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Colin Sales: Managing Director

A Civil Engineering graduate, after leaving university, Colin joined the Dixons Group as a Management Trainee. Over his two years with Dixons, he progressed first to a company trouble-shooter and then set up and managed their first computer support division. Colin joined Linetex Computers Ltd in 1988 as an Account Manager and was then appointed Commercial Director in 1991. He became Managing Director after leading a Management Buy-out in 1996. The company floated on AIM in 2004 and Colin then left two years later. After joining Montal in 2007, Colin headed another Management Buy-out in 2008, when he took the role of Managing Director.

Joanne Ponting: Financial Director

A graduate of Aberdeen University, Joanne joined Coopers and Lybrand and became a Chartered Accountant in 1986. After leaving the firm she worked for Parkway Group as Financial Controller and then Baker Tilly as a Manager before joining Securicor Recruitment Services Limited as their Finance Director between 1993 and 1997. Joanne joined Colin and Hugh at Linetex Computers as Financial Director in 1998 and stayed with the business until it floated in 2004. Joanne immediately joined Montal and shortly after became Finance Director. Joanne was reunited with Colin and Hugh in 2007 and is the third member of the Montal Management Buy-out team.

Hugh Pollock: Service Director

Hugh trained as a Production Engineer with GKN before moving to Apricot Computer Maintenance in 1981. In 1986 he joined Linetex Computers as a Senior Engineer and, after progressing through management, became Service Director in 1995. He was an integral part of the MBO team in 1996 and Hugh's strong project management skills were a critical factor in the success of the organisation. Hugh left Linetex in 2006, joined Colin at Montal in 2007 and was then part of the Buy-out team in 2008, when he became Service Director. Hugh and Colin have worked together as part of a senior management team for over 20 years.

The three operational Directors of Montal have worked together within two different organisations for over 10 years.

Chris Paveley: Chairman

Chris Paveley started work as an apprentice in West Thurrock Power Station and having completed his indentures went on to continue his training and work in Japan for the NEC Corporation. In 1983 Chris started his own IT maintenance company called FLS (later Uniter). In 1997 he joined the DTI 'Wings' Project mentoring young entrepreneurs and in 1998 he joined the board of the Essex TEC, becoming the Chair in 2000. He joined the Essex Learning and Skills Council at its inception and became Chair in 2003. Chris was appointed Chair of the East of England Regional LSC in June 2008. Chris currently holds non-executive directorships on the Thurrock Urban Development Corporation; the Chair of the East of England LSC Regional Council and Chair of the new visual arts facility in Colchester called Firstsite. He also holds a number of non-executive directorships in the private sector. Through his work with Uniter and many of the NDBPs he has been heavily involved in many training initiatives including Train to Gain and its pilot "Profit from Learning" and Modern Apprentices where he has been the champion of demonstrating the value of Training.