AAB appoints Jon Grainger as Chief Operating Officer

Professional services firm, AAB, has announced the appointment of Jon Grainger as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Jonathon will lead AAB’s technology, operations and integration teams, driving the next phase of operational excellence and enabling the firm to embed end‑to‑end automation capability throughout its business operations.

Jon joins AAB at a time of accelerated innovation across the professional services sector. As technology becomes increasingly central to operational effectiveness, it is now more common for Chief Operating Officers to emerge from technology and transformation backgrounds, reflecting the deepening link between digital capability and operational scale. Jon’s proven leadership in advanced automation and data‑driven transformation positions him strongly to support AAB’s next stage of growth.

An early adopter of advanced business automation, Jon brings extensive experience in professional services, delivering measurable efficiency gains across complex organisations. His leadership will strengthen AAB’s ability to enhance service delivery through intelligent automation while ensuring ethical and regulatory guardrails remain firmly embedded. Central to his approach is a commitment to keeping AAB’s people at the heart of every process, empowering teams with technology rather than replacing the human expertise that defines the firm’s service.

Jon’s appointment also comes as professional services firms navigate increasing industry‑wide challenges, including heightened cybersecurity risk, rapidly evolving regulatory expectations, and the need for responsible, well‑governed deployment of AI and automation technologies. His experience in shaping resilient, secure, and compliant operational models will help ensure AAB continues to meet these expectations while driving innovation.

This appointment follows AAB’s 2025 investment from Goldman Sachs Alternatives, which has accelerated the group’s growth, expanded capacity, and strengthened its commitment to technology‑led operational transformation.

Emma Lancaster, Chief Executive at AAB, welcomed the appointment:

“As our business continues to grow, strengthening our operational capability is essential to delivering the highest levels of service for our clients. Jon’s leadership supports our Strategy to 2030, particularly our ambition to unlock operational efficiencies that free up more time for our teams to focus on deepening relationships with clients. His approach to responsible automation aligns perfectly with the AAB culture – technology should support our people.”

As part of this transition, Derek Mitchell, who has served as Chief Operating Officer, will move into a newly created strategic role where he will lead key integration initiatives and critical projects across the group. Derek’s deep knowledge of AAB and his operational experience will be instrumental in delivering the firm’s long-term integration roadmap and ensuring the success of major programmes planned for the coming years.

Speaking about his appointment, Jon Grainger added:

“I’m delighted to be joining AAB at such an exciting stage in its growth. There is enormous potential in harnessing automation to create smarter, more agile operations – provided we do so responsibly and with people firmly at the centre. I look forward to working with our teams to build scalable, secure and efficient processes that enhance both our client service and the working experience of our colleagues.”

Jon’s appointment underscores AAB’s continued investment in technology, integration and future‑focused operational capability as the business delivers on its ambitious long-term strategy.

AAB’s rapid growth journey across the UK and Ireland is set to continue with backing from Goldman Sachs Alternatives