February 2026 Featuring: TwinRed: Spain’s Leading Digital Advertising Network Scottish Professional Football League Trust: Professional Football Charity CEO in Scotland
Welcome to the February 2026 issue of CEO Monthly. We are delighted to bring a selection of news, features, and success stories to our readers around the world. In this issue we learn more about building trust and sustainable partnerships, digital advertising at its finest, as CEO going the extra mile for a spectacular charity, and more. It’s a pleasure to deliver our monthly magazine to our readers, and we wish you a fantastic month ahead as you continue to guide your companies, and as some of you look for inspiration for your budding career as a CEO. We also look forward to presenting even more award-worthy and noteworthy success stories in March, see you soon! Sofi Parry, Senior Editor Website: www.ceo-review.com AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.
4. News - Village Enterprise appoints Sazini Mojapelo as its first Africa-based CEO - Ultra Clean Appoints Robert Wunar as Chief Operating Officer 6. Why So Many New UK Managers Fail in Their First 90 Days 7. Why Creativity and Empathy Are a CEO’s Most Powerful Tools 8. Brandoris: PR & Influencer Marketing CEO of the Year 2025: Marina Zubrod 9. TwinRed: Spain’s Leading Digital Advertising Network 10. Scottish Professional Football League Trust: Professional Football Charity CEO in Scotland 11. Global Relief Trust: From Personal Hardship to Helping People Worldwide 12. PCC Enterprises – Pest Control Consultants: The Goodeill Mindset: Expansion, Expertise, and Exceptional Ambition 14. AtaLoss: Community Bereavement Support from a Founder- Led Charity Contents
NEWS Village Enterprise appoints Sazini Mojapelo as its first Africa-based CEO
Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. announced that Harjinder Bajwa has departed the company effective January 25, 2026, and that Robert Wunar has been appointed Chief Operating Officer effective March 23, 2026. Mr. Wunar brings more than 30 years of deep operations and supply chain leadership within the semiconductor capital equipment industry. Most recently, he served as the COO/Managing Director of Business Unit Operations at Applied Materials, Inc., where he was accountable for revenue, profitability, and end-to-end supply and demand execution for numerous product lines. His experience spans global manufacturing, cost optimization, cycletime reduction, supply-chain resilience, and scaling operations to support major industry ramps. Additionally, Mr. Wunar’s customer-centric, peoplefocused leadership style will enhance UCT’s strategic partnerships with key customers. “Robert is a proven operations leader with a deep understanding of what it takes to execute at scale in our industry,” said James Xiao, CEO. “His experience driving operational excellence, combined with his focus on speed and agility, will be instrumental as we prepare UCT for the next semiconductor ramp. Robert’s ability to translate strategy into disciplined execution across global operations will help ensure we are ready to support our customers with the quality, responsiveness, reliability and trust they expect.” Throughout his career, Mr. Wunar has demonstrated a strong track record of driving gross-margin improvement, improving on-time delivery, reducing manufacturing cycle times, and building global manufacturing and supplier capabilities to support growth. He has led operations across the full product lifecycle—from R&D and new product introduction through high-volume manufacturing—while maintaining a strong focus on quality, execution discipline, and customer outcomes. Mr. Wunar holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics Engineering Technology from DeVry Institute of Technology and has spent his career building and leading high-performance, crossfunctional teams in complex manufacturing environments. “I would like to thank Harjinder for his many contributions to UCT,” continued James Xiao, CEO. “During his tenure, Harjinder played an important role in strengthening our operational foundation and positioning UCT for the future. We are grateful for his leadership and wish him continued success in his next chapter.” Ultra Clean Appoints Robert Wunar as Chief Operating Officer Sazini will bring a wealth of global development and nonprofit expertise to lead Village Enterprise’s efforts in lifting families out of extreme poverty through entrepreneurship The Board of Directors at Village Enterprise is pleased to announce the appointment of Sazini Mojapelo as its next Chief Executive Officer. Sazini joins Village Enterprise from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), bringing an invaluable combination of global development, corporate, and nonprofit sector experience to Village Enterprise’s mission to lift families out of extreme poverty through entrepreneurship, innovation, and collective action. Sazini will be Village Enterprise’s first Africa-based CEO, beginning February 17, 2026. The leadership transition reflects Village Enterprise’s belief in the power of locally driven solutions to end extreme poverty in rural Africa. With 94% of its staff based in Africa, Village Enterprise’s leadership will now be closer to the communities it serves. As CEO, Sazini will lead the team from Nairobi, Kenya, guiding the organization through a shifting global aid landscape and strengthening partnerships with governments and funders to drive long-term, sustainable impact. Sazini replaces Dianne Calvi, who is stepping down as CEO after 15 years of growth and impact at Village Enterprise. Dianne initiated and announced her transition in June as part of her commitment to advancing African-led leadership at Village Enterprise. Sazini’s experience spans both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, having founded and led Hand in Hand Southern Africa, a regional