Our Leadership Team

chevron_right About Us chevron_right Our Leadership Team

Guardian’s leadership team is made up of leading early childhood professionals with many years of combined experience in the sector and other industries. This team guides the business and our centres.

In 2010 Wolsely Private Equity invested in Guardian, providing capital to improve the quality of our existing centres and to fund the group’s continued growth. Navis Capital subsequently acquired a majority interest in the group in 2013 from Wolsely and became our major shareholder. As of February 2016, Partners Group has agreed to acquire the controlling stake in Guardian Early Learning Group with the deal expected to close in the first quarter of 2016.

Guardian Early Learning Group Leader Mark Clark

Mark Clark

Acting Chief Executive Officer

Mark is an experienced Managing Director with over 30 years Board knowledge of companies operating in the FMCG, Retail and Consumer markets in Asia, Australasia, Europe and North America. As former Managing Director of Coca-Cola Amatil Australia and President Coca-Cola Bottlers Korea, Mark has been on the Guardian Early Learning Group Board as Non Executive Director since May 2016 and is now Chairman and Acting CEO.

Guardian Early Learning Group Leader Nicki Garrett

Nicki Garrett

Head of Business Development

Nicki is responsible for sourcing and developing new centre developments, managing centre acquisitions, for growing Guardian’s employer sponsored child care business and the ongoing account management of Guardian’s company sponsored child care clients.

Guardian Early Learning Group Leader Richard Burrows

Richard Burrows

Chief Financial Officer

Richard is responsible for the group’s finances and commercial matters. He joined Guardian in early 2016 after spending 10 years in private equity, including three years working with Guardian during its first round of private equity investment.  Richard previously worked with EY in Sydney and the UK.