Robert Audley - Executive Chairman
Graduating with an Honours Degree in Economics from The University of East Anglia, Robert Audley joined AGB Research in 1980, gaining experience across a range of operational areas during the heyday of the international Group. Inheriting a keen interest in publishing, he rapidly rose to Managing Director of the news-trade distribution company, Magnum, a position that was to occupy him for most of the 1980s, a period during which he also managed the Group's contract publishing interests. In 1990, following the acquisition of Prolog by Caverswall Holdings, of which Robert is the sole shareholder, he took over as Managing Director of the then little known Suffolk-based marketing support services company. Under his direction Prolog has shown consistent year-on-year growth, from a turnover of less than £4 million in 1990 to more than £41 million in 2009. Thanks to the Audley family's vision and its policy of concerted investment in the business, Prolog is ranked in the UK marketing premier league, with the capacity, infrastructure and motivated workforce to consolidate further on its primacy in the coming years.
Darshana Bawa - Joint Managing Director
After graduating from Leeds with a BA Hons Degree in Accountancy, Darshana Bawa joined AGB Research as a graduate accountant in 1981 and qualified as a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in 1985. During her career with AGB, Darshana held several senior financial positions within the Group including the role of Corporate Accountant at Head Office. Darshana joined Magnum Distribution as Financial Controller in 1987 to work for Robert Audley and was part of the financial team involved in the Audley family's purchase of Prolog from Pergamon AGB in 1990. Darshana was promoted to the Prolog Board in 1995 as Finance Director and she has been instrumental in managing the company's fortunes through the most active period of its development. As well as managing the Company's assets effectively, her work in developing and refining the financial and management information systems has proved invaluable in helping the Company achieve its goals. In January 2011, Darshana was promoted to Chief Operating Officer where the key focus has been strengthening operational management to improve efficiency and to provide a solid foundation for the Company's future growth plans. More recently, Darshana was promoted to Joint Managing Director.
Guy Smith - Joint Managing Director
Guy rejoined Prolog in 2012 after an eight year break, following more than 12 years with the business between 1992 and 2004. Now with more than twenty years of experience in this industry, twelve of those working at Board level, Guy brings a wealth of experience with him and a deep operational and commercial understanding of the support service sector.
Throughout his career, Guy has managed a number of other businesses within this sector including Axiom (2Touch), Orbital Marketing Services, Dataforce and most recently Diss Promotional Services.
Peter Tyrer - Director
Educated at University College School, Hampstead, Peter Tyrer's early career was punctuated by two years in the Royal Navy. On leaving the Service, he took articles with the City accountancy firm of Barton Mayhew & Co. and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1962. He became a partner in the firm five years later, and stayed on through several mergers. Peter left the accountancy partnership, by now Ernst and Whinney (more latterly Ernst & Young), in 1983 to join the Board of AGB Research where, as Finance Director and Company Secretary, he played a prominent role in developing the Group's extensive overseas businesses. Shortly after the takeover in 1989 of AGB by Robert Maxwell, Peter joined Sir Bernard Audley and Robert Audley in Caverswall Holdings, and he was directly involved in the acquisition of Prolog from Pergamon AGB. Peter has held a seat on the Board of Prolog since 1990, initially as Finance Director, and for the last seven years as Director with special responsibility for the company's substantial property development, both in the East Midlands and in East Anglia.
Peter Ray - Transport and Logistics Director
Peter Ray is Prolog's longest serving director, having been appointed to the Board of Mander Walsh (later to become Prolog) at the time of that company's acquisition by AGB Research in 1988. With more than 25 years' experience in warehouse production and in transport and distribution logistics, Peter has played a key role in developing robust warehousing technologies and integrated workflow control. As the company has grown, he has taken pivotal responsibility for its national and international road transport and distribution network. In addition to building and managing Prolog's own transport fleet, Peter has been instrumental in developing a network of contacts throughout the courier industry that has enabled Prolog to offer a complete range of haulage and delivery options to meet all client needs - and with the competitive edge obtainable only through economies of scale.
Karen Richardson - Client Relationship Director
Karen Richardson joined Prolog in 1997 as Senior Account Executive, bringing with her the strengths of an already well-founded career in retail logistics, including senior administrative responsibility for the supply of 300 high street stores. While at Prolog, she has headed more that 50 major commercial and charity sector accounts, involving retail logistics, mail order and POS fulfilment. A highly experienced account handler and accomplished communicator, Karen has achieved a reputation for confident leadership style, tested repeatedly in her sure-footed management of blue chip accounts, and her ability to take in her stride the significant challenges faced in relocating large, complex logistics and customer loyalty accounts. Promoted to Associate Director in 2006 and to the Board of Prolog in June 2009, Karen inspires the confidence of her staff and clients alike through a natural commercial flair, excellent man-management skills and an intimate knowledge of Prolog's IT and warehousing management systems. Her service delivery and the ability always to find the most innovative and closely crafted solutions to their business needs are second to none.