Access Group adopts co-CEO model to drive AI growth

The Access Group has moved to a co-CEO leadership model, naming Jon Jorgensen alongside Chris Bayne as it reshapes senior management around product, technology and commercial execution.

The UK-headquartered business software supplier said the new structure keeps Bayne in charge of product and technology while Jorgensen leads strategy and commercial operations. The company reported annual revenue of GBP £1.2 billion and said it serves more than 160,000 customers worldwide.

Access said Bayne will retain financial stewardship of the group. It said Jorgensen will continue to lead go-to-market activity and work with divisional leaders across its software businesses.

Leadership split

Access presented the change as a response to the management demands created by artificial intelligence and a growing product portfolio. The company described the move as a way of adding leadership capacity while keeping day-to-day operations stable.

Access operates across several sectors, including care, education and hospitality. It sells software products to small and mid-sized organisations, along with larger brands. The company said many of its customers have limited in-house IT resources.

Bayne linked the new structure to the scale and breadth of Access's customer base.

"It's not a typical corporate structure. It's Access doing things differently because serving 160,000 customers across many different sectors (from care providers to schools to hospitality) demands leadership with the bandwidth to care deeply about each of them. That's both the products and experiences delivered," said Chris Bayne, Co-CEO, Access.

Product direction

Access said Bayne will focus on operational execution and the evolution of its software platform. The company also said Bayne will keep direct oversight of product and technology.

Bayne also set out Access's view of how business software should change over time, drawing a comparison with consumer devices.

"Think about your smartphone, it just gets better, automatically, without you having to think about it. That's what business software should feel like," commented Chris Bayne. "When technology works seamlessly, people are free to focus on what they're good at - building relationships, serving customers, creating moments that matter. That's what Access Evo delivers," said Bayne.

Access referenced a recent increase in internal development pace. It said it produced more output in 2025 than in previous years, without giving figures for investment or release volumes.

"We've been the fastest-growing UK-headquartered software company for over a decade," added Bayne. "Yet in 2025, we accelerated to produce more functionality and capability than in any previous year. This structure allows us to do it again. It's great news for Access and transformational for our customers," said Bayne.

Commercial focus

Access said Jorgensen will concentrate on customers and commercial execution. The company positioned his remit around product adoption, service delivery and organisational culture across its divisions.

Jorgensen described the customer profile that Access targets and the expectations it sees among small and mid-market organisations.

"We serve the heart of the UK economy from small and mid-market businesses to household brands - many of whom don't have armies of IT staff," said Jon Jorgensen, Co-CEO, Access. "They need software that just works, partners who actually care and technology that evolves as fast as the world does. Our job is to unburden them. To give them back time for what matters: serving customers, growing teams and making an impact," said Jorgensen.

He also framed the co-CEO structure as an extension of an existing working relationship between the two leaders.

"Chris and I have worked together for over 20 years, and that's why this leadership evolution matters: it gives us even more capacity to obsess over our customers' success. We each bring different perspectives, and that's a real strength, we make major strategic decisions together," said Jorgensen.

Executive changes

Access also announced several senior appointments alongside the co-CEO shift. Emma de Sousa has taken the role of Chief Revenue Officer. Access said she joined the company in 2023 and has served as Managing Director of Access Recruitment and Access Legal. The company said she previously spent 16 years at an IT distribution business.

Access promoted Jon Coello to Chief Product Officer. It said he has played a central role in its product strategy and platform work.

James Bolt has assumed the title of Chief Technology Officer. Access said Bolt will continue to lead engineering work while the company looks for a permanent CTO.

Investor view

Access counts Hg Capital and TA Associates among its investors. Both firms publicly backed the leadership changes and pointed to growth ambitions tied to AI and product development.

"This leadership evolution is exactly the kind of strategic thinking that has driven Access's success over five investment rounds. Chris's focus on product and platform excellence, combined with Jon's commercial leadership, positions Access perfectly for its next chapter of growth. We have complete confidence in this partnership," said Jonathan Boyes, Partner, Hg Capital.

"The progression to a Co-CEO model reflects the ambition and scale of the opportunity ahead. Chris and Jon have built an exceptional partnership, and this structure ensures Access has the leadership depth to continue growing as a market-leading AI-powered software company. We are delighted to continue supporting their vision," said Morgan Seigler, Managing Director, TA Associates.