Our leadership team
Gary Stevens
Managing Director
Accomplished sales and marketing professional with a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), Gary started his career at MEM Co Ltd in Birmingham in 1979. After completing a five-year technical apprenticeship, he specialised in the design and sales of motor control gear specials at MEM before joining Santon Switchgear as a sales engineer.
In 1987 Gary joined a well-known electrical accessory manufacturer as a trainee sales representative and worked his way up to Sales & Marketing Director, before becoming MD of the same company during his 26-year career.
Gary was appointed as MD and shareholder of Focus SB in 2016 and has overseen a lot of change during that short space of time, including the successful transition from plate manufacturer and finishers to a full electrical insert manufacturer, and the bold move to design and launch a range of electrical accessories into mainland China in 2017. He became an inaugural DlT Export Champion in 2019.
Over his 43-year career, Gary has never forgotten his apprenticeship roots nor lost his passion for British manufacturing and nurturing young talent into the industry, overseeing the introduction of a successful apprenticeship scheme into the company and becoming an Enterprise Adviser in 2017. Gary won a Made in Britain Award in 2022 for introducing innovative grassroots sustainable initiatives.
Gary’s media appearances include The Telegraph, BBC national and regional news, BBC local radio.
Chris Turner
General Manager
Chris’s career started as a trainee for a well known high end architectural ironmongery company involved in supplying royal residences and other ministerial buildings with bespoke and hand finished door furniture. In this role he achieved various in-house and college awards including City and Guilds accreditations for mechanical engineering.
In the early eighties Chris moved to another company that also supplied electrical accessories alongside the ironmongery, it was here he took up a supervisory role whilst gaining knowledge in the spraying department and ultimately managing that department. He went on to instigate and achieve BS5750 for this company and at the same time gained Associate Member for the Institute of Quality Assurance.
The majority of Chris’s career to date has been working for Focus SB in most of the departments which has allowed him to acquire all round knowledge of the business.
It is the people that make the business successful and with a career spanning more than 30 years at Focus SB, Chris is proud to be a member of that team.
Val Chandler
Assembly Manager
Val originally started working in our assembly department for Sussex Brassware in the eighties, she left for a short while to have her family and then re-joined Focus SB in 1997 and has over 35 years of experience in electrical manufacturing.
Over the years Val has worked her way up, gaining knowledge and the key skills Focus SB value in their managers. The great thing about Val is that she believes that everyone deserves a chance so she is always the first to offer her time to help others. She is a great advocate of employing a more inclusive and diverse workforce demonstrated by her extensive work with local charity Little Gate Farm, planning work experience for schools and colleges and employing apprentices.
Val is a force to be reckoned with and she is always looking to make improvements within the business. Respected by her staff Val always endeavours to make Focus SB a fun and productive place to work. Media appearances include BBC national and regional TV and radio news broadcasts
Steve Moss
Sales & Marketing Manager
Highly experienced in sales since 2002, joining Focus SB as a product consultant in October 2010.
July 2016 saw Steve promoted to senior management in the newly created role of Sales and Marketing Manager. Steve oversees both internal and external sales functions (including export) and also company marketing.
Creative vision combined with electrical wiring accessories expertise, Steve manages Focus SB’s growing product consultancy and marketing teams, whilst overseeing luxury hospitality, residential and heritage UK projects.
Duncan Ray
Head of Strategic Partnerships
Joined Focus SB in 1999. Duncan has held positions in purchasing, internal auditing, health and safety, and quality management. Progression into senior management in 2016 as Supply Chain & New Product Introduction Manager. Duncan holds full membership of The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), via successful completion of a professional diploma with Harley Reed Ltd, London. Overseeing new product development and launch, accreditation processes, international marketing and networking, 2017 saw Duncan secure Focus SB’s successful entry into major design centres and construction supply chains in China. In April 2024 Duncan joined the Department for Business and Trade Export Champions’ programme. Duncan's media appearances include CGTN America, China Media Group international news.
Mark Curtis
Technical Manager
With 38 years experience in the industry Mark joined Focus SB in 2017. On leaving school he served an apprenticeship with MK Electric as an instrument maker where he gained HNC qualifications in Engineering and Business Information Technology. Member of the Institute of Engineering Technology (IET). Holding various roles with a number of companies in the industry, including Tooling Design, Tooling Engineering, Project Engineer, Product Design and Principal Engineer. Represents Focus SB on BEAMA’s accessories technical committee (ATC) and is responsible for the design of new products and technical compliance.
Jo Cloute
HR & Customer Aftercare Manager
Jo has had a career in the electrical industry for over 35 years, first working for NKM Electrical/Bennett and Fountain as an admin assistant and in 1988 she joined Sussex Brassware as a customer service adviser in our sales department. Jo worked for seven years in this department until she left to have her son Stephen (now our Quality/H&S Supervisor) and decided to become a full time mum, but in 1997 she was asked to return to a part time role in our customer aftercare department and has been with us ever since.
Over the past 25 years Jo has had another son, worked in many jobs and departments, seen many changes within the company and has worked on her professional qualifications to achieve the role of Human Resources Manager in 2017. Since then Jo has strived to make Focus SB a great place to work, by implementing more emphasis on social issues, diversity, reward, mental health and disability awareness. Jo qualified as a Mental Health First Aider in March 2019.
Jo is passionate about helping others and is a Careers East Sussex Industry Champion. She is the Enterprise Adviser for her local school The St Leonards Academy and enjoys working with schools and colleges to raise awareness of the manufacturing industry. Jo was interviewed about manufacturing recruitment by Danny Pike, BBC Radio Sussex in January 2024.
Andrew Lanworn
Finance Manager & Company Secretary
Having previously worked in a manufacturing company for five years Andrew joined Focus SB in 2005 as a cost accountant and within one year he was promoted to the Accounts Manager role.
In 2011 he became a Chartered Management Accountant and was promoted to Senior Management team in 2016.
Andrew likes to be involved in other aspects and projects within the business.
He studied at Sussex University and was awarded an MBA in Business Admin in 2015.
Rob Little
Operations Support Manager
Rob has over 35 years’ experience in operations and planning and senior project management in both SMEs and large multinational organisations, including Gillette and Newell Rubbermaid as well as agile SMEs like Focus SB.
With extensive, hands-on knowledge, as a supply chain specialist and department head Rob is able to listen, develop, lead and implement change in demanding, fast moving environments. Cultivating trust and create innovative, profit making solutions.
