Ernie initial trained as a Mechanical Engineer and then, following an MBA, spent eight years in marketing with Shell. In 1996, he and his wife (a GP) bought their first care home and, since then, they have developed the Graham Care Group which now owns and operates purpose-built homes for over 600 residents in Surrey and Kent. They are currently developing a number of new homes and retirement living schemes while also undertaking a major digital transformation programme throughout the organisation. This transformation programme aims to create highly personalised services for residents with new levels of transparency and to introduce “real time compliance management” to ensure on-going consistency in the quality of the services provided.