Paula Anne Vennells, better known as Paula Vennells, was the Chief Executive Officer of Post Office Limited, the public corporation that operates the UK’s national post office network, from 2012 to 2019.
During her tenure as Postmaster General, the Post Office faced many problems related to the prosecution of innocent sub-postmasters.
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- Full name: Paula Anne Vennells
- Stage Name: Paula Vennells
- Date of birth: February 21, 1959
- Age: 65 years old
- Place of birth: England
- Nationality: British
- Occupation: Businesswoman
- Height: Unknown
- Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Vennells
- Siblings: Unknown
- Spouse: John Heath
- Children: Luke and Edward
- Relationship: Married
- Net worth: £5 million
Early life and education
Paula Vennells was born on 21 February 1959 in England. She was raised by her parents, Mr and Mrs Vennells, but details of any siblings she may have are not known to the media. Vennells attended Manchester High School for Girls and then went on to study at the University of Bradford. She is white and Christian.
Career
Paula Vennells had a successful business career, working for companies such as Unilever, L’Oréal and Dixons Retail before becoming CEO of the Post Office in 2012. Under her leadership, the Post Office went from making a £120m loss in 2012/13 to reporting a £35m profit in 2017/18.
However, Vennells’ tenure as CEO also coincided with the Post Office scandal, which saw more than 900 postmasters wrongly convicted of theft, false accounting and fraud due to flaws in the Horizon accounting software used by the Post Office. This caused significant hardship, including job losses, bankruptcies, broken families, criminal convictions, prison sentences and at least four suicides.
The total liability from the scandal is estimated to be more than £1.4bn, including £160m in compensation and £298m in legal fees already paid, as well as £1bn in future compensation.
Vennells herself earned more than £5.1m during her time as CEO, peaking at £718,300 in 2018. She went on to take on other roles, including as a non-executive director at Morrisons and the Cabinet Office, as well as chairing Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Her involvement in the Post Office scandal has been controversial, with calls for her to be held accountable for actions that led to the wrongful conviction of deputy postmasters. Vennells resigned from her clerical duties in the Church of England in 2021 but remains an ordained priest.
Social media
Paula Vennells is not present on any social media.
Personal life
Paula Vennells has been happily married to her beloved husband, John Heath, since 1994. The couple has been blessed with two sons, Luke And Edward. After decades of marriage, Paula and John are still a loving couple. They have built a strong, lasting relationship throughout their marriage.
Net worth
Paula Vennells’ estimated net worth of £5 million is a testament to her successful business ventures and career achievements. As a seasoned executive, Vennells has proven expertise in driving growth and achieving financial success.
