Claire Eason-Bassett

Chief Executive Officer / Chair

Leading: Finance & Engagement

Experienced entrepreneur and business leader within the creative sector who is currently Programme Lead and Senior Lecturer in Events Management at the University of Northampton. She is also Co-Director at 80% Awesome Enterprises focusing on the application of Agile to non-software environments. Formerly, Claire was Head of Business Development & Events at English National Ballet leading the commercial development of the organisation, and prior to that, led her own events management consultancy for 11 years including delivery of complex large scale events. She is a relatively recent convert to ice hockey but has always been a rugby lass and now coaches the U7s at Buckingham. Claire has a degree in mathematics and an MBA.

Tom Roberts

Chief Marketing Officer

Leading: Marketing & Communications

Over 20 years experience in customer centric business strategy and transformation, and currently leading Customer & Digital engagements for a Management Consultancy. Tom started his career with Accenture where he worked with entertainment clients such as Sony Playstation and Disney. He then moved into a Senior Leadership role with the National Lottery, before returning to consulting with KPMG where he specialises in helping brands understand and transform their customer and digital experience. Tom has followed and played hockey for 32 years, with Bracknell, Slough and now with MK Jesters rec. He has a degree in French and Law.

Jon Payne

Director

HR, Operations

Jon graduated in 1999 with a degree in Business Management and Sports Science from the University of Northampton and has been working in HR & Recruitment Consultancy for the last 15 years or so. He has been lucky enough to work in some amazing places around the world, including Australia, Qatar, Jamaica…and Slough!! He has worked in a wide range of sectors and industries over the years including telecoms, FMCG, aerospace, healthcare and financial services.

He has watched and followed hockey since the very early days of the MK Kings and has dabbled with rec hockey a few years ago – but work and life got in the way! He is always keen to travel as much as possible – and having recently crossed Reykjavik off the list, New York and Vegas are next. He also loves a pub quiz!

Matt Holden

Chief Finance Officer

Leading: Finance

Matt first got into hockey when he was at University in Hull, studying economics. He still remembers that first game, the Hull Stingrays vs the then Braehead Clan, from then on Saturday and Sunday evenings were regularly spent at Hull’s Most Versatile Venue with his housemates. When he graduated from University and moved back home to Hemel Hempstead in 2012 he became a regular attendee at The Thunderdome in what turned out to be its last season before the refurbishment. Matt works as an Economist dealing with data driven analytics on a day to day basis. He has experience in all stages of merger and acquisition activities, business planning and financial modelling and is using his experience to help working up a prudent, sustainable business model which allows for long term stability for Professional ice hockey in Milton Keynes.