Our Trainers

Alan Barker

Alan Barker is an associate of the Civil Service College and an accomplished training consultant, coach, and author with over 25 years of experience. As a preferred supplier of training and coaching for the Greater London Authority (GLA), Alan specialises in creativity and writing skills, providing comprehensive training in various aspects of professional writing.

His extensive expertise covers business English, plain English, concise writing, report writing, strategic report writing, advanced report writing, technical report writing, writing for policy, copywriting, speechwriting, proofreading and editing skills, and minutes and agendas.

At CSC, Alan has conducted workshops for esteemed organisations such as GLA, Greater Manchester, and the Ministry of Justice. He has also delivered a public course on Concise Writing. Apart from his association with CSC, Alan is an Affiliate Professional of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, where he conducts a copywriting masterclass and a course on creativity for copywriters. As an associate of the European Speechwriter Network, Alan leads seminars on speechwriting.

Alan's impressive roster of client organisations spans multiple sectors, including local government, finance, culture, science, and the environment. Some notable clients include Alpha Real Capital, The British Museum, The British Science Association, The Environmental Protection Agency (United States), The House of Commons (London), and ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales).

With a deep understanding of the art and science of effective communication, Alan Barker continues to empower civil servants across industries, helping them sharpen their writing skills and unleash their creative potential.

Alan Rutter

Alan is a specialist in communicating complex subjects through data visualisation, writing and design. He teaches for General Assembly and runs in-house training for public sector clients including the Home Office, the Department of Transport, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Health Foundation, and numerous local government and emergency services teams.

He previously worked with Guardian Masterclasses on curating and delivering new course strands, including developing and teaching their B2B data visualisation courses. He oversaw the iPad edition launches of Wired, GQ, Vanity Fair and Vogue in the UK, and has worked with Condé Nast International as product owner on a bespoke digital asset management system for their 11 global markets. 

Amil Khan

Amil Khan is a Political communications adviser; specialising in digital campaigning in highly contested environments. He has extensive experience working across structures’ development, operations, and crisis management. He has experience working with pro-democracy opposition groups in the Middle East and established governments seeking reform. Founder of Valent Projects, UK digital comms agency for social impact. Former Reuters Middle East correspondent and BBC documentary journalist.

Andrea Daniels

Andrea Daniels has over 25 years’ experience utilising and harnessing data to drive audience understanding and empower innovation for some of our leading organisations and brands.

Andrea is currently the Director of Marketing and Digital at the RSA (Royal Society of Arts, manufactures and commerce.  Her role focuses on leading the brand and its communication channels connecting and engaging audiences to deliver social change.

Before joining the RSA, Andrea was a Marketing Director at the British Council and worked as a Senior Marketing and Strategy executive at the BBC and its commercial arm BBC Worldwide. Whilst here, she also led on the development and delivery of the corporations first and still most widely used, consumer engagement hub, bringing insight and understanding across the BBC through its digital delivery platforms.

Andrea also has extensive experience of leading research and activity within the public and third sector having worked as a senior researcher and trainer at Ipsos MORI and Kantar in both a qualitative and quantitative research capacity

Andrea holds an MBA from the Open University Business School, Market Research Society’s Diploma in Research Methodology, CIM Certificate in Marketing and a London Business School Diploma in Digital Marketing.  Andrea is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and is Prince 2 qualified.

Andrea is also currently the Chair of Trustees for Hackney Night Shelter providing support for the homeless in Hackney and a Board Trustee of Refuge the national domestic abuse charity.

Qualifications:

• Studied at Manchester University: Politics and Economics Dept.
• MBA from Open University Business School
• Market Research Society’s Diploma in Research Methodology
• CAM Certificate in Marketing

Andrew Boyd

A retired Police Chief Superintendent Andrew Boyd is currently an Associate Leadership Trainer with the UK College of Policing designing and delivering leadership and strategic management training nationally and internationally. A qualified trainer with an MBA Andrew has worked across the globe delivering training in Leadership, Strategic Management, Change and Project Management and Executive Coaching.

Andrew has considerable experience in leading transformational change and project management within policing and community safety leading a number of strategic change programmes including the development of a new strategic governance department for Thames Valley Police. He continues to drive change and innovation within Policing undertaking peer reviews of police forces in England and Wales on behalf of the College of Policing in order to identify potential enhancements to efficiency and effectiveness.

With over 32 years of policing experience, Andrew has considerable experience of both strategic and operational leadership. He was the Head of Neighbourhood Policing and Partnerships within Thames Valley Police leading and developing strategic partnerships across the Thames Valley. An acknowledged lead on building social capital and community resilience Andrew has worked with a range of community and voluntary organisations to build safer and stronger communities and has presented at a number of national and international conferences on community safety and Neighbourhood Policing.

Andrew contributed to the establishment of the Violence Reduction Unit in the Thames Valley and became the Head of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice working with strategic partners to develop new and innovative approaches to reduce and prevent serious violence. Establishing a whole systems approach Andrew worked with academia and partners to identify and implement programmes that were evidence-based to tackle the drivers of serious violence and work with the community and voluntary sector to support and deter young people from becoming involved.

Andrew has an ILM Level 7 in Executive Coaching and Leadership Mentoring, he has designed and delivered Level 7 Executive Coaching programmes for the public and private sector and continues to coach a range of leaders from across the public sector and private industry.

Andrew is a trained youth mentor and now works as volunteer mentoring disadvantaged young people and helping them find a positive pathway in life.

Andrew Carapiet

Andrew Carapiet is a former BBC Television Producer for national BBC News and is one of the UK’s most experienced Communications Skills coaches specialising in media interview training. Andrew has worked for BBC Radio and BBC Television as a Reporter, Producer, Presenter and News Editor. Andrew has worked as a TV Producer on BBC Breakfast News and the BBC’s One O’clock and Ten O’clock News programmes. He was the youngest ever BBC journalist to interview Mrs Thatcher when she was Prime Minister of the UK. Andrew has also worked as a Producer for Sky News and for Mirror Group Newspapers. 

