including PAS2035 coordination, and delivering practical interventions from household engagement to large-scale housing improvements. She is passionate about ensuring a fair and just transition for the most disadvantaged as we deal with the impacts of climate change. Emily is also our Designated Safeguarding Lead and Net Zero Champion.
Peter Murphy has been a member of the Groundwork family since 1996, originally working for Groundwork Black Country and then Groundwork Camden & Islington, before moving to Yorkshire in 2002. An Environmental Science and Countryside Management graduate, Peter first worked in the public sector on an urban fringe countryside project in South Staffordshire, and for the Forest of Mercia Community Forest, before making the switch to the voluntary sector.
Peter leads our landscape design, communities and lifelong learning programmes. He will also continue to lead our trading company, Groundwork Golf, and is our Health & Safety champion.
Sarah Munro began her career in urban regeneration, spending a decade working on the transformation of London’s South Bank before joining Groundwork Leeds for six years. After further roles in the charity sector, she joined Groundwork Yorkshire in 2018. Sarah brings broad experience across operations, governance, and finance, and is passionate about supporting strong, values led organisations to thrive.
Sarah leads governance, finance, people & organisational development, marketing & communications, and facilities. She will manage our landscape contracting trading company, GPL, and is Company Secretary, Data Protection Officer and EDI Champion.
Practically, this means that strategic decisions, from long-term priorities to organisational performance, will be made collectively. This ensures that leadership reflects a range of expertise and perspectives, rather than relying on one individual. Each of our executives will have clear roles and collective responsibility, continuing to lead a defined area of work, but with shared accountability for Groundwork Yorkshire’s overall direction. This will create clarity day to day while strengthening unity at the top of the organisation. Our Board will maintain full oversight and will hold the CELO accountable in the same way it would a traditional Executive Director. Governance, transparency, and accountability remain central to how we operate.
As a charity, our purpose comes first. The CELO model strengthens our ability to deliver that purpose by:
- Reflecting our commitment to collaboration and equality
- Bringing a wider range of skills and perspectives into leadership decisions
- Building resilience and continuity over the long term
- Reducing reliance on any single individual and ensuring leadership remains stable and sustainable
This model is not just a structural change and nor is it about business as usual; it is a statement about the kind of bold organisation we want to be.
Our mission, values, and commitment to accountability remain unchanged. We continue to have clear leadership, clear decision-making, and clear responsibility. These qualities are shared across a team rather than concentrated in one role.
Looking ahead, we believe this cooperative approach will help us lead thoughtfully, sustainably, and in ways that stay true to who we are. By drawing on the strengths of Peter, Emily and Sarah we are better equipped to support our communities, respond to challenges, reach more beneficiaries and build a resilient and dynamic future for Groundwork Yorkshire.