NGO that alleviates poverty through job creation. She joins from the International Finance Corporation (IFC, a member of the World Bank Group) where she was the Global Gender GBV Lead, and she also previously held leadership roles in the corporate sector. Her deep understanding of corporate and multilateral funding, and her vision for how Village Enterprise can engage more effectively in these areas, will be instrumental as the organization’s impact continues to grow across Africa. As Village Enterprise’s impact has expanded to 10 countries in Africa and with bold new partnerships with governments, as well as global and local nonprofits, Sazini’s appointment comes at a critical time to build on this momentum and accelerate efforts to alleviate poverty through Village Enterprise’s proven poverty graduation approach. Bruce Sewell, Board Chair at Village Enterprise, said: “The Board and I are delighted to welcome Sazini to Village Enterprise. Her authentic, purpose-driven approach and commitment to servant leadership embody the values at the heart of our organization. She brings extensive experience across global development and nonprofit leadership, combined with the energy and ambition to guide Village Enterprise into a new phase of impact and scale.” Sazini Mojapelo said: “It is an honor to join Village Enterprise and to build on Dianne’s remarkable legacy. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated team and partners to lead the organization into our next chapter—deepening collaboration, strengthening impact, and expanding opportunity for the families we serve across rural Africa.” Dianne Calvi said: “This transition reflects a vision Village Enterprise and I have been building toward for many years—for the organization’s next CEO to be based in Africa. I am thrilled that Sazini Mojapelo will lead Village Enterprise into the future.”
Feature By Business Coach Peter Boolkah The first 90 days in a management role are often treated as a proving ground. New managers arrive keen to show they were the right choice, full of energy and intent, and determined to make an immediate impact. Yet it is precisely this mindset that causes so many of them to stumble. In the UK in particular, we have created a system that promotes people into leadership roles without properly preparing them for what the job actually requires, and then acts surprised when they struggle. Research consistently shows that a significant proportion of UK managers receive no formal management training at all. The Chartered Management Institute has highlighted for years that more than four in five managers have never been trained, and that this lack of capability feeds directly into low engagement, higher staff turnover and weaker performance. Against that backdrop, it is hardly shocking that many new managers fail within their first two years. What is more revealing is how quickly things start to go wrong. In my experience, the seeds of failure are often sown in the first three months. I recently ran a poll on LinkedIn asking people what they found hardest when stepping into management. The response was striking. Nearly half said the biggest challenge was learning to coach rather than micromanage. A further third said the real struggle was building systems that stop them from being dragged back into day-to-day work. The comments made one thing clear: people know the job changes the moment they are promoted, but most are not equipped for that shift because they lack the skills, support and permission to lead differently. Too many new managers spend their first 90 days trying to prove they deserve the role. They jump in to fix problems their team should be handling. They close deals themselves instead of developing their salespeople. They answer every question instead of teaching people how to think. It feels productive in the moment and is often rewarded in the short term, but it is a trap. Within a few months, they are exhausted, their team has become dependent, and senior leaders are wondering why nothing seems to have improved. This behaviour is understandable. Most managers are promoted because they were good at their previous job. When pressure hits, they revert to what they know. The issue is that management is not an extension of individual performance; it is a fundamentally different role. The measure of success is no longer how much you personally deliver, but how capable your team becomes without you. Without training or guidance, many people never make that mental shift. The first three months should not be about heroics. They should be about setting expectations, building simple systems and creating clarity around decision-making. New managers need to spend time understanding where their team adds value, where it gets stuck and where responsibility truly sits. They need to coach people to solve problems Why So Many New UK Managers Fail in Their First 90 Days themselves, even when it would be quicker to step in. That can feel uncomfortable, particularly for high performers, but it is the only way to build a resilient team. There is also a broader cultural issue at play in UK organisations. We still tend to reward busyness and firefighting, rather than calm leadership and capability building. New managers take their cues from what they see above them. If senior leaders value control over trust and speed over development, then inexperienced managers will follow suit. If we want fewer managers to fail in their first 90 days, we need to stop setting them up to fail. That means investing in proper management development before and during promotion, and being clear about what the role is and is not. You were not promoted to do more work. You were promoted to raise the capability of the people around you. When new managers understand that from day one, those first 90 days become a foundation for longterm success rather than the beginning of a slow decline.
