Chris Cullingworth has left the business after deciding to pursue another opportunity, leaving Winn Group after 21 years with the company.

An Associate Director, he was heavily involved in leading departments during a period of dynamic and rapid growth.

Helping put the organisation in the position it is in today, Chris leaves with our very best wishes for the future.

Chris said: “I would like to firstly put on record my sincere thanks to the group directors for all of their support over the years. 

“I would also like to thank the fantastic people that have made the last 21 years an absolute pleasure. I have worked in many teams with many people, so it is hard to name you all. 

“I have made some genuine friendships, and you will all be missed - you know who you are! 

“Thank you to everyone for your kind messages and calls, and good luck to everyone at the Winn Group for the future.”

Plenty of people wanted to pass on their good wishes to Chris as he moves on to the next chapter of his career.

Chris Birkett, Winn Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “Thanks to Chris for providing over 20 years of dedicated service, helping Winn Group to grow and evolve into what it is today. His industry knowledge was always second to none, and he has guided multiple departments as we went through significant growth.

“I’d like to wish him nothing but the best in his next venture. No doubt we’ll be catching up again soon!”

Clint Milnes, Winn Group Chief Operations Officer, said: “I had the pleasure of working with Chris for 10 years, just a fraction of his 21 years with the company.

“Chris had fantastic knowledge of credit hire and the industry as a whole. For many, Chris was the ‘go-to’ person for credit hire queries, always loving the challenge of helping in a unique position.

“Above that, Chris is a great individual whose company everyone enjoyed catching up with during the working week and many times after a work night out!

“Chris’s knowledge will remain sprinkled across the organisation for many years to come, and his presence will be an undoubted miss around the place.
“Thanks to Chris for his unwavering dedication to Winn Group over 21 years. I wish you the best of luck in the next chapter of your career, and I am sure our paths will cross.”

Rebecca Colby, Associate Director and Head of Vehicle Damage, said: “Chris Cullingworth has made a significant contribution to the development and growth of the business over the nearly 21 years he has worked here.

“His commitment, expertise, and hard work have made a real and lasting impact on Winns. It has been a pleasure working with him, and I personally have learned a great deal about the inner workings of credit hire and the commercial structure of the business from working with him every day for nearly eight years as we managed and grew the credit hire team.  

“Chris will be missed not only for his knowledge but for the levity and fun he brought to every meeting and discussion. I wish him every success and happiness for the next chapter.”

Jo Amos, Associate Director and Head of Compliance, said: “Chris has been the most supportive and helpful colleague I could hope for. 

“He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things related to the sector which I, and the whole business, have benefitted from on many occasions. I will miss him greatly and wish him every success.”

Adam Thorpe, Associate Director and Head of Litigation, said: “Thank you to Chris for all the support and laughs he has given us over the years. He’s been a legendary figure at Winns who will be greatly missed, and I wish him all the best for the future.”

David Dewar, Associate Director and Head of Contested Litigation, said: “Chris was a great colleague who made me feel incredibly welcome from the moment I joined Winn Group. He went out of his way to help me settle in and understand the intricacies of vehicle damage litigation.

“Chris always approached everything with a light-hearted attitude and a sense of humour that made him a pleasure to work with.

“I will remember him: good company, good humour, and someone who genuinely cared about the people around him.

“I wish him every success for the future.”

Ron Evans-Brookes, Network and Partnership Manager, said: “Chris has been a very approachable manager and then associate director, from his early years. When I first started at the group, he has been nothing but professional, supportive and always capable of working with me on issues that have cropped up over time, for the better of the business and suppliers alike - all the best Chris, I will miss you being around.”

Frances Briggs, Existing Claims Team Manager, said: “Cully wasn't just a manager; he was a mentor and a friend.

“From my first days in Vehicle Damage through to becoming his Deputy in Pre-Litigation, he invested time in helping me grow and develop, and I will be forever grateful.

“I learnt an incredible amount from him, and much of what I know today is because of his guidance. His ability to know every trend, argument and statistic off the top of his head was legendary.

“He cared about his colleagues and would never say no to helping anyone. The office won't be the same without him, and he'll be missed every single day.”

Helen Baldwin, Winn Group Treasury Manager, said: “When I started at Winns in 2012, his knowledge of all areas of the company was immense; his professionalism as a manager was something I thought was to be admired. 

“When he walked into the main room, he regularly recounted one of his funny anecdotes, which brought a smile to us all. 

“I really enjoyed working for Chris; I thought of him as a friend, not just a colleague.  So very sorry he has gone, but I genuinely hope he has found a new role to keep him stimulated and most importantly happy.”

Kieran Embleton, Key Partners Operation Manager, said: “Chris, thank you for everything over the years. I've had the privilege of working closely with you for most of my 16 years here.

“You have always been generous with your time, support, and knowledge, and I've learned a great deal from you throughout my career. Wishing you all the very best for the future.”

Natalie Hall, Solicitor/Senior Supervisor in VD Post Lit, said: “Chris has been a fantastic support throughout my time at Winns and has had a hugely positive impact on my development here.

“We’ve shared countless laughs along the way, and I will genuinely miss working with him! I wish him all the very best in his new role and whoever gets to work with him next is gaining a fantastic asset!”

Courtney Simm, Assistant Manager Existing Claims, said: “Cully played such a huge part in my progression at Winns - he believed in me even when I didn't always believe in myself, and I'll never be able to thank him enough for that.

“I genuinely wouldn't be where I am today without him. He built a brilliant working environment and gave me memories I'll always look back on fondly. Wishing him all the best in his next role - and I hope they know how lucky they are to hear all his (many) crazy stories for the first time!”

Sean Wilson, Protocol Assistant Manager, said: “I worked with Chris for most of my time at Winns, apart from a few months, and as a manager, he's one of the best people I've ever worked with.

“He was always motivated and clear in his direction about what we needed to do to achieve our goals. I always appreciated his attention to detail and his willingness to listen to ideas, even if he sometimes decided to do things his own way anyway!

“I learned a lot from Chris. With his many years of experience in the industry, he brought a huge amount of knowledge and insight, and you always felt like you took something away from every conversation with him. He was also someone I could always rely on to help find a solution to any problem.

“On a personal level, he's always been someone I could talk to, mainly about football. He never missed an opportunity to remind me about Sunderland's derby wins and Newcastle's lack of them, and he always had a funny story to tell, although some are probably best left unrepeated.

“Thanks, Chris, for everything you've done and for all the support you've given me throughout my career. You'll be missed massively, and I wish you all the very best in whatever comes next.”

Best of luck for the future, Chris!