Andrew Dismore

Andrew was the MP for Hendon from 1997 to 2010. In a varied parliamentary career, Andrew built a reputation as an expert in private members’ legislation and chaired the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights. He also served on the Standards and Privileges Committee for nine years, the Work and Pensions Committee for seven years and the powerful Liaison Committee for five years. From 2012 to 2021 Andrew was a London Assembly member, where he chaired the Fire, Resilience, and Emergency Planning committee.

Growing up in a political family, Andrew began his career in politics in 1982, as the then youngest ever councillor on Westminster City Council, becoming Leader of the Labour Group in 1990. As a   solicitor, prior to entering Parliament, Andrew was a partner at nationwide firms Thompsons and Russell Jones and Walker, specialising in personal injury and trades union law. Andrew now works as a consultant on  legal and parliamentary affairs.

Angela Blacklaw

Angela has years of senior expertise in personal and organisational development, leadership, change, wellbeing and resilience, operating at both strategic and practitioner level. Questioning and curious, she often brings an alternative perspective and encourages others to see things differently too.

Following 20 years of supporting individual and organisational learning and change in the civil service, latterly as Head of Talent Development in the Department of Health, Angela quickly built a reputation for solid delivery.  In that time Angela has worked as an associate for respected consultancies such as Ernst & Young, Korn Ferry and the Civil Service College and is a member of the faculty of the NHS Leadership Academy.  She has worked with clients from varied backgrounds including civil servants, scientists, analysts, musicians, High Court Judges and healthcare practitioners at all levels.

Her core specialisms include:

• Building warm, honest and challenging coaching relationships, enabling people to achieve more than they thought possible; 
• Expertise in leadership and talent development, change, wellbeing and resilience;
• Designing and facilitating powerful and memorable learning experiences;
• Enabling people to learn the skills to support and challenge others.

Angela is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and an Accredited Time To Think® Facilitator.  She also holds a Certificate in Organisation Development, and a Master of Science in Human Resources. 

Qualifications:

• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
• Certificate in Organisation Development from the NTL Institute
• Accredited Time To Think® Facilitator

Ann Hall

Ann is currently a trainer at Civil Service College. Ann previously worked at RIPA International as Director of Studies. In this role she was responsible for the design and delivery of all HR, management, and leadership programmes for Senior Overseas Government officials attending London based training. Additionally, Ann has designed and delivered bespoke in country training programmes in a variety of countries including Qatar, Bahrain, Dominica, Botswana, Thailand, Libya, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Uganda Zambia and the Falkland Islands.

Ann also undertakes Executive Coaching /360 feedback and has worked extensively with many Senior Civil Servants in this capacity.

Prior to joining RIPA International, Ann served as Senior Learning and Development Consultant at The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. In this role she designed and delivered a range of bespoke HR / Leadership courses as well as directing the NVQ Level 4 Management programme for the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Additionally, she organised conferences for top managers and carried out workplace mediation.

 Ann has worked to provide exceptional training in both the private and public sector for over two decades. She possesses extensive experience in delivering domestic and overseas training on a variety of topics such as leadership, performance management, mediation in the workplace, train the trainer, developing a competency framework, and coaching programmes. She is a qualified and experienced OCN Law Society Mediator and Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Coach. Additionally, Ann is a member of the Association of Coaching and a Fellow of the Learning and Performance Institute.  

Anthony Tasgal

Tas is a trainer, author, speaker, brand/comms strategist and lecturer.

He is a Course Director for the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Market Research Society, the Institute of Internal Communication and the Civil Service College, and principal advisor for CIO Connect in Hong Kong.

He is also a long-term Ad Agency planner and still freelances with several agencies and clients, for example currently helping the Royal Albert Hall tell their story for their 150^th anniversary in 2021.

Tas is a global speaker and regularly contributes on marketing and communications subjects to the James Max show on TalkRADIO.

Specialist topics include storytelling, behavioural economics and insightment, and as a lapsed Classicist he also indulges in etymology and Homer.

He is the author of the award-winning books ‘The Storytelling Book’, (which has sold over 30,000 copies globally) ‘The Inspiratorium’ and in 2020, ‘InCitations’.

He speaks passable French, obsesses about etymology, over-avidly follows Arcade Fire, plays tennis and skis harmlessly.

Baroness Usha Prashar

The Right Honourable the Baroness Usha Prashar of Runnymede, CBE, PC, an independent member of the House of Lords, has led and chaired a number of public and voluntary organisations with distinction.

She has served on several Select Committees in the House of Lords and as a non-executive director of FTSE 100 private sector organisations.

Currently, she is a non-executive director of Nationwide Building Society and Chair of Cumberland Lodge, an educational charity promoting ethical education.

She started her career working in race-related organisations, namely the former Race Relations Board and as Chief Executive of the Runnymede Trust.

She then transitioned successfully to mainstream organisations and led significant organisations in the voluntary and public sector. These included Chief Executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Executive Chair of the Parole Board of England and Wales, First Civil Service Commissioner, inaugural  Chair of Judicial Appointments Commission, Deputy Chair of the British Council and a member of the Iraq Inquiry.

She also served as Chancellor of De Montfort University,  Chair of the Royal Commonwealth Society and Chair of the National Literacy Trust. 

Her expertise includes public administration, organisational change, good governance, and how to develop constructive strategies and actions to promote diversity and inclusion.

She also has experience in coaching and mentoring senior civil servants and executives.

BEN BLEASDALE

Ben is a Collaborative Learning & Development Specialist with 10 years of experience developing exceptional Learning and Development Solutions. His career background centred on business and product development in the medical industry, where he was responsible for an international team with a broad range of specialisms, from R&D to Marketing to Sales. After realising a passion for helping people realise their potential, his career focus shifted  towards Leadership development where he has designed and delivered hundreds of programmes for many blue chip customers and countless SMEs spanning a huge range of industries. To add to his degree in business development, Ban has also graduated from the Institute of Leadership & Management as a Level five certified coach.

Ben’s commitment to continually surpass expectations on training programmes and professional coaching alike, is centred on developing strong partnerships with clients to make sure that interventions address relevant objectives and relatable challenges - Great relationships underpin all successes in life.

As a keen drummer, Ben’s favourite quote is from Dave Grohl, which (when censored!) translates to “Buy an old drum set, get in the garage and just be terrible. Get your friends to come in and they’ll be terrible too. And then you’ll start playing and you’ll have the best time you ever had and all of a sudden you’ll become Nirvana.” It says everything about the impact of passion, dedication and practice.