Feature When I founded The Robin Cancer Trust in 2012, I didn’t really set out to become a CEO. I was a brother who had lost someone I loved deeply and wanted to stop other families from going through the same heartbreak. My brother Robin passed away at 24 from a rare germ cell tumour, his loss changed everything for me, and it also shaped the kind of leader I’ve become. Over the years, I have learnt that creativity and empathy are the two qualities that keep me and the charity I founded going. They are the reason our charity has grown from a local idea into a national movement that has reached millions of young people with life-saving cancer awareness messages. Creativity starts with a problem to solve When you run a small charity, or even a small business, creativity is not a choice, it is survival. You do not have a big marketing budget, a large team or endless resources. You probably don’t want to take a lot of risks. What you do have is a message that matters, and you need to find ways to make people listen. In the early days, I always wanted to reach young people without sounding too much like a health leaflet, making testicular cancer into this scary and unapproachable thing. We wanted to make a serious topic much easier to access and destigmatise it in fun ways that hadn’t been done before. That is how our bold, cheeky campaigns were born, from giant inflatable testicles at marathons to developing MIDI-ball controllers for DJs and Guinness World Record attempts. We discovered early on that humour and bright visuals get people talking, and those conversations save lives. Creativity also helped us survive tough times. During the pandemic, when in-person events stopped overnight, we switched to online campaigns and virtual talks, which we still continue to this day to reach more people. Instead of waiting it out, our small team learnt new skills, tested new ideas and built an online reach that now stretches to more than 25 million people every year. That happened because we were willing to experiment and adapt quickly. Empathy builds teams that care Leadership is not about titles or targets; it is always about people. The biggest lesson I have learned as a CEO is that empathy brings out the best in a team. When people feel understood, supported and trusted, they give more of themselves to the mission. Running a charity means working with volunteers, young ambassadors and people who have often faced cancer themselves. It is not always easy work, but empathy keeps us connected. I try to create an environment where people can talk openly, share ideas and feel safe being themselves. If someone is having a tough week, we make time for a coffee and a chat. If someone has a wild idea for a campaign, we listen. A recent survey by McKinsey found that 89% of employees value empathy from their leaders, yet only half feel they actually experience it. That gap exists because empathy takes effort. It means slowing down enough to listen and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, even when you are busy, but no leader can deny that the payoff is huge. When people feel seen and valued, they are more creative, loyal and driven. That drive is so important for charities where fundraising money is very tight, especially as people struggle with the cost-of-living crisis and tightening budgets in 2025. Leading with purpose Being a CEO in the charity world is different to running a business, but purpose matters in every sector. Our purpose is simple: to save young lives through early detection of germ cell cancers. That mission drives every decision we make, from fundraising challenges to educational talks. In recent years, we have faced the same challenges most charities have. Research from the Charities Aid Foundation shows that while total donations in the UK reached a record £15.4 billion in 2024, the number of people donating fell by around four million compared to 2019. It is harder than ever to raise funds, so we have had to think creatively and stay positive. This year, I am running 500km in a giant testicle costume to raise awareness and funds. It might sound mad, but it works. People laugh, they ask questions, and, most importantly, they donate. It proves that creative thinking, empathy and a sense of humour can turn something awkward into something powerful. Lessons from the journey Looking back, I never expected to find myself leading a national charity. Over time, I have learned that leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about having the right mindset. Creativity helps you find solutions when resources are tight or when plans go wrong. Empathy keeps you grounded and reminds you that every organisation is built Why Creativity and Empathy Are a CEO’s Most Powerful Tools on people, not spreadsheets. Together, they help you build something that lasts. If there is one piece of advice I would give to other leaders, it is to stay human. Listen to your team, take risks, laugh at yourself. Keep your purpose at the centre of everything you do, the rest will follow. Robin’s story will always be my reason why. Every campaign, every talk and every step of a marathon reminds me that creativity and empathy really can change lives and sometimes even save them. That is what leadership means to me. ENDs Toby Freeman is a passionate cancer advocate, podcast host, and Founder & CEO of The Robin Cancer Trust - set up in memory of his brother, who died from late-stage testicular cancer at just 24. Since then, he’s made it his mission to save lives by raising awareness, starting conversations, and breaking down the stigma around men’s health. Toby Freeman, CEO and founder of The Robin Cancer Trust
