AACE was founded by Rick Hussey in 1997 to provide system safety engineering, specialist airworthiness, logistics and operational assurance support to its customers. Building on these capabilities, AACE has achieved continual and steady growth to become one of the major support contractors to an ever-increasing client base of MOD Delivery Teams and Industry companies, across different sectors and domains.
Today, AACE is still owned and run by the Hussey family. We continue to promote the values on which AACE was founded, delivering excellence to our customers whilst fostering a strong team ethos amongst our employees and associates. AACE places great value on every individual within its team, utilising their different and unique expertise to deliver the high quality, bespoke services that we are proud to deliver to our customers.
How can AACE assist you?
- We are fully independent, enabling forthright, objective and pragmatic advice, assessments and recommendations
- We foster close and effective customer relationships by assembling agile and flexible technical teams, embedded within the customer’s environment or delivering autonomously to best meet the requirement
- Our capabilities provide and deliver scalable and effective bespoke support packages to our customers
- Our personnel reflect a broad range of experience across Defence and Industry, often having held senior appointments in previous roles or having specialist expertise in their field
- We are able to provide resource support during peaks in demand, either through critical workplace augmentation or contracted, output-driven support
- Our services are focused on the delivery of timely and practical support throughout the programme life cycle
- Our staff are highly motivated and co-operative, operating with the utmost integrity, with an established reputation for going the extra mile
- With a strong heritage in the aviation sector, AACE has a wealth of experience supporting customers operating in highly regulated and safety critical environments
- Through our sister company, Allyance, we have access to a large network of associates and contractors covering a wide range of different skill sets to ensure delivery of customer requirements
Meet some of the AACE Team below
Lynette Hussey
Learn moreManaging Director
Lynette Hussey
Lynette studied Psychology and Politics at the University of Bath before moving on to postgraduate study of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at the University of Oxford, culminating in qualification as a Counsellor. During her studies, Lynette developed a particular interest in Business Psychology, combining an understanding of the science of human behaviour with experience of the workplace in order to attain effective and sustainable performance for both individuals and organisations. The application of this training has been most beneficial to her work with AACE and has led to an ongoing appreciation of institutional dynamics and the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Lynette has experience of working in all areas of the business since joining AACE in 2012, leading to a depth of knowledge and understanding of how the company operates. She has held a position on the Senior Leadership Team since its inception in 2014 and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2016, where she has played a crucial role in determining the strategic direction of the company. As the daughter of AACE founder and owner Rick Hussey, she is highly motivated to promote the heritage of the company and to ensure it continues to represent the Hussey family and their values of delivering excellence to their customers whilst fostering a strong team ethos amongst their employees and associates.
Darren Minty
Learn moreTechnical Director
Darren Minty
Darren is a former Royal Navy Marine Engineer Officer with a a 14 year career focused on seagoing operational engineering. He has served in a range of platforms including three aircraft carriers and two Type 45 destroyers. He also has a breadth of DE&S experience including working in both in-service project teams and, more recently, the Ships Acquisition and Strategic Class Authority for the Transition into Service phase of a ship’s lifecycle.
Darren joined AACE in 2022 as Head of Maritime Services to continue a 6 year career in maritime safety engineering where he has grown, led and managed teams of engineering professionals. His seagoing engineering background and safety management qualification and experience in programmes such as Type 45, the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO), the Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers and Dreadnought means he is an established maritime safety professional with experience of leading teams in a variety of environments.
Darren is a Chartered Engineer with the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) and is the Technical Director for AACE. He is accountable to the Managing Director for the management and leadership of the technical team and supporting her core values of excellence to customers and the maintenance of a strong team ethos.
Ron Ousby
Learn moreNon-Executive Director
Ron Ousby
Ron Ousby joined AACE in September 2015 after a 32-year Royal Air Force career as an Aerosystems engineering officer working in UK and overseas. As well as numerous front-line roles, he has provided Capability Management in Army HQ; been Directing Staff at the UK Defence Academy and undertaken four tours in safety, airworthiness and regulator roles at MOD Abbey Wood.
On joining AACE, Ron was the Principal Safety Consultant seeking to further develop the complex system safety offering from AACE. As well as delivery roles, he has supported the development of the AACE Group business model and continued to provide assurance of safety, airworthiness and compliance deliverables. In 2017, Ron became the Operations Director for the AACE Group and in June 2020, he moved into a newly established role of Safety Director to focus on growing the AACE Group Safety and Environmental Services capability.
He remains a member of the Senior Leadership Team, assuring all safety related outputs and is the Company Board Level Contact for Security. He is a chartered engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and Member of the Chartered Management Institute.
Ian Taylor
Learn moreOperations Manager
Ian Taylor
Ian Taylor joined AACE in 2007 following a 25 year career in the Royal Air Force specialising in aircraft airworthiness, integrity management and logistic support. He has substantial experience of large, training, maritime and rotary-wing aircraft, including multinational programmes, working closely with industry to enhance systems performance.
Ian has used this extensively throughout the design and in-service phases to write policy for the management of maintenance and develop operational support arrangements for many different air platforms. Ian has been a Chartered Engineer since 1996 and is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Matt Laverton
Learn moreOperations Manager Contracts
Matt Laverton
Matt Laverton joined AACE in 2009 following a 31 year career in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer branch of Army Aviation, specialising in aircraft engineering, technical support services and project management. He has substantial in-service and project team experience of rotary-wing platforms and ground mission support systems. He has supported the MOD Chinook Delivery Team across various programmes and worked closely with their industry partner to adhere to approved support solutions.
Whilst retaining his engineering and support background he now fulfils the role of AACE Operations Manager Contracts, utilising his wealth of technical and project management experience in support of business growth and development.
Fiona Edlington
Learn moreHR Director
Fiona Edlington
Fiona joined AACE in 2009 following a career in HR, having worked in both the public and private sectors. She has held roles within the NHS, Public Health England and The Priory Group, which has given her a wide range of experience within HR and personnel management.
Her emphasis on employee engagement, the promotion of a positive work life balance and wellbeing culture, are perfectly aligned with the family values that form the core of AACE.
Fiona is Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and in her spare time is a Trustee and Volunteer at Malvern Hills Foodbank as well as a volunteer in her local hospice shop.
Get in touch. Contact one of our subject matter experts now
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Call 0117 370 7755
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Email enquiries@aace.co.uk