Bill Malloy

Bill has significant first-hand experience in the public sector across central government, Arms Length Bodies, Police, local government and NHS Foundation Trusts. He has advised on reporting for the Intelligence and Security Committee and has appeared at the Public Accounts Committee.

He brings the practical knowledge and application of governance and accountability across different tiers of government and public sector bodies.

A qualified public sector accountant (CPFA) with additional qualifications from CIMA and an MBA.

Brian Whalley OBE

Brian Whalley is a former accountant and civil servant and holds an MA in Management Learning. Brian has 20 years’ experience in the provision of induction training and board development programmes for non-executive board members of government departments, executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies, NHS bodies and public corporations. He has run programmes for over 120 Non-Departmental Public Bodies, and other arm’s length bodies, and is experienced in working in all UK jurisdictions. He also provides training for newly appointed Accounting Officers throughout the UK central government sector. Brian also runs courses concerned with Managing Public Money and governance arrangements in the ALB sector..

Publications:

‘A Guide to Propriety for RDA Board Members’, Department of Trade and Industry

‘Working in Government: A Guide for Non-executive Board Members of Government Departments’, Cabinet Office

Qualifications:

• Qualified management accountant (ACMA)
• Holds a teaching qualification
• MA in Management Learning, University of Lancaster 

Bridget Prentice

With over 27 years’ experience of leadership in the public sector and almost two decades spent in Parliament, Bridget has an insider’s understanding of the challenges and opportunities that face public bodies and third sector organisations.

Bridget has served 18 years as MP for Lewisham East, was a Government Whip and a Minister in the Ministry of Justice with responsibility for 14 policy areas. This ranges from legal services, the courts and tribunals, youth engagement to electoral administration etc. She has piloted major pieces of legislation through parliamentary process and has negotiated financial packages to support key groups such as Coroners’ Courts Support Staff. She has also played a key role in designing and implementation of policy. She received Minister of the Year award for her work on diversity in the legal profession.

Prior to taking on ministerial positions, Bridget was a member of the Home Affairs Committee, Court of Referees and Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. 

Bridget was a Commissioner on the Electoral Commission for four years overseeing the conduct of elections, referendums and political party finances.

She has been a trustee on a number of charities and is presently Chair of Age Exchange, a charity using reminiscence and the Arts to support people with dementia and their carers. She has been Chair of Governors of Trinity School, Lewisham and is a fellow of the Woodard Corporation.

She is a Freewoman of the London Borough of Lewisham

Carol Tullo OBE

Carol Tullo, LLB, Barrister, OBE was the former Director, of Information Policy and Services, The National Archives and Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and Queen’s Printer until July 2017.

Carol had a career background in intellectual property practice and commercial law publishing with Thomson Reuters before she joined the Cabinet Office in 1997.  She ran HMSO with its responsibility for official publishing including UK legislation.  She worked in private office and with ministers as a senior civil servant in the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as a Director of The National Archives. 

Drawing on her cross-sector experience, she led a broad range of information policy and management responsibilities within the open data and information regulatory space across the UK Government and was an officeholder in the Scotland and Northern Ireland Governments working with the Parliaments and Assemblies of the UK. Reinforcing the importance of vigilance and individual responsibility for the information assets that we create, use and manage underpinned her leadership roles within government. She represented those policy interests within the EU Commission.

Carol received the Inaugural Leadership Impact Award 2017 from the Whitehall and Industry Group.  She holds a number of board and consultancy appointments. Her specialism is information governance, management and data security.

Caroline Waters OBE

Trustee of the RSPCA and Chair of the Animal Welfare committee, Vice President of Carers UK, Advisory Board member International Longevity Centre, Midland Heart Housing Association, NED Wilson James and Founder of CW Consulting Box, Caroline was also Director of People & Policy at BT and has a distinguished record on equality, inclusion, and human resources where she routinely set the agenda; demonstrating real thought leadership. 

One of the most influential leaders and practitioners in the original movement to create new ways of working and a leader of the nascent flexible working agenda in the 1990s Caroline continues to work to build more inclusive approaches to work. She is a member of the Leaders as Change Agents Board. Caroline was listed in the top 100 Disability Power List 2019, awarded HR Director of the Year 2009, voted one of the most influential HR practitioners of the last decade by HR Magazine Excellence Awards 2016 and HR Mover and shapers 2019.

Caroline routinely works with and advises policy makers and contributed to the Department of Work and Pensions publication of ‘The Disability and Health Employment Strategy: the Discussion so Far’ Chairing the Task and Finish Group on Young Disabled people and Employment. Caroline also Co-Chaired the Department of Health’s Task and Finish Group which launched the ground breaking report ‘Supporting Working Carers: The Benefits to Families, Business and the Economy’ in autumn 2013. As a key opinion former in the business community she also chaired Employers for Carers from 2001 to 2013, was founder and inaugural Chair of the Employers' Forum on Belief, Employers for Fathers and Chair of the Lone Parents working group. As vice Chair of the EHRC (2013 to 2023) Caroline was also responsible for the delivery of major findings on EHRC investigations such as Anti-semitism in the Labour Party, The Windrush scandal, Equal Pay at the BBC and a year long review of the cleaning sector.

She has also judged a number of prestigious diversity awards. Caroline also delivers learning experiences for a broad range of clients clients in both the private sector and, in partnership with the Civil Service College, public sector and Arms Length Bodies. She was awarded the OBE for services to progressive HR practice, diversity and equal opportunities in 2010. Caroline’s work at BT was recognized by several diversity awards including best ethnic minority recruitment programme. BT is the only company ever to top seven leading diversity benchmarks at the same time. An accomplishment achieved for three consecutive years.

As Founder of CW Consulting Box Ltd. Caroline provides high-level support and guidance across the private, public and charitable sector.

Carolyn Kerry

Carolyn is a Management Consultant and a trainer who is specialised in organisational and Personal change. Her key expert areas are Civil Service Reform, Managing across cultures, Strategic Planning, Implementation & Management of Change, leadership & Management Development, Performance management, benchmarking and Quality, Training Methodology, Facilitation, Coaching & Mentoring.

