Neil Johnson has extensive experience in leadership roles and is Chairman of Electra Private Equity Plc.
He joined Electra as Non-Executive Chairman and Director and later took on the role of Executive Chairman. Neil heads up the Nominations Committee and is an advisor to the firm’s portfolio companies.
Neil is also Chairman of QinetiQ and Deputy Chairman of Business Growth Fund. He is the former Chairman of Synthomer Plc, Motability Operations Group Plc, Tenon Group, Hornby, Umeco and Centaur Media Plc. He was Chairman of Cybit Plc and steered the business through IPO and its eventual sale to a US private equity firm in 2010. Neil also served as Chairman of e2v plc until it was acquired by Teledyne in 2016.
After Sandhurst and an early career in the British Army, Neil worked at Director level at Lex Service Group, British Leyland and Jaguar and these roles laid the foundations for his corporate success. At Jaguar he was worldwide Sales and Marketing Director. He was later CEO of the RAC.
From 1985 to 1989 Neil was seconded to the UK Ministry of Defence commanding 4th Royal Green Jackets Battlegroup in 12th Armoured Brigade.
On returning to industry, Neil joined the main board of Rover Group Plc and was responsible for British Aerospace’s car business in Europe. Following his success in this role, Neil was appointed Director General of the Engineering Employers’ Federation. He went on to establish British American Business, Inc., an organisation that set out to promote transatlantic trade.
Neil has been an Independent Member of the Metropolitan Policy Authority, an advisor to the Prime Minister on the Citizen’s Charter and was a member of a Ministry of Defence Advisory Board.