CEO MONTHLY / FEBRUARY 2026 8 arina Zubrod is PR & Influencer Marketing CEO of the Year 2025, CEO & Founder of Brandoris Agency, and a global performance PR and influencer marketing strategist. She has executed 200+ campaigns worldwide across Europe, the UAE, and Asia, working with brands including Amazon Music, Pfizer, Ecosia, Cosori, and Alibaba. Her expertise includes performance PR, influencer marketing strategy, reputation management, and scalable growth campaigns that help FMCG brands increase conversion and scale from six to seven figures online. With 200+ campaigns executed globally across Europe, the UAE, and Asia, Marina has helped brands turn visibility into growth, positioning into demand, and influence into conversion. Her work includes campaigns for leading names such as Amazon Music, Pfizer, Ecosia, Cosori, and Alibaba, always built on a clear principle: visibility without revenue is noise. Most importantly, Marina’s approach is built for decision-makers. She speaks founderto-founder, brand-to-brand. That means budgets are treated responsibly, reputation is protected aggressively, and every campaign is engineered to move the business forward. CEO Monthly’s Interview with Marina Zubrod 1) You’ve been awarded PR & Influencer Marketing CEO of the Year 2025. What does this recognition stand for? It stands for outcomes, not optics. PR and influencer marketing are often underestimated as “soft” disciplines. In reality, they are some of the strongest levers to drive trust, demand, and growth, if they’re executed with strategy and ownership. This award validates my belief that visibility should always lead to measurable impact. 2) Brands describe you as a “global powerhouse.” What does that actually mean in practice? It means I deliver performance globally, not just presence. Global execution requires more than translation. It requires local market understanding, platform intelligence, cultural precision, and speed. What works in Europe won’t automatically work in the UAE. What performs in the Emirates won’t automatically work in Asia. PR & Influencer Marketing CEO of the Year 2025: Marina Zubrod In today’s market, attention is easy to buy, but trust is earned. And trust is what drives revenue. Marina Zubrod, PR & Influencer Marketing CEO of the Year 2025, is a strategic entrepreneur, CEO & Founder of Brandoris Agency, and a high-impact content creator with a strong personal following. She is internationally recognized for building performance PR and influencer marketing campaigns that don’t just generate buzz, but deliver measurable commercial results. My job is to build visibility that travels across markets and still converts, without damaging brand credibility. 3) You’ve helped FMCG brands scale from six to seven figures online. What was the real growth driver? Trust at scale, engineered through PR and influencer strategy. When FMCG brands want to grow, they often focus on ads first. Ads work, but trust is what multiplies performance. We built growth by combining creator credibility with PR-driven authority, making brands feel established, desirable, and safe to buy from. That is how we helped FMCG brands double revenue and scale from six to seven figures online: not with random reach, but with reputation, social proof, and performance storytelling. 4) You’re also a content creator with a strong personal following. Why does that matter for your clients? Because I understand influence from the inside out. I know what audiences trust, what platforms reward, and what creators need in order to deliver content that feels real and still performs commercially. That gives me a real edge: I can bridge the gap between brand objectives and creator-native execution. Brands don’t need “more content.” They need content that converts while protecting the brand. 5) If a founder, CMO, or brand decisionmaker reads this, what should they do next if they want growth through PR and influencer marketing? They should stop chasing attention and start building authority. If you want PR and influencer campaigns that drive revenue, you need strategy, speed, and someone who takes full ownership. That’s exactly what we do at Brandoris. If you’re scaling an FMCG, lifestyle, beauty, or consumer brand globally and want to turn visibility into measurable growth, this is the moment to reach out. M Contact: Marina Zubrod Company: Brandoris Website: https://vom-stein-pr.de/
CEO MONTHLY / FEBRUARY 2026 9 Spain’s Leading Digital Advertising Network Programmatic advertising is bigger than ever with this automated method of buying and selling advertising inventory based on data-driven technology helping to streamline the process and boost the efficiency of advertising campaigns. Since taking over TwinRed, which is today a leading service provider in the realm of digital advertising, in late 2019, CEO Peter Rabenseifner has turned the company’s fortunes around making him a fitting recipient of the title of Most Influential CEO 2026 – Programmatic Advertising (Spain). We caught up with Peter for more on the back of his win. From display ads and banner ads to video ads and popunders, TwinRed covers all of the bases for those seeking openRTB and self-service ad capabilities, with its team having developed a platform that offers full access to a market complete with a suite of advanced features. Using this system, advertisers bid on online advertising spaces in real-time auction style. This empowers publishers to monetise their traffic safely and effectively, highlighting this as a comprehensive, multi-platform solution befitting an advertising pioneer. Leading the charge in the ever-changing world of digital advertising, TwinRed has been around since 2007 under different brands, but it really started to hit its stride just over six years ago, when Peter became its CEO. Setting up shop in Barcelona (TwinRed already had offices in Los Angeles and Luxembourg), Peter was originally part of a team of two in Spain, joined only by Anna Blaivas, its sales VP. Together, they set about turning the company – which at this point was nearing critical condition – around. With the support of the company group, Byborg Enterprises, behind them, Peter and Anna reshaped the entire team and operations, later looked to create the existing technology and the current ad network that was at the heart of the company, before rebuilding the foundations to one day take TwinRed to the heights of the leading industry networks. Having built the right team and secured the right tools and technology in the years since, TwinRed began building a large and diverse client base which ultimately accounts for an attractive market place of online advertising. Today, TwinRed boasts two floors in a beautiful office space in the heart of Barcelona, where around 35 of the brightest individuals in the industry come together to drive meaningful results in the digital advertising sphere. As the CEO of this operation, Peter sees his role as being