Carolyn has 15 years experience working with senior & middle managers across both the public and private sector and has delivered a range of change initiatives across a number of continents. She is a confident and relaxed communicator who focuses on practical achievement and personal objectives. Paramount to her approach is the desire to develop the internal capacity and sense of ownership that encourages successful implementation of change initiatives.

She has delivered a number of contracts for:

• Department for International Development – UK, Bangladesh, Thailand
• Cabinet Office Zambia
• President’s Office, Tanzania & Serbia
• Home Office UK
• BP / ROO Iraq
• RIPA International, UK & International
• Civil Services of: Barbados, Bermuda, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Oman, Kosovo, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Slovenia, Council of Europe in Brussels

Catharine Seddon

Catharine brings 13 years of NED experience with national regulators in four different government departments. Her particular interests include strategy, governance, risk management and regulatory decision-making. 

After twenty years as an award-winning documentary film maker for  the BBC and running her own production company,  Catharine took up her first NED post  with the Human Tissue Authority She  subsequently became its Audit and Risk Assurance Chair and its Senior Independent Director (SID). She is currently the SID for the Gambling Commission and, as a Commissioner,  sits on the Commission’s Remuneration Committee, its fourth National Lottery Committee and its change programme, RESET. She is a member of the Legal Services Board where she chairs  its Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. She is a member and chair-designate of the Audit and Governance Committee of the HFEA  and  a member of the Determinations Panel of the Pensions Regulator. She sits on tribunals in mental health and employment and as a lay assessor on  civil cases in the county courts and she is a presiding magistrate. She has recently been appointed to the Health Service Products Appeal Tribunal. She is also a trustee for CPotential, a special needs charity. 

Catherine Barnard

Catherine Barnard (MA (Cantab), LLM (EUI), PhD (Cantab)) is Professor of European Union law and Employment Law at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of Trinity College.

She is the author of numerous articles and several books, including the well known The Substantive law of the European Union: The Four Freedoms (OUP, 2013, 4th ed), and EU Employment Law OUP, 2012, 4th ed). She has also edited various volumes including The Constitutional Order of States: Essays in Honour of Alan Dashwood, (Hart Publishing, 2011) (with Arnull, Dougan and Spaventa), The Outer Limits of EU Law, (Hart Publishing 2009) (with Odudu), The Future of Labour Law, (Hart Publishing, 2004) (with Deakin and Morris), and The Law of the Single European Market: Unpacking the Premises, (Hart Publishing, 2002) (with Scott).

She is the co-director of the Centre for European Legal Studies and has been the (co)-editor of the Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies.

Claire Harvey

Claire Harvey is an experienced senior leader, inclusion expert and Paralympian. Previously working as Head of inclusive leadership at KPMG. Claire is now recognised as a world leader in diversity, inclusion and culture, incorporating change management and leadership behaviours into impactful programmes.

Claire’s strong interpersonal skills combines with her style as a pro-active and personable leader to empower individuals to take ownership and implement meaningful change. She is an excellent speaker and facilitator and always leaves participants inspired, moved and reflective.

Dame Margaret Hodge

Dame Margaret Hodge is a politician who has served as MP for Barking since 1994. Hodge was appointed Junior Minister for Disabled People in 1998 and was promoted to Minister for Universities in 2001, remaining in post until 2003 when she became the inaugural Children's Minister. She was sworn into the Privy Council on 22 June 2003. In 2005 Hodge became Minister of State for Culture and Tourism. On 9 June 2010 she was elected Chair of the Public Accounts Committee and served until 2015. Since November 2018, she has been Chair of Council at Royal Holloway, University of London. Hodge was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1978 and promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2015. 

Dan Constable

From a tender age, Dan struggled with sensitivity and understanding social cues, leading to anxiety and later severe depression. Feeling the urge to suppress his emotions, Dan, unfortunately, attracted traumatic experiences, notably being bullied throughout his school years and later facing workplace bullying and domestic violence.

However, this ignited Dan's passion for personal development. Recognising his challenges as lessons, he embarked on a transformative journey to nurture his mental wealth. Over the past decade, Dan has collaborated with a diverse range of professionals, from therapists to spiritual guides, each playing a pivotal role in his growth.

Rejecting the conventional measures of success, Dan has carved out his unique path. Today, he stands as a beacon of resilience, having overcome addiction, emerged from violent scenarios, and founded successful businesses. He cherishes the support of healthy relationships and a nurturing community.

With unwavering resolve, Dan's mission is now to guide men through their unique journeys. He is a staunch advocate for mental well-being, championing deep self-connections, and the importance of inner peace. Above all, Dan emphasises the transformative power of mental resilience achieved through vulnerability and inner harmony.

David Hawkins

With an extensive career in projects and procurement within the construction and manufacturing industries over 40 years he has been associated with the development and implementation of major projects in many parts of the world.

Providing insight into the many organisational and cultural challenges that projects and global operations can generate. An active promoter of collaborative concepts and the development of extended enterprises through the building of alliances.

He is the architect of the CRAFT programme, the technical author of the British Standards Institutions’ PAS 11000 collaborative business relationship standard, world first published in 2006 and chairman of the BSI committee that developed BS 11000, published in October 2010. He is currently Chairman of the International standards committee that that published ISO 44001 in 2017

He has been a regular contributor to professional magazines. As an established author he has several publications to his credit including

 Sun Tzu and the Project Battleground: Creating Project Strategy using the Art of War published by Palgrave Macmillan 2004

The Bending Moment: Energising corporate strategy published by Palgrave Macmillan 2005.

Corporate Social Responsibility; Balancing Tomorrows sustainability with Today’s profitability published 2006 published by Palgrave Macmillan.

Raising the standard for collaboration; Published by British Standards 2013

Raising the standard for international collaboration; published by Melrose 2017

David Pearson

David Pearson is an award-winning leadership and inclusion expert, keynote speaker and presenter, and creator of the UK’s only in-house LGBT-inclusive leadership certification.

As Director, Global Inclusion & Diversity at KPMG, David supported inclusion for more than 200,000 people in 154 countries. With a background in KPMG’s Corporate Finance practice, he is currently undertaking ground-breaking research in the field of leadership, culture and inclusion while Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Corporate Responsibility for an international law firm.

