Our People
Arville is built on the expertise, dedication and innovation of our people. With over two hundred staff across our four sites, many of whom have grown with us, bringing decades of experience, knowledge, craftmanship and technical excellence that drive our world class technical textiles.
Chairman
Andrew Stewart
Andrew has been on the Board of Arville since 2016 and Chairman since 2018. He has been a management consultant for over 30 years advising global companies on Strategy and Transformation. He blends deep international experience with fresh innovation to help his clients deliver market-leading results. Alongside Arville, he is also a Senior Partner at Kearney, a global strategy consultancy, as one of their global leaders. Andrew lives in Cambridgeshire and loves to relax by hiking with family and friends.
Non-Executive Director
Stewart McGuffie
Stewart has been on the Board of Arville since 2024. He has spent all his career in the textile industry based in both the UK and Asia Pacific. Since 2007, he has been Chief Executive of Allied Textiles, which now focusses on yarn production for the automotive industry, and also acts as Chairman of UK Fashion and Textiles, which is the main representative body of the industry in the UK. Stewart lives in Cumbria , enjoys walking and watersports and spends some of his spare time supporting his old school as a Governor and acting as a trustee of a Scottish charity, Give Blood 4 Good.
Non-Executive Director
Jim Wight
Jim studied Engineering at Durham University before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in London with Price Waterhouse, where he spent five years. He then pursued a 20-year career in investment banking, holding senior roles in equity capital markets with HSBC, ABN AMRO, Citigroup and finally Goldman Sachs, covering the UK and Northern Europe.
In 2008, Jim retired from investment banking at the age of 45 and joined Arville as Managing Director. Over the following 13 years, he led the business through a period of growth and transformation, building a strong team and reinforcing Arville’s reputation as a trusted specialist in technical textiles manufacturing. In 2025, Jim transitioned from his executive role to become a Non-Executive Director, continuing to contribute his experience and strategic insight to the group. Outside of work, Jim is married with three grown-up children. His interests include long-distance walking, woodworking, fitness, and systems architecture and design.
Group Chief Executive Officer & Board Advisor
Steve Gill
A seasoned commercial professional with over 30 years experience and a track record as CEO, Steve is now Chief Executive Officer of Arville. He is responsible for leading and overseeing the company’s strategy across revenue growth, market expansion and strategic partnerships. Since joining Arville in 2024, he has played a pivotal role in aligning our sales, business development and customer experience functions, planning our long-term commercial strategy and partnership plans with both customers and suppliers. He has held senior executive leadership roles at Red Bull Advanced Technologies, Reaction Engines and Tetronics PLC, and brings a wealth of commercial leadership and experience to Arville. Outside of work, Steve likes to keep fit, having taught Kung-Fu for over 20 years and is a keen equestrian, albeit without the riding skills!
Chief Technical Officer
Nigel Hull
Nigel started at Arville as an 18 year old apprentice, gaining hands-on experience in weaving, warping, and finishing before progressing into machinery engineering and product design. Today, as our CTO – and one of the most experienced and knowledgeable technical textiles experts in the UK – he oversees all of Arville’s product and technical capability across production, quality and laboratory operations, driving continuous improvement and innovation. His hands-on expertise and deep technical knowledge sets the standard for everything that we do. When he’s not working, Nigel’s a closet car mechanic and enjoys long walks with his greyhound.
Group Chief Operating Officer
Neil Allan
Neil has evolved his Supply Chain career over the last 30 years, having started his working life as an Engineer. He learnt his trade sourcing and fulfilling orders on a global basis across multiple industries from automotive to construction and pharmaceutical, in both distribution and manufacturing operations, before joining Arville in 2024. He brings a wealth of experience to Arville and has been instrumental in driving efficiencies across the business and developing our customer centric approach. Whilst at home, his focus is his 4 dogs, all different breeds including a rescue, and to escape he enjoys the call of the wild by cycle touring.
Group Chief Marketing Officer
Andy Wheatley
Andy is an experienced marketing professional with more than 25 years expertise across multiple industries, having worked with businesses all over the world on their brand, communications and growth strategies. Andy joined Arville in 2024 as Chief Marketing Officer to help align our brand with our sales strategy and maximise the effectiveness of our communications. Prior to Arville, Andy was a Managing Director of one of the world’s largest brand consultancies and a partner at a management consulting firm that specialised in business-to-business and industrial brand strategies. When not working, Andy spends his time coaching his local youth rugby team and pretending he’s still good enough to play himself.
General Manager - Coating & Fabrication
Sue Davies
With decades of finely honed expertise in coating technologies for industrial textiles, Sue is a true specialist in her field. As General Manager of Arville Coating, she leads with precision and innovation, ensuring our coating capabilities not only run efficiently but also meet the highest technical standards. Her commitment to excellence drives consistency and performance across our diverse range of products and industry sectors. Beyond the world of textiles, Sue applies the same dedication and hands-on approach to life on the farm which she manages with her husband.
Head of Textile Production
Simon Hartley
Simon started out as an apprentice weaver and technician and now has more than 30 years experience in a career that has taken him from America to Iceland and the Middle East. Simon is key to our organisational and systematic processes, ensuring the right people are in the right roles while maintaining a clean and professional production environment and has spearheaded the implementation of our Weavemaster, Qualimaster and loom camera inspection systems. A dedicated coach for under-6s football for over 20 years, he brings the same mentorship and strategic mindset to his role at Arville.
Group Head of Health & Safety
Mark Craven
Mark started his career on the shop floor as a weaver before moving to health and safety. With over 21 years at Arville and a NEBOSH qualification in General Health & Safety, he now oversees compliance across the Arville Group and is our a go-to resource for safety concerns, reinforcing a culture of responsibility and well-being. Mark ensures risk assessments are thorough, regulatory standards are met, and that all employees receive proper training. Mark is an avid cyclist with Wetherby Velo and has raised funds for charities such as Resurrected Bikes that support community initiatives.
Group Head of Quality
Mike Janney