Our people

Farouq has been a key architect in CareTech’s growth, having co-founded the Group and been involved in the vision and strategy from the outset in 1993. With a background in law and a good understanding of finance and commerce, Farouq has been instrumental in securing debt and equity funding for the Group as well as leading the management team in winning long-term contracts from local authorities and health commissioners.

Farouq is one of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs, philanthropists and community figureheads. His business interests encompass healthcare, private equity and property investment and development. Farouq has been presented with several Entrepreneur of the Year awards by prestigious organisations including Laing and Buisson, Coutts Bank and Ernst & Young. He also presents widely at healthcare conferences, raising awareness of the learning disability sector.

As Patron and Enterprise Fellow of the prestigious King’s Trust and as a member of the Mosaic National Advisory Board, Farouq supports young people by passing on his experience and expertise to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. Farouq received an OBE for services to specialist care in The Queen’s Birthday Honours 2020.

Haroon is amongst the most experienced CEOs in the health and social care sector and one of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Along with his brother Farouq, he co-founded CareTech. As Group CEO he leads the day-to-day running of the Group and its international expansion. He has a deep commitment and passion for delivering high-quality care and support to people with complex needs.

Haroon is Patron and Enterprise Fellow of the King’s Trust and is member of the UK Advisory Council of the British Asian Trust under the patronage of HRH The Prince of Wales. He is also a member of the Court of the University of Hertfordshire.

Haroon is a Founder Trustee of the CareTech Charitable Foundation formed in 2017, and Chairman of the Trustees, working closely with the Foundation’s CEO and independent Trustees.

Chris is responsible for: preparation and integrity of financial information; operating effective systems of risk management and control, and developing and implementing the financial strategy and policies.

Prior to joining CareTech, Chris was a Managing Director at Jefferies where he acted for the Group on its acquisition of Cambian. Before this, Chris spent 14 years at J.P. Morgan advising on significant M&A transactions and debt and equity raises. Chris is a chartered accountant, having been admitted as a member of the ICAEW in 2004 and as a Fellow in 2014, and has a degree in Computer and Management Science from the University of Warwick.

He has four children and two dogs.

Jeremy leads CareTech’s Children’s Services, supporting over 2,000 of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people. With a team of more than 5,000 people, these specialist services include; residential care homes, education schools and colleges, and foster care. CareTech operates through eight companies (ACAD, Branas, Cambian, Greenfields, Inspire, Linx 16+, Spark of Genius, ROC North West) and four fostering agencies (BTB, FSG, Park, TLC Wales).

Jeremy joined CareTech in 2009 after more than 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry. A seasoned senior leader, he has a track record of building high-performing teams and is passionate about developing talent to achieve success.

Jeremy says: “Getting out of bed knowing we’re doing good is really important. We’re blessed to make a difference to some of the most vulnerable young people in the UK. ‘Extraordinary days every day’ truly reflects the work we strive to do and the standards we aim to achieve.”

Outside work, Jeremy values family life and has a lifelong passion for sport. He still plays Premier League hockey—albeit now at a slower pace and in an older age bracket.

Nasir Quraishi is an accomplished senior leader within the health and social care sector and serves as Executive Director of Adults and Specialist Services at CareTech. He is responsible for a wide-ranging portfolio of complex, highly regulated services that support adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs and acquired brain injuries across residential, supported living and hospital settings. His leadership is defined by a strong commitment to person-centred care, service quality and continual improvement.

Nasir previously served as Group HR Director for CareTech, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the organisation’s people strategy and supporting its growth. With more than 15 years of experience in the sector, he has also contributed to national workforce discussions through his involvement with the NHS Confederation and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Adult Social Work.

Known for his strategic perspective and strong commercial acumen, Nasir has led multiple large-scale transformation programmes throughout his career, spanning both public and private sector environments.

He holds a degree, a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD). Prior to joining CareTech, he held senior roles at AON Consulting and PwC, specialising in talent, engagement and organisational performance.

Gareth is a qualified chartered accountant who was admitted as a member of the ICAEW in 2001 becoming a Fellow in 2013.  He is a former partner of Moore Stephens LLP, the former top 10 City based accountants where he played a key role in client liaison, undertaking a mix of audit, tax and corporate finance where he worked between 2000 and 2007.  Gareth is a graduate of the University of Hertfordshire with first-class honours.

Gareth has been on the CareTech journey since 2000, initially advising as part of Moore Stephens and from 2007, working directly with the Group in a variety of roles including acting as Interim Group CFO between 2018 and 2020. He has provided support to CareTech at a senior level on a range of financial and commercial matters including acquisitions, fund raising (including ground rent and sale and leaseback transactions) and property matters, having been present at most of the key events within the business over the last two decades.  Working with colleagues across the business, today his responsibilities include providing commercial support to the adult division, the growth of the supported living portfolio, supporting the finance team, financial modelling and reviewing investment opportunities.