David led KPMG’s LGBT network since 2013, which in 2018 was named Network of the Year at the British LGBT Awards. He is a Patron of Freedom to Donate, a Trustee of ELOP LGBT Mental Health & Wellbeing, and an alumnus of the Stonewall Leadership Programme, Out Leadership’s OutNEXT programme for LGBT leaders, and Centre For Synchronous Leadership’s “Inspire Like A Man” and “Walk The Tightrope” leadership programmes. He has sat on The Economist Global Pride & Prejudice Advisory Board and the Advisory Council for Radius Business.

In 2017 he was named as a NatWest Top 10 Diversity Champion and in 2019 as Channel 4 Diversity Hero of the Year. In 2021 his team won the Excellence in Equality & Inclusion Award at the People in Law Awards. He is a past regional and national winner of Boston Consulting Group’s Business Strategy Competition.

David Wells

David has a finance and procurement background with over 40 years of experience working in local government, with over 30 years in management roles. During this time, David was the Head of Finance in the Technical Services Department at Barking and Dagenham Borough Council in London with responsibility for annual capital and revenue budget totaling around £50 million. David later headed up a corporate team in the Chief Executive’s Department, with overall responsibilities for the competitive tendering process across the authority. David moved to the Finance Directorate and project-managed the installation of a replacement IT system for the Borough’s financial, personnel and payroll functions, later becoming Assistant Director overseeing the management of payroll, pensions, human resources, accounts, IT development, secretariat, and departmental policy and administration.

More recently David has worked as a public sector adviser, supporting both UK central and local government, focusing on financial and budget management, contracting, and contract management, including work with the health sector. David has many years of experience of designing and delivering workshops and study programmes in the UK and overseas, covering a range of topics and during the Covid disruption has presented a range of webinars. In 2021 David has provided consulting support to a government agency in connection with a major project for the creative arts sector.

Debbie Kleiner

Workplace Wellbeing Specialist & MHFA England Certified Trainer
MSc Workplace Health & Wellbeing, CPCAB Stress Management.

Debbie is a workplace wellbeing and training specialist based in Bristol. She ran her own health insurance business for 15 years before studying a MSc in Workplace Health and Wellbeing in 2012 and then becoming an MHFA instructor in 2018, initially in the SME & Corporate sector. She has a CPCAB qualification in Stress Management and runs a range of bespoke workshops in this area. Feedback from delegates is overwhelmingly positive and Debbie brings her experience and broader context to her training by running interactive and engaging courses.

She started her working life in the advertising industry, moving on to renewable energy sector and then the FCA regulated health insurance sector. She has an in-depth knowledge of workplace wellbeing which she applies to all her work. Debbie is a regular speaker at various workplace wellbeing events & conferences covering mental health as well as workplace wellbeing. Debbie works closely with HR, Occupational Health, Health & Safety as well as business owners as an adviser and trainer. She is also a qualified life coach.

Dennis Marcus

Dennis helps individuals and organisations across a range of sectors identify and define their mission and establish strategy through the application of storytelling. He uses the perspective of stories that are compelling and strongly resonate with their audience can help to create effective strategies, shared organisational goals and help to promote employee motivation.

In the past Dennis has worked as strategist for organisations in a number of sectors, including politics charities and business across a variety of competencies, with a significant emphasis on customer engagement strategies and communications. As part of this work,  he has written scripts and speeches for former Heads of Government and Cabinet Ministers, as well as front bench politicians and leading international business executives.

Dennis studied at Nottingham University and is a fully Certified Teacher of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).

Qualifications:

• History and German BA: First-class honours degree with a special distinction for spoken German, University of Nottingham 2004-2008
• A fully Certified Teacher of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

Douglas Alexander

Douglas is a Visiting Professor at New York University (Abu Dhabi) and Visiting Professor at King's College; Council Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations; Trustee of the Royal United Services Institute; a Governor of The Ditchley Foundation; a General Court Assessor at the University of Edinburgh Court; and a Member of the UK Privy Council. He currently serves as a Senior Advisor to The Rise Funds (a global impact fund aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals). He is a writer and presenter of various BBC Radio 4 documentary programmes, including: ‘A Culture of Encounter’, ‘Belonging’, ‘Disagreeing Better’, 'Glasgow: Our Last Best Hope' and 'Connections'.

Douglas served in various roles as both a Minister of State and Secretary of State in the UK Government from 2001 to 2010. Under Prime Minister Tony Blair, he was appointed Minister for E-Commerce & Competitiveness, Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister of State for Trade Investment & Foreign Affairs, and Minister of State for Europe with responsibility for Russia policy, before being appointed Secretary of State for Scotland, and Secretary of State for Transport. After Gordon Brown became Prime Minister, Douglas became Secretary of State for International Development and the UK Governor of the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2015.

Dr Corrado Macchiarelli

Dr Corrado Macchiarelli is a Principal Economist in the Macroeconomic Modelling and Forecasting Team of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR). He is also an Associate Professor in Finance and Economics at Brunel University London, a part-time Lecturer at New York University’s Stern School of Business, and a Visiting Fellow in European Political Economy at the London School of Economics. Previously, Dr Macchiarelli was an Economist at the European Central Bank, working chiefly in the Working Group of Forecast on Potential Output. 

Dr Ian Hesketh

Ian has had a long-term interest in workplace Well-being, Leadership and associated literature. He introduced the concept and phenomena of Leaveism to explain human behaviours associated with workplace workload and stress.

His article on Transformational Leadership during Change was voted one of the top management articles by the UK Chartered Management Institute. His previous book,  Wellbeing at Work (KoganPage) examined how to design, implement and evaluate an effective well-being strategy. He is currently working on the 2^nd Edition, which will be published by KoganPage in late 2023.

His current work is focussed on the considerable changes to working practices and terms and conditions that are being enacted in the face of unprecedented change programmes associated with the global pandemic. Crucially, what interventions are effective and enable a fulfilling working life for employees? His book, Managing Workplace Health and Wellbeing during a Crisis (KoganPage) was published in 2022.

Ian hold QTLS and Chartered Manager status and is a Member of the Society for Education and Training, and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.
 

Dr Joanne Collins

Joanne is a registered Child Psychotherapist, a UKCP registered Systemic, Family Psychotherapist and a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist with over 20 years’ experience working with children, young people, their families, and couples from a range of backgrounds and needs.

