Mrs Buckét appoints new chair
Commercial cleaning company Mrs Buckét has appointed Lois Heywood as its new Chair.
Heywood brings two decades of experience in the facilities management sector. After joining OCS Facilities Management in 2007, she worked her way through the organisation to become Divisional Managing Director of its Asset Solutions Division.
Then in 2018, she led a management buyout of this division and secured investment from private equity firm LDC, establishing Retail Asset Solutions (RAS) as an independent business.
Under Heywoods’ leadership, RAS more than doubled its turnover and became one of LDC’s most successful portfolio businesses during the partnership. She was also the only female CEO within the portfolio at the time.
Currently, Heywood is CEO of RAS, where she works part time, and is statutory director of SCI, the company she sold in October 2024 to the Certania Group, where her role is advisory and focuses on client liaison.
Heywood joins Mrs Buckét as Chair as the business looks to expand into new areas and strengthen its position as a leading provider of commercial cleaning services.
Rachael Flanagan, founder and CEO of Mrs Buckét, said: “Welcoming someone of Lois’ calibre and experience is a hugely exciting moment for the business. She brings an exceptional track record of growing and developing businesses, alongside a deep understanding of the facilities management sector.
“We have really ambitious plans for the future, and her experience, strategic insight and commercial expertise will be invaluable as we enter this next chapter. We’re absolutely delighted to have her on board.”
Heywood said on her appointment: “I am incredibly excited to be joining Rachael, Kate, Jon and the Mrs Buckét Senior Team as they enter their next phase of growth. I have been really impressed by their passion, enthusiasm and laser focus on delivering excellent customer service.
“The team exude energy and have enormous pride in their business. They have a very clear vision to not only be the leading cleaning business in South Wales but also to expand beyond their traditional boarders and I have absolute confidence that this team will achieve this and their goals. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining them on this journey.”
Mrs Buckét was founded by Rachael Flanagan 21 years ago and is now a leading commercial cleaning business. In 2025, the company secured significant growth, achieving a 30 per cent increase in business performance and securing 30 new clients across multiple sectors. Earlier this year, it became the second company in Wales to be awarded the prestigious Insight6 CX Excellence Mark, recognising its outstanding commitment to customer experience.