to delegate, finding people who can do the individuals’ job better than himself whilst he leads the team and shapes the culture behind the company. This also includes the complex task of managing TwinRed’s teams abroad. On the topic of his leadership, Peter explained further: “I would say that I am best described as a rather stoic visionary. I make sure that our team is a close group of people who really enjoy working together and can push each other to new heights.” This is reflected in the company’s culture, where every manager is a mentor and communication is prioritised at every turn. In essence, this is the secret to TwinRed’s success and is crucial in helping it manage its clients in a space that has recently been hit with an influx of challenges. Working a lot with sites that offer adult content – TwinRed is a leading traffic source for iGaming offers, webcam- and dating offers, and products pertaining to AI girlfriends/ companions – the new age verification tools being rolled out across the likes of the UK, France, Australia, and certain US states are proving increasingly difficult to manage, especially since each of them has different methods for a user to verify their age. Many people use VPNs to get around this, and this makes programmatic advertising tough, as locations cannot be pinpointed. Nevertheless, TwinRed remains dedicated to supporting its clients, providing technical solutions it is working on right now, and navigating the primary shift that has come about as a result: the internet becoming less anonymous. Peter believes this is a change that needed to happen, and with TwinRed being moved over to a new platform mid of last year – offering the capacity to connect partners via programmatic connections and add more volume to its inventory – it demostrates a commitment to continue building up its reputation. En route to providing a fullservice approach when it comes to programmatic advertising, TwinRed has, under the watchful eye and careful hand of Peter Rabenseifner, blossomed into a beacon of trust when it comes to ad exchange and advertising networks, making its CEO deserving of being named the Most Influential CEO 2026 – Programmatic Advertising (Spain) within the pages of this feature. Contact Details Contact: Peter Rabenseifner Company: TwinRed Web Address: https://www. twinred.com/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ prabenseifner Interview: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=zFV_ khsi5rI&t=73s AIS-Dec25237
CEO MONTHLY / FEBRUARY 2026 10 Using the reach, trust, and emotional power of professional football in Scotland to directly benefit communities in need, the SPFL Trust drives lasting change by enabling football clubs and trusts to deliver quality-focused, communityFew forces are as powerful as football when it comes to bringing people together, and it is this spirit that the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) Trust seeks to capture and deploy across local communities. CEO Nicky Reid is at the helm of this non-profit organisation, and, recognised as the Most Influential CEO 2026 – Charity & Community Development (Scotland), she caught up with us for more about the great work the SPFL Trust does in helping tackle inequality and disadvantage. led programmes designed to reduce the impact of poverty for people in communities across Scotland by improving health, wellbeing, learning, and the opportunities provided at every stage of life. Making this possible is the national network of(all) 42 SPFL associated clubs and trusts the organisation has nurtured, with ten clubs in the Scottish Women’s Premier League having also recently joined the fold. With a national population of 5.5m, the fact that 4.5m people in Scotland live within 10 miles of an SPFL ground demonstrates the potential that exists within football to support communities; particularly when you consider that those 4.5m people are 3 times more likely to experience poverty Turning our attention now to Nicky, her role as CEO of this high-profile charity covers a number of key elements, from finance and governance to strategy, partnerships, and managing all external relations. Across this wide range of responsibilities, Nicky prides herself on creating a space where everyone’s needs are considered and everyone is empowered to thrive. This stems from her belief that, this type of culture, mixed with genuine impact, are the reasons people stay with a company; creating a committed, loyal and values based team. And the impact the SPFL Trust has had is clear, with Nicky and the team managing initiatives that reacin thousands of people across Scotland each year Just some examples of their work include the world leading men’s health intervention in a football setting - Football Fans in Training programme (reaching fans, predominantly men, who may otherwise not attend health interventions), pioneering the 4-4-4-2 Reading Challenge (which inspired more than 20,000 children to read books with match tickets as an incentive), and securing approximately £8 of social value per £1 invested. requires a skillset that Nicky’s management approach has developed as the organisation has grown and evolved;from two members when she first started into the diverse operation spanning multiple activities that it is today.. On this, Nicky commented: “Leading the growth of the business over the last 12 years means there isn’t a task that I haven’t, at some point, done myself – including wearing the Lomond the Lion mascot suit!” Whilst in this case, Nicky donning the suit is an example of her trying her hand at everything the SPFL Trust encompasses, there was a time not long ago when even being a mascot would be seen as out of reach for a woman looking to break into the world of men’s football. In fact, excerpts from the speech Nicky gave upon receiving an honorary doctorate from her old university highlighted the sexism she regularly encountered. This includes being banned from a press conference by a first-team manager because she was ‘distracting’ players and a club director ‘joking’ about her not having to dance on the tables during half time. It would have been easy – and totally understandable – if Nicky had walked away, but the love she has for her job and the recognition that football can transform the lives of people who