In the last 5 years, Joanne has worked increasingly with couples or individuals experiencing difficulties in their relationships or with their sexuality. Joanne mainly works from an Integrative framework using elements of Systemic, Family, Psychodynamic and Humanistic approaches.

Joanne has experience of working with children, adults and families with anxiety, low mood, behavioural problems and learning disabilities. Joanne also teaches and lectures in various child and family related subjects

Dr Susan Kahn CPsychol

Susan is a business psychologist, a practitioner and an academic. She is a chartered psychologist and coaching psychologist with the British Psychological Society.

She works as a coach, consultant, mediator and an observer of working life. She has a particular interest in the behaviour of people at work and below the surface dynamics in organisations.

As a coach she works together with individuals and their organisations to help clients to develop and enhance their authentic leadership style.

As a mediator she is skilled in improving working relationships and developing common understanding between parties in toxic relationships.

She is the Programme Director for Coaching Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London, teaching coaching and organizational psychology. She runs a Post Graduate Certificate in Coaching Psychology and an MSc in Coaching Psychology.

She is a faculty member at the School of Life, working with businesses to develop their emotional intelligence. She also works as a group relations consultant, including equine coaching.

Her research interests embrace leadership, coaching, change and vulnerability at work.

She is a board member of This Can Happen: empowering workplace mental health.

Her book, Death & the City, published by Karnac, uses psychoanalysis to explore organisational endings. Her latest publication, Bounce Back: how to fail fast and be resilient at work is published by Kogan Page, examines resilience in the workplace.

Dr Tong Yan Tong

Dr Tong Yan Tong has specialised in teaching mandarin Chinese and Cross-Cultural Communications to diplomats and professionals since 1990, providing these services to the UK Foreign Office for 20+ years. Tong is passionate about bringing language learning alive. His teaching style makes him a firm favourite amongst senior executives and at the highest levels of government where language ability is critical. With long-standing experience in teaching English learners of Chinese, he is well respected in European academic and language provider circles. His publications include a range of research areas and his textbook series, “Confidence Chinese,” have been used by thousands of learners. Both are experienced trainers and having a native and non-native Chinese speaker combination makes for a very strong delivery team.

H-J Colston-Inge

A mandarin speaker, H-J is Joint CEO of Chopsticks Club, the UK’s most innovative China-UK network, founded in 1993 and also Director of Engage with China, an educational charity building China literacy in schools. She also founded the Mandarin Youth Voices choir to bring fresh repertoire from China and build mandarin language competency in schools.

Called a ‘friend of China’ by President Xi Jinping when he met her during his state visit to the UK in 2015, H-J’s China-UK experience includes cross-cultural training for senior executives, designing and delivering undergraduate academic courses on Doing Business in China, networking events, consultancy services and summer camps for Chinese young people. H-J is a regular speaker on China and a Senior International Consultant for Nantong City. In 2010 she represented the UK on an international delegation to Beijing on the invitation of the Chinese government.

Helen Chipchase

Helen Chipchase is an HR and EDI consultant providing strategic support to organisations across a range of sectors. She also specialises in conducting complex EDI related workplace investigations. Through her inclusion consultancy Helen supports public, private and third sector organisations to embed EDI strategies that will drive enduring change. Helen has been an Associate Consultant for Konexo HR Consulting (previously Eversheds Sutherland) since 2014, providing support to clients across a range of EDI and employee relations matters. Helen is also an Associate Consultant for global safeguarding experts GCPS, providing strategic employment and culture change support to INGO clients.

Helen was appointed to the EHRCs Disability Committee in February 2015. This statutory committee steered the Commission's work to tackle discrimination and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. Helen chaired the DWP’s Employer Engagement Steering Group and was appointed to the Department for Work and Pension’s Access to Work expert panel. Helen has a post graduate level (level 7) qualification from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and became a Certified Disability Management Professional in 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price MP

Jackie Doyle-Price has served as the Member of Parliament for Thurrock since May 2010.

Before entering Parliament she has worked in a variety of roles; including the Sheffield Enterprise Agency, South Yorkshire Police, the City of London Corporation and the Financial Services Authority. She was also the Senior Advisor to the Lord Mayor of London for five years and an adviser to the Financial Services Consumer Panel, fighting for better treatment for consumers of financial services.

Jackie spent four years in Government, firstly as a Government whip in the Governments of David Cameron and Theresa May. In June 2017 she was appointed as Minister for Mental Health and Social care. Jackie brought a particular focus to women’s health; children’s mental health; organ donation and suicide prevention. In October 2018, Theresa May appointed her the World’s first suicide prevention Minister. From 2020 to 2022 she served on the Public Administration & Constitutional Affairs Committee and the Women and Equalities Committee. In September 2022, she was appointed Minister of State for Industry.

Jackie works with Politicians on all sides to advance the causes she cares about. In 2014, she Chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group for Ghurka Welfare and put together a Cross-Party report to Government who accepted most of the recommendations. She has chaired the All Party groups on Ports and Maritime; Women’s Health; Women in the Penal system and Pharmacy. She is a prominent advocate for women and a campaigner against sexual violence.

Jane Stephens

Jane is an experienced finance professional having held senior posts in both large (Chief Financial Officer AstraZeneca UK) and smaller organisations.  She started her career as a graduate recruit to The Post Office before moving into the private sector with ICI and AstraZeneca.  She has held voluntary positions in recent years in the public sector including Independent Director of a housing trust.

As an independent consultant Jane has been a director of a number of start-up businesses and provided consultancy, facilitation and finance and management training to a number of large organisations.

She is passionate about the important role that Finance has to play across all organisations, the need to ensure finance issues are properly understood by non-finance specialists and to ensure financial issues are properly incorporated in decision making at all levels.

Jim Brooks

Jim Brooks was a UK local authority Chief Executive for over 12 years and a Director of Finance for almost five years. Jim was City Treasurer of Manchester and Chief Executive of the Borough of Poole and Kingston-upon-Hull City Council (which then employed 15,500 employees).

Jim has been an independent board member on two Government Departments and recently finished a 5-year appointment as Chairman of the Audit Committee for the National Assembly in Northern Ireland, routinely attending the Parliamentary Commission which supervises the power-sharing agreement.