Gareth has been a shareholder in CareTech for many years and is proud of his long association with the Group, where his sister is frontline care worker.  All of which gives him a unique and has deep understanding of the business.

Away from the office, Gareth enjoys spending time with his young daughter and is a long-suffering Leeds United supporter.

Steve has over 30 years’ executive management experience in market leading organisations, including Duracell Inc, EMI Music plc, Esselte AB, and the Laird Group plc. Since 2002 he has held HR leadership roles in a number of large health and social care providers, including Care UK and The Lifeways Group. Steve was appointed Group Executive Director, Human Resources in June 2023.

Steve believes that exceptional leadership and positive staff engagement are central to the delivery of ‘Extraordinary days, every day’.

He has held several non-executive director and trustee roles, including with a community care and reablement services LATC, a charity supporting disadvantaged children and families, and a multi-academy trust for children with social, emotional, and mental health needs.  He is currently a Member of Broad Horizons Education Trust.

Joan joined CareTech shortly after its formation in 1993 and is one of the company’s longest-serving team members. Over the past three decades, she has played a pivotal role in CareTech’s growth and success. 

Working closely with business owners and senior colleagues across the entire group, Joan is widely recognised for establishing CareTech’s marketing department and shaping its strong brand identity. She also created the annual CareTech Care Awards, celebrating excellence across the organisation, and has been instrumental in driving many of the company’s core initiatives. 

Throughout her career, Joan has held a variety of roles, from supporting individual homes and liaising with local authorities and regulatory bodies to contributing to business development, acquisitions, and international partnerships. Her deep knowledge and commitment continue to make her an invaluable part of CareTech’s leadership team. 

Rainuka Samra is an accomplished finance leader with over two decades of experience driving growth, transformation, and operational excellence across complex, fast-paced environments. She joined CareTech four years ago and has been instrumental in shaping the Group’s commercial finance strategy, supporting sustainable growth and value creation.

Rainuka brings a proven track record in acquisitions, integrations, and business transformation. Prior to CareTech, she held senior finance leadership roles in private equity-backed and multinational organisations, where she successfully managed rapid expansion and significant change. At Envivo Group, she oversaw six acquisitions in just two years, increasing revenue from £11 million to £130 million, while implementing robust financial systems and controls. Earlier, at Lifeways Group, Rainuka led the integration of 11 businesses within 30 months, doubling turnover to £250 million and delivering multi-million-pound cost savings through centralisation and procurement efficiencies.

Her expertise extends beyond M&A to include enterprise resource planning and operational system implementations, having led projects averaging £1.6 million across platforms such as SAP, Agresso, Dynamics, and Access. Rainuka also played a pivotal role in the €1.3 billion sale of a multinational division during her tenure at TNT N.V., demonstrating her ability to influence at Board level and navigate complex stakeholder environments.

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA), Rainuka combines strategic vision with hands-on leadership, consistently improving reporting, controls, and commercial insight. Her career is defined by delivering measurable results—whether through driving organic growth, optimising finance structures, or supporting refinancing and covenant management.

Rainuka is passionate about enabling organisations to achieve their full potential through financial discipline, innovation, and collaboration. At CareTech, she continues to champion transformation and commercial excellence, ensuring the Group remains resilient and well-positioned for future success.

Responsible for all CareTech’s systems, cyber and infrastructure, Wahid joined the CareTech Group in 2001. He has over 30 years’ experience in Information Technology and has previously held senior technology roles at Microsoft and Hewlett Packard partners in the Middle East and East Africa, dealing with the United Nations, PWC, International Red Cross and Barclays Bank.

In addition to his IT experience, Wahid holds a Masters Degree in Software Engineering and has overseen the IT integration and digital transformation of over 20 acquisitions at CareTech.

Also, part of his role is to help understand why and how technology can be adopted at CareTech and advise what is 'fit for purpose'.

Shokat is an international CEO with 25 years of Healthcare, Social Care, Special Education Needs and Industry experience. He is responsible for spearheading CareTech International’s expansion in MENA.

This has included investing in a specialist healthcare platform in the UAE, and establishing the digital division, which brought Smartbox into the CareTech Group.

He gained insight into the MENA markets for SEND and Social Care having served as a trusted advisor to the region’s ambitious transformation programs over many years.

An alumnus of the London School of Economics (Interdisciplinary Institute of Management) and the NHS Gateway to Leadership Programme, Shokat is passionate about developing sustainable models of care and education that address global challenges, while delivering long-term value to stakeholders.