will not even go the doctor, the Job Centre, or their local food bank , but will go to their local club, continues to and motivate both her and the entirety of the SPFL Trust on a daily basis. This drive is reflected in the organisation’s current Football United Strategy 2025-2030, which will see 20,000 people across Scotland offered support each season by 2030. Aside from this implementation, Nicky explained: “We will also increase investment to help communities thrive, further position Scottish football as a proactive vehicle in the delivery of Scotland’s national outcomes, and also broaden our reach with the SPFL to work with football clubs across Scotland who have the appetite, ability, and capacity to deliver our work.” On the back of this, the SPFL Trust is asking for any businesses interested in its mission and reach to get in touch to discuss any possible future opportunities. Ultimately, the life-changing work that the Scottish Professional Football League Trust does on the back of the close ties it has with the SPFL group – including the SPFL which is the highest-attended league per capita in Europe and therefore deeply embedded in local communities – can be seen across Scotland, and CEO Nicky Reid has played a crucial role in this. As a result, she is more than deserving of both her title and a place in this feature. Contact: Nicky Reid Company: Scottish Professional Football League Trust Web Address: https://spfltrust. org.uk/ Professional Football Charity CEO in Scotland
CEO MONTHLY / FEBRUARY 2026 11 From Personal Hardship to Helping People Worldwide Striving to eradicate poverty and bring hope, empowerment, and relief to the vulnerable population – all whilst fostering lasting change and preserving human dignity – Global Relief Trust is a leading Muslim charity providing vital aid to the most impoverished communities worldwide. The charity work that the organisation does stems from an innate compassion for other people, which is itself deeply inspired by the Islamic faith. Ajmal explained: “We are reminded that if a neighbour goes to sleep hungry, we will be held accountable before our Lord for failing to help.” Thus, guided by the core values of compassion, excellence, impartiality, accountability, justice, and advocacy, Global Relief Trust has built teams of highly experienced individuals across both the UK and abroad, allowing it to respond quickly to international crises. This onthe-ground support is aided by other teams leveraging television, social media, and email targeted campaigns to reach donors, resulting in the vital funds being raised so that the organisation can have a huge impact on the lives of people who need it most. Global Relief Trust’s influence was doubled down on, in mid-2019, when Ajmal was headhunted to join the organisation in the role of CEO. Within his first year, Ajmal had taken the £180,000 that it raised in 2018 and grown it to a staggering ~£1.8 million – an increase of more than 1,000%. Remarkably, this was just the beginning, and the organisation has continued to experience year-on-year growth, to the point where it was nearing the £12-million mark for 2025. Much of this can be attributed to Ajmal himself, whose dedication to making a future for himself, so that he need never live a life defined by scarcity or fear like he did as a child, meant that he has always worked relentlessly, learning and evolving as he climbed up the management ladder. After stints in the hospitality industry and working as the operations director of a Dubai-based air charter company, he returned to the UK and was headhunted for Syria Relief (now Action for Humanity), transforming this £3.5 million charity into a £20 million-a-year operation. With these experiences in tow, Ajmal approaches his role at Global Relief Trust according to one simple belief: the greatest asset of any organisation, charity or otherwise, is its people. It is for this reason that a culture of wellbeing, prosperity, and long-term clarity is in place, with every member of the team here being aligned under the values touched on above. As Ajmal added: “This peoplecentred approach has been central to our journey so far and continues to drive our success and impact.” Going a step further, Ajmal’s leadership ethos revolves around working closely with Global Relief Trust’s department heads, and a three-year strategy shaped by its board helps to ensure sustainable income growth, increased humanitarian impact, and the expansion of a loyal donor base at every turn. It is this success of this approach and the transformations it nurtures that has led to Ajmal turning down the offers he has received from other charities, and he is determined to cement the organisation as a resilient, highimpact operation. Now 65 years old, Ajmal’s resolve has not wavered with time, and this CEO very much sees retirement as a punishment. Even as he starts to slow down (making more time for golf with his friends) Ajmal plans to continue to contribute to managing the charity maybe three or four times a week. Thus, he still has big plans for the Global Relief Trust’s future, elevating it to the same level of recognition he achieved for Action for Humanity, which collaborates with sector-leading organisations. All things considered, Ajmal Ramzan’s tenure as the CEO of Global Relief Trust has been underpinned by results, and whether it is working in Syria, making clean water accessible for as many people as possible, or supporting struggling communities during the harsh winter months, this is an organisation that is making a real difference. For this, it is our pleasure to recognise its CEO in this feature. Contact: Ajmal Ramzan Company: Global Relief Trust Web Address: https://grtuk.org/ Dec25111 Arriving in the UK in the late 1960s with his parents, who came with little more than hope and determination and would struggle to put food on the table, Ajmal Ramzan knows first-hand how difficult life can be. At the same time, he recognises that his struggles pale in comparison to those living in war-torn countries and disaster zones all over the world. This is why, as the CEO of Global Relief Trust, Ajmal is committed to supporting the less fortunate. Named the Most Influential CEO 2026 – Crisis Relief (UK) as a result, we caught up with Ajmal for more on his charity work.
