ECL Board

Peter joined ECL as managing director in April 2023, a part-time role alongside his position as Director of Strategy Policy and Integration (Adult Social Care) with Essex County Council (ECC).​

Since 2017, Peter has led the Council’s work with NHS partners and integrated care systems, as well as managing the strategic planning for adult social care and leading its data, digital and technology agenda. He directed the nationally award-winning programmes for care technology transformation in adult social care in Essex, and the Connect transformation programme for improving outcomes for older people by improving hospital discharge outcomes and improving the effectiveness of intermediate care services. He has also overseen the £173m per year Better Care Fund plan with NHS partners to support improved outcomes for Essex residents via access to post-hospital discharge services and access to homecare services.​

Peter is the Essex County Council local authority partner member of the Mid and South Essex NHS integrated care board (ICB). He has also served as a member of the Suffolk and North East Essex integrated care partnership.​In previous roles at ECC, Peter has been Head of Corporate Policy and Strategy, leading Essex County Council’s corporate strategy work and policy work on the Care Act and health and social care integration, child poverty strategy and the Essex voluntary and community sector framework.

Peter has also previously been Head of the Leader’s and Cabinet Office, providing strategic advice and support to the then Leader of Essex County Council and their Cabinet. ​

Prior to joining ECC in 2008, Peter worked in a variety of public affairs consultancy roles advising both private and public organisations on their business strategies and has also worked in the House of Commons as a parliamentary researcher. He has excellent knowledge of both local and national political processes.​

Peter has a First Class degree in History from Cambridge University and in his spare time enjoys cooking, reading widely, doing artwork, and playing guitar. He is also a big fan of football.

Joe Coogan joined ECL as Director of Operations in August 2016. Joe has 20 years’ experience working in social care in a variety of roles as a provider, commissioner and leading social work teams. Joe has held senior leadership roles in the public, private and voluntary sector and is committed to providing excellent outcomes for people with social care needs.

Joe joined ECL from PwC where he was the lead consultant for social care, supporting transformation, integration and efficiency projects for councils and the NHS. Prior to that he was the Director of Operations for a charity called Kisharon that operated supported living services, wellbeing hubs, social enterprises, special needs schools/colleges, supported employment and integrated early years provision and was able to improve financial stability, whilst ensuring all services were rated outstanding or good by both the CQC and Ofsted.

Joe fulfilled the role as Assistant Director Transformation (Commissioning) at the London Borough of Havering for five years from 2008-2013 driving significant performance improvements and achieving savings through investments in prevention. For two years prior to joining Havering, Joe held the Head of Adults role at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham leading all social work teams and commissioning budgets.

In his spare time Joe is a keen sports person, playing football in the Essex veterans league, tennis and golf. His family supports guide dogs for the blind and act as puppy walkers, taking the young dogs in for a year to give them basic training and socialisation before they go to the main training centre at Woodford Green. Joe says ‘It’s always hard waving the dogs off when they leave but it is so rewarding when they qualify as fully trained guide dogs and help visually impaired people maintain their independence’.

Michael joined ECL as Chairman of the Board in September 2019. He is a Fellow of Chartered Certified Accountants and has an extensive career with KPMG and more recently with Deloitte. At KPMG Michael held a number of senior positions including Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Executive Committee. Following this he held the position of Managing Director of Anchor Trust; the UK’s largest not-for-profit care provider and is currently a Non-Executive Director of Housing 21; a leading, not-for-profit provider of Retirement Housing. Michael is also a Trustee of Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.

Steve joined ECL in April 2021. He has 30 years’ senior human resources management experience in market leading organisations, including Duracell Inc, EMI Music plc, Esselte AB, and Laird Group plc. Between 2002 and 2016 Steve held Group Human Resources Director posts in large multi-site health & social care provider companies, including Care UK plc and The Lifeways Group.

Steve now operates his own HR interim, project, and consultancy services company. He is also a director of an international R&D infrastructure company, a trustee of a regional charity supporting disadvantaged children and families, and a trustee of a multi-academy trust of schools for children with social, emotional, and mental health needs.

Steve has an Honours degree in Business Studies, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development.