Online learning and development platform The Professional Alternative (TPA) will today (18 September) announce the completion of a management restructure following the exit of two of its co-founders, Sarah Katherine Bagshaw and Steve Parrott.
Derek Southall – the sole remaining co-founder – will remain as chair, and Dan Wales, an early investor and shareholder in the company, has joined as finance director and chief commercial officer. Joining the leadership team as managing director is technology entrepreneur and investor Paul Fletcher, who previously worked in the financial services and healthcare sector, including for companies such as NFU Mutual and Optelec. The restructure has been in motion since the summer, with Fletcher appointed on 18 July, according to Companies House.
The new board will continue to be supported by an operational board made up of Claire Batchelor, director of customer success; Jack Constant, director of sales; and Ian Sherred, head of content development.
TPA, founded in 2020, specialises in point of need digital training for lawyers and accountants, helping them to stay abreast of important areas such as compliance. Speaking to Legal IT Insider, Wales said that the restructured company is expected to see double digit growth over this financial year.
Southall told us that TPA has been in startup mode over the past years, investing heavily in building its platform. “Lawyers are time poor and don’t want to sit through boring and dry training. We’re a bit like the Netflix of training and we’re seeing huge growth in appetite,” he said. TPA currently has around 80 clients including UK top 50 law firm Pinsent Masons.
In a statement, Fletcher commented: “The business has a great team behind it and huge potential in what is a fast-growing sector. I would like to thank Sarah Katherine and Steve and very much look forward to helping the company fulfil its full potential. We have big plans and some exciting years ahead of us.”
Parrott and Bagshaw will continue to run the events business they founded almost a decade ago, Alternative Events.