CEO MONTHLY / FEBRUARY 2026 12 The Goodeill Mindset: Expansion, Expertise, and Exceptional Ambition Driven by three generations of pest control expertise, Pest Control Consultants is not only Illinois’s largest private pest control firms but also one of the fastest-growing pest control companies in North America. Since 2003, the company has been on a mission to safeguard the homes and businesses of its clientele, serving more than 20,000 clients across Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Western Michigan. Boasting same-day services and personalised plans, Pest Control Consultants offers Dec25062 Dec25062 While many skills of great leadership can be taught, ambition remains something that must come from within. A powerful leader is one with a strong vision, deep industry expertise, and an unwavering commitment to achieving excellence. This is an ethos championed by Chase Goodeill, CEO of Pest Control Consultants and visionary leader in the field of pest control services. We took a closer look at Chase and his journey to success below, following his recent recognition in the CEO of the Year Awards 2025. D a comprehensive suite of services expertly designed to solve even the most unique pest problem. The company caters to residential, commercial, and industrial clients alike, providing them with unparalleled protection against an array of invaders including cockroaches, hornets, bedbugs, fleas and mites, termites, mice, and rats. Of course, the most effective method of combatting invasion is preventing the problem from ever taking root. In addition to the control and disinfection of immediate pest problems, the Pest Control Consultants team also provides clients with a selection of pest prevention plans that are expertly tailored to fit various needs and budgets. These plans entail regular treatments – occurring monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly – and even include free re-services if a problem arises in between visits. The company is headed by Owner and CEO Chase Goodeill, a passionate entrepreneur with a clear vision for growth. Chase has been deeply embedded within the pest control industry for as long as he can remember; his grandfather had owned his own pest control company, for which his father had also worked throughout Chase’s childhood. In 1996, the decision was made to sell his grandfather’s business and, after continuing to work under the business for a few years, his father branched out to establish Pest Control Consultants in 2003. Chase cultivated a drive for success from a young age and began to go door to door to find work mowing lawns at 13. Soon after, his father set him to work spraying the outside of houses for the family business. While this new position was not nearly as lucrative as his earlier venture, it did place Chase into the pest control sector and opened his eyes up to the true potential of the profession. After witnessing two Goodeill generations leading the charge in pest control, Chase felt even hungrier for success. He attained an associate’s degree in business administration and management from Sauk Valley Community College and leveraged the invaluable experience he had gained from his father to enter the industry with force. He hit the ground running, steadily building the company’s accounts through a combination of cold-calling, door-knocking, and relentless determination. This persistence paid off; Chase was made a partner of Pest Control Consultants at the age of 23, after making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year for the company. Chase learned to balance quality and quantity over time, understanding that sales must come before scale but that they do also successfully go hand-in-hand. He continued to knock on doors, expanding into new markets once he had exhausted his current landscape, and eventually took over the company as 100% Owner and CEO in 2021. As CEO of Pest Control Consultants, Chase is now responsible for guiding the company’s success, serving as a direct link between overall vision and strategic direction. He manages short- and long-term growth strategies whilst leading a superlative sales force, in addition to implementing first-in-class marketing strategies to sell pest control services to clients across the region. He has built a team of trusted partners who share his bold vision and leverages this ambition to drive Pest Control Consultants to success. The results of Chase’s salesover-scale mindset speaks for themselves: from July 2023, Chase has personally sold
CEO MONTHLY / FEBRUARY 2026 13 more than 9,000 pest accounts that have generated over $4.1 million in annual recurring revenue; in 2020, he sold 621 accounts that generated more than $546,237, followed by 590 accounts generating $388,000 in revenue throughout 2021. Under Chase’s expert guidance, Pest Control Consultants achieved impressive new sales in 2024, reaching $3.5 million in recurring revenue across 5,890 accounts – representing a 67% growth from the previous year. Such growth has enabled Pest Control Consultants to emerge as one of the country’s fastest-growing pest control companies. Since its inception, the company has extended its roots across the region, with offices now located in Dixon, Sycamore, St. Charles, North Barrington, Clinton, Delavan, La Valle, and Grand Rapids. The team proudly participates in local initiatives and endeavours, earning recognition from its community with the 2019 Dixon Main Street and Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award and the 2023 Sycamore Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Small Business Award. This rapid expansion has been facilitated by Goodeill Holdings, of which Chase is President. The company aims to find successful pest control companies that can be purchased and operated under Pest Control Consultants and, since 2019, it has acquired ten successful pest control companies across Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Tennessee. Goodeill Holdings boosted sales revenue by $6 million in 2025 alone, almost double its $3.5 million revenue in 2024. For three generations, the Goodeill family have been instrumental in reshaping the pest control sector, identifying the true potential of this landscape and setting new benchmarks for excellence amongst peers. Chase has successfully upheld this legacy since he first entered the industry, demonstrating the true power of persistence and resilience over the course of his professional career. For his passion, expertise, and unwavering dedication, Chase Goodeill has been rightfully recognised as the USA’s Pest Control CEO of the Year 2025. Contact: Chase Goodeill Company: PCC Enterprises – Pest Control Consultants Web Address: www. pestsprotection.com
