Kevin Craven became CEO of ADS in April 2021 and Chair of Farnborough International in July 2023,  having served as a member of the ADS Board for three years, including as ADS Vice-President, Defence. Born in Zimbabwe, Kevin was educated at St George’s College, Salisbury.

After completing National Service, he studied at the University of Witwatersrand for a BSc Electrical Engineering.

In 1991 Kevin, who is British, moved to the UK and ran a large leisure centre before moving into contract catering with Gardner Merchant in 1994 (acquired by Sodexo in 1997).

Kevin moved to ARAMARK in 2002 to head up Specialist Markets, supporting mainly public sector areas of Healthcare, Education, Defence, and Criminal Justice. In 2006 he took over Balfour Beatty WorkPlace, the FM arm of the infrastructure Group.

After significant growth there, Kevin was promoted to CEO of the newly‐ formed Support Services division in 20110 The division included utilities – both gas and power transmission, integrated facilities management, highways maintenance, rail infrastructure and the UK Shared Services operations.

In 2014 Kevin was made Chief Executive Serco UK & Europe comprising six business units including Defence, Transport and Heathcare.

Kevin has served as a non-executive on numerous engineering joint ventures including Romec with the Royal Mail, Atomic Weapons establishment, and United Group in Australia.

Gareth joined Farnborough International as Chief Executive Officer in early 2018, coinciding with the opening of the company’s state-of-the-art £34m exhibition and conference centre. Since then, he has successfully overseen the full launch of the venue, delivered four editions of the Farnborough International Airshow, and led the development of a new growth strategy for the business. Gareth is passionate about driving excellence in customer experience and ensuring that every interaction with Farnborough International reflects the company’s commitment to quality and innovation.

As Aerospace Commercial Director, Joe leads the strategic planning, sales, and delivery of Farnborough International’s globally recognised aerospace events. With more than a decade of experience across the aerospace and events sectors, he has built strong relationships with leading industry players, associations, and media partners. Joe combines commercial acumen with customer-focused execution to deliver high-impact, commercially successful events that set the agenda for the global aerospace industry.

Ben is an experienced operations leader with over 25 years in event delivery, exhibitions, and venue management across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. Having been with Farnborough International for seven years, he specialises in aerospace and defence operations, overseeing every aspect of airshow delivery, site design, infrastructure, and risk management. Ben combines strategic vision with hands-on expertise to ensure world-class operational excellence across all Farnborough International events and venues.

Anthony brings over 30 years of senior-level experience in marketing and brand management, gained across both corporate and agency environments. His background includes leadership roles with FTSE-listed companies and major London advertising agencies, as well as strategic communications consultancy for organisations such as NATO, the UK Government, the US State Department, and the University of Cambridge. At Farnborough International, Anthony oversees marketing strategy and brand positioning, ensuring the company’s profile continues to grow on the global stage.

With more than 25 years in the events industry, Sarah has successfully launched and grown major exhibitions and conferences across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America. She has held senior roles with leading organisers including Dods (Total Politics), Hyve, EMAP, and Informa. As Venue Director of the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, Sarah leads the commercial strategy and plays a key role in strengthening the brand’s position as one of the UK’s premier event destinations.

Jason joined Farnborough International and ADS in 2018 and has since helped the company negotiate its way through COVID and the cancellation of the 2020 Airshow.

Immediately before joining ADS, Jason spent 7 years as Group Finance Director for Howarth Timber Group, the largest independent timber company in the UK with turnover of over £200m and had responsibility for the finance function across 5 operating divisions as well as the Group audit, pension, and insurance functions.

Prior to that, Jason gained experience working across a number of European entities with Manheim UK (Car Auctions), and worked even further afield, gaining experience of the Middle East, Far East and Eastern Europe whilst at Cape Industrial Services Ltd. However, it was at Malton Bacon Factory, an FMCG business, where Jason cut his teeth in the world of finance.

Jason now sits on the CIMA Corporate Reporting and Development Panel, providing feedback to the panel on how accounting standards are being implemented across ADS member companies.

With nearly 30 years of experience, Paul is an expert in delivering high-profile experiential events, particularly in defence, security, and aerospace. He has led global programmes for companies like BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin and has worked with Farnborough International since 2002, formally joining in 2019. Paul is known for launching successful aerospace events worldwide and is recognised for innovation, commercial focus, and strategic leadership across major global airshows.

In 2019, Christina joined Farnborough International and ADS as Head of Legal and has since been promoted to Group Legal Director and Company Secretary. Christina plays a key role in the business, supporting new initiatives, devising legal strategies, and ensuring good governance across the Group.

Prior to joining ADS, Christina was In-House Legal Counsel at BCA Marketplace PLC, the UK’s largest used vehicle business and before that worked within a number of national and multi-national legal firms specialising in commercial law.

Claire Cutts joined Farnborough International and ADS Group as Chief People Officer in December 2025.

Claire has a wealth of experience as a strategic HR leader with a proven track record of driving transformation and enabling people and performance to thrive. Her career spans global, brand-led organisations navigating complex change, including senior leadership roles where she has led international people strategies.

Claire works closely with the leadership teams across ADS, Farnborough International and UKDSC to shape the Group-wide people strategy and champion people priorities that strengthen the sector’s future in partnership with members and stakeholders.

Matthew brings more than 25 years of data and digital leadership experience across organisations including Premier League football, Formula 1, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and Pure Cremation. He has a proven track record of leading complex transformation programmes, building high-performing teams, and delivering technology and data solutions that enhance organisational performance and service delivery.

Since joining ADS Group as a Data & Systems Consultant in November 2024, Matthew has played a key role in shaping the Group’s approach to data, digital capability, business systems, and technology transformation.

As CIO, Matthew leads the Group’s technology, data, and digital agenda, bringing its IT and data capabilities together into a single, service-led function that supports both ADS and Farnborough International.

Jacqui brings over 30 years of experience in the international engineering and manufacturing sectors, having worked extensively across markets including the USA, Germany, Singapore, France, and China. A former Chief Customer Officer at Rolls-Royce, she has a strong record of developing and delivering business growth strategies, leading large-scale transformation and restructuring programmes, and managing complex stakeholder relationships. Jacqui is also a Non-Executive Director for Xaar plc and the Women in Aviation & Aerospace Charter.

Simon is an accomplished Managing Director with over 20 years of senior leadership experience in the global media industry. He has managed diverse portfolios spanning events, conferences, awards, magazines, digital platforms, and subscription products. As MD of CIBSE Services Ltd, Simon has overseen substantial growth, more than doubling turnover in three years. Known for driving business transformation, innovation, and strategic growth, Simon brings a wealth of global experience and insight to Farnborough International’s Board.