Jim has sat on UK national advisory committees for the distribution of resources to local authorities and on local taxation. Jim has led corporate governance reviews into local authorities and has stepped in to support organisations in difficulty, as well as being the Chairman of the external assessors for the Business School at Liverpool Polytechnic (now John Moores University)

Jim has been an executive director for a major outsourcing company in the UK and was Chief Operating Officer for a Treasury Management advisory company.

Jim has lectured for Civil Service College, PAI, RIPA International, Crown Agents and other recognised training agencies for over 10 years on finance and governance issues. Jim has worked across the UK and in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Mauritius, France, Dubai, Kazakhstan, and USA.

Jim is a successful consultant and has regularly mentored Directors of Finance and Chief Executives at Board level. Jim has supported UK Government Departments in financial management, international accounting standards, treasury management and corporate governance.       

Joan Ryan

Rt Hon Joan Ryan is the former UK Member of Parliament for Enfield North. Joan stood down in December 2019 having served as the representative for the constituency for 18 years, from 1997 to 2010 and then regaining the seat in the 2015 General Election. Joan was a Labour MP for the majority of her time in Parliament, but became a founding member of The Independent Group of MPs in February 2019. 

From 2016 to 2019, Joan served as Member of the Environmental Audit Select Committee, specialising in the causes and impact of Climate Change, air pollution and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. 

John-Paul Cherrington

After graduating in English Literature, and completing a master’s degree in Theatre Directing, he spent two decades producing, adapting, and writing an eclectic range of productions including accessible Shakespeare and the very first Horrible Histories: Live on Stage shows. He taught hundreds of acting students in colleges and drama schools across the country, managed four performing arts departments, and completed a PGCE in Adult Education.

Since 2014 he transferred his focus from theatre to politics, working on a number of political and educational campaigns locally, nationally, and internationally and writing articles and speeches for leading figures in a number of sectors. He provides strategic and operational support, and public speaking coaching to professionals in the corporate, charity, and public sectors including political candidates and serving politicians.

Jon Trevor

Jon Trevor has an eclectic background, having been an actor, a theatre director, a writer, a salesman, a university lecturer, a journalist, CEO of three SMEs, a trainer, a facilitator, and a consultant.  In one form or another he has been teaching, training, communicating and facilitating, for over 30 years.

He is a certified NLP Premiere Practitioner.

He is a Board member and Certified Practitioner of the Applied Improvisation Network, an international group of facilitators who use the skills and methods of improvisation to bring about social, personal, or organisational change.

He is an improviser and improv teacher, and Director of the Birmingham Improv Festival.

He has had features and articles published in The Guardian, Financial Times, The Training Journal, on Radio 4, and many others.

He is a licensed and experienced skydiver and aerial videographer with over 1,900 skydives in his logbook.

His training methodology is entirely experiential – his abiding motto is “you can’t learn to swim in the library”, so all his training is practical and participatory.

All though Jon Trevor uses a wide variety of training and facilitation techniques, his particular specialism is Applied Improvisation, which takes concepts, ideas, and techniques from the world of improvised theatre, and applies them as a fast-track, powerful and effective training tool. 

Joseph Walsh

Joe had a broad ranging career in the Financial Services industry culminating in a key role at the Financial Regulator where he worked on improving Financial Capability in the UK. On leaving the Regulator he became the managing director of Farthings Consultancy Ltd. providing consultancy services to a range of clients including FT100 companies.

Having made a successful early retirement at 56, Joe is now helping people plan ahead for their own retirement. Joe focuses on the financial aspects of this major life change and believes that by carefully planning ahead for the transition from work to retirement a lot of the stress and worry experienced by many people at this time can be avoided.

Judy Greevy FRSA

Judy possesses over 30 years of experience in the engagement, leadership development, diversity and culture change fields across both the private and public sector. She has particular expertise in developing strategy and leading change programmes.

Some of her previous roles have included Global Head of Diversity at NatWest Bank and Head of Diversity and Corporate Responsibility at Centrica. She has also worked for the Australian Bank AMP and Henderson’s Global Investors and most recently been an HR Director at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs with responsibility for Talent, Diversity and Engagement.

Judy has previously run a very successful business undertaking work for a wide range of clients including KPMG., Ernst and Young, Standard Chartered Bank, Marks & Spencer, Fire and Rescue Service, NHS Scotland and Greater London Authority. 

During her career Judy has won a number of Awards including the Directing Diverse Talent Award at the 2015 Opportunity Now Excellence in Practice Awards. 

Judy is a Board member of the Employers’ Network for Equality and Inclusion. She has also been a Non Executive Director and Deputy Chair of an NHS Trust and a school governor and member of the Ministry of Defence External Diversity Panel.

Before moving into organisational development and diversity work Judy was a corporate banker. She is a graduate of Leeds University and Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Kat Thorne

She began her career in teaching, and quickly discovered a passion for educational technology. She gained extensive experience managing international projects, through seven years working in a range of senior, global roles at a fast-paced educational technology company. She has professionally developed and led a range of teams in her role as UK Director, to entire international teams in her role as Global Commercial Manager.

Whilst she was incredibly successful in her career, she paid a heavy ‘life’ price. In 2016, her whole world collapsed. She had neglected the things that were really important, her relationship, health, family.  She suffered a severe breakdown and lost everything. In the middle of this she got headhunted for her first CEO role. As she rebuilt herself by changing her habits, she set herself a new challenge. To have it all. A high-flying career and a happy life.

She spent 4 years at an international organisation as Chief Executive Officer, where she reduced costs by over 80%, raised funds for the first time and launched its innovative, digital, continuous professional development programme, Teach2030, for teachers globally. She created a 5am morning routine, rock solid boundaries and exercised daily for the first time in her life.

As a success teacher and consultant, she works with ambitious leaders and organisations around the world. She teaches positive habits to have it all; a successful career, and a happy life. The result? Be on fire at work and home.

Keith Bleasdale

Keith followed a fast-track financial and commercial career for 15 years. Roles included Finance Analyst, Corporate Bank Manager, Business Development Manager and Programme Director.