CEO MONTHLY / FEBRUARY 2026 14 ince the days of the two world wars, death denial has been a constant undercurrent of UK society, which does not want to think about death, nor know much about the impact bereavement can have. On a mission to change this, AtaLoss exists to make sure that everyone in the UK has access to bereavement support when someone has died. AtaLoss’ bereavement support is intended to tackle this taboo subject, allowing everyone to be supported in the range of ways bereavement impacts and to journey through grief. As for what this looks like, the charity prides itself on delivering timely intervention by raising awareness of the impact of bereavement through media channels and an all-party parliament group, delivering a signposting service for bereaved people to find tailored support, and providing support in communities through both The Bereavement Journey® peer support programme and the formation of Bereavement Friendly Communities (those which have adopted AtaLoss’ bereavement support charter.) The result of this support is that AtaLoss is today the ultimate resource for those aiming to learn more about death and grief, with around 19,000 new people visiting its signposting service per month and more than 570 locations offering The Bereavement Journey®, with new locations Community Bereavement Support from a FounderLed Charity Decades of ‘death denial’ have left countless bereaved people feeling isolated and unable to access the help they need. Unsupported bereavement can have dire consequences, from poor mental/ physical health to debt and substance misuse. Prospects are much better for those who access timely support, with approximately 90% navigating their bereavement healthily. There to ensure the latter is AtaLoss, whose CEO, Yvonne Tulloch, has been named the Most Influential CEO 2026 – Bereavement Support in this feature. We caught up with Yvonne for more on this charity. being added daily across churches, prisons, workplaces, universities, and other settings across the UK. Thus, it is estimated that every £1 invested in The Bereavement Journey® to date has generated £250 in societal wellbeing. Built on Christian values, this founder-led social impact charity was established in 2016, after Yvonne was suddenly widowed and recognised the lack of support. The charity’s first breakthrough came around four years later, as the COVID-19 pandemic meant that the subject of death was on the nation’s lips. During this time, the charity began offering its services online. Queen Elizabth II’s death in 2022 was the second breakthrough, with Yvonne speaking to the press about her death lifting the lid off unprocessed loss. “As this was observed, we were noticed by the media and became spokespeople for grief and death. This has continued, with AtaLoss being turned to frequently for comment on tragedies or grief related items in the news.” Beyond the loss of her husband, Yvonne’s inspiration for this Christian-led charity actually came more than 20 years earlier, when she received a ‘calling’ that she believes to have been from God. This has shaped her vocation and motivation in the years since, leading Yvonne to be ordained in the Anglican church and experience funerals and bereavement support first-hand. Even this could not prepare Yvonne for becoming a widow however, which sent her life into freefall, reinforcing society’s need for this kind of support. Thankfully, Yvonne fell into the aforementioned statistic that 85-90% of bereaved people can navigate their loss healthily with the right support network. For Yvonne, there were two relevant support initiatives that helped her to process her grief, and it was on the back of these that she made the decision to start AtaLoss. Fast forward to today, and the charity has just undergone major growth, with its potential being recognised in 2024 in the form of a large grant, allowing for a bigger team and new structure. Today, AtaLoss comprises a diverse group of employees, freelancers, and volunteers working across the UK. Everyone is committed to the impact the charity has in changing people’s lives, but they know that their work is far from over. Future aims include embedding their signposting service into the public health sector, but achieving this will require securing around £800,000 a year in sustainable funding – a modest investment given the reach and impact of the charity’s work. ‘On this, its 10th anniversary year, AtaLoss remains more dedicated than ever to building a nation that understands and supports bereavement and making its support available in every community across the UK. For the invaluable role Yvonne continues to play in making this a reality, it is our pleasure to recognise her with a title in this feature. We strongly encourage everyone to follow the link below to the website/signposting service, to find out more about AtaLoss’ necessary work supporting bereavement. S Contact: Yvonne Tulloch Company: AtaLoss Web Address: https://www. ataloss.org/
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