Following completion of an MA in Leadership Studies at Exeter University, Keith became Head of Learning & Development and Head of Leadership & Management Learning within the Barclays Group, and then Head of Leadership & Career Group Development, and interim Learning & Development Director at Norwich Union. From there Keith moved into consultancy as Principal Consultant heading up the Leadership Centre of Excellence.

Since 2003 Keith has focused upon Executive Performance Coaching, Leadership Development, and Senior Group Facilitation having founded One Point One Ltd.

Keith works with individuals & groups from Board level to front-line managers. He has a first class reputation for identifying and supporting development areas, exploring personal styles, skills and motivations, and facilitating routes to improved team and individual performance. He brings enthusiasm and expertise to all his projects.

Through the Executive Performance Coaching work, Keith forms dedicated bonds with clients to focus on their senior leadership performance, and strategies to support leaders reach their full potential.

Clients include Asda, Aspen Insurance, AstraZeneca, Avox, Barclays Bank, Britannia Building Society, British Airways, Civil Service College, Communisis plc, Conquip, Eisai Inc, EMD Serono, Ferring Pharma, Foreign & Commonwealth Office (UK Gov’t), GlaxoSmithKline, HBOS, JTIntl, Kyowa Kirin Int’l, Marks & Spencer, Microsoft, Royal Mail, Sage, Sanofi-Aventis, Toshiba, Vodafone and VW.

Keith Ridland

Keith has over 10 years experience, initially at Director Level and then as Chief Executive, working for a charity providing individually tailored, confidential mentoring and advice on career transition, embracing both employment and financial aspects. Liaising with supporting companies, associated advisors and mentoring organisations has provided him with a wide range of contacts in the field of recruitment, finance and career change.

Keith joined the Royal Navy from Merchant Taylor’s School, Crosby and graduated from Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. After serving as a finance, administration, logistics and HR specialist, he left in 2001 in the rank of Captain. His career included 9 years in the Ministry of Defence in a wide spectrum of appointments ranging from the private office of the First Sea Lord to membership of the MOD’s Financial Management Development Unit. As a Commander, he was Director of the Royal Naval Supply School and, as a Captain, lived and worked in both South America and India.

After joining The White Ensign Association in 2002, he initially led the charity’s Employment Services. He was subsequently additionally appointed as Finance Director and continued in both positions until 2008, when he became Chief Executive. In each of these roles his work entailed delivering regular presentations to large audiences on the key issues of career transition, and retirement interviewing those facing such a change and providing personal advice and guidance.

Keith is a Freeman of the City of London, a member of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, a keen sportsman and actively supports and advises several charities near his home.

Qualifications:

• Educated: Merchant Taylors’ School, Crosby
• Graduated: Britannia Royal Naval College (HR, Logistics, Finance & Administration Specialist)
• Spanish Speaker: Studied at the Andean Centre for Latin American Studies, Quito
• Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance (City of Westminster University)

Lauren Burton

Laura is a qualified Business Psychologist and Cognitive Behavioural Coach, and works with individuals, teams and organisations, to develop leadership and management strengths.

She has over two decades of experience working across Public and Private sector organisations and thus, draws on her experience having led cross-cultural and diverse teams during her corporate career. Her work has involved the NHS, working as a key coach with the Defence Academy, on their Strategic Leadership Program, and working with individuals within the National Probation Services.

Laura earned an MSc in Business Psychology at Kingston University in 2015, focusing her dissertation on engagement, job satisfaction and values. Laura also holds a certificate in coaching with a cognitive behavioural focus. Additionally, Laura has an OD Practitioner Certificate, and is qualified in selection and assessment design and implementation

Lerryn Clare

Lerryn has a BSc in Psychology and is an experienced FE and HE lecturer. Since starting The Academe she has turned her teaching qualifications towards developing and running workshops focussing on mindset and confidence. She utilises her own real-life experiences to create an inclusive and safe environment for discussion and learning.

Lucy Cox

Lucy is a NSA certified Life Coach who has gained an enviable reputation over the past 14+ years in the field of coaching, training, and personal development, winning multiple awards on her own entrepreneurial journey and co-owning two successful businesses. She prides herself on her approachable, empathetic, realistic, jargon-free style that focuses on a client-centred approach with clear, actionable strategy. She is an experienced facilitator and trainer, taking active roles in the development and delivery of 1:1, 1:few and 1:many training and workshops.

Maria Older

An energetic, authentic, and highly inspirational Leadership Development Professional with a wealth of experience delivering pragmatic development interventions across the globe from Europe, North America, Asia to Africa for people from various private sector industries and to many officials of the public sector including elected members of Parliaments.

She is an enthusiastic trainer, coach, facilitator, and presenter who uses her life experiences to make learning real and pragmatic. She uses the latest research material to back up her experiences with proven concepts and models to develop people's leadership potentials using an all-embracing coaching style.

Her career history embraces working for the financial sector, utilities, container shipping, and airline business. She had roles being senior finance and customer service manager, an internal consultant, a Director of Learning, Head of Programmes, and Director of Study of Leadership portfolio which gives Maria a practical focus in her development work.

Maria takes people on a fascinating journey into the arena of self-discovery, agile and compassionate leadership, and behavioural preferences. She makes learning a practical, outcome-focused, and joyful experience.

Mark Ripley

Mark was the Director, Risk and Assurance at the Ministry of Justice, a Director in the Government Internal Audit Agency, the Group Chief Internal Auditor for the Department for Work and Pensions and the Head of the European Social Fund Audit Authority. As a Director in HM Treasury’s Government Finance Function, he led on risk and assurance across central government, advising the Civil Service Board and updating the government’s Risk Management standard (The Orange Book).

Mark is a Chartered Management Accountant – Fellow (FCMA) and a Follow of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors (FCIIA).

Non-executive Board Member, MMO

Non-executive Board Members of the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have collective responsibility for the strategic direction and overall performance of the organisation, ensuring that it is properly and effectively managed and providing stewardship for the public funds entrusted to it.

Matthew Greenough

Matt is passionate about words – and the power they have to make real and lasting change in the world. He had a successful career in politics, culminating in his role as the Chief Special Adviser in the Welsh Government. Prior to that he was the Special Adviser for Media & Strategic Communications, and the Education Special Adviser. As the most senior adviser working for the First Minister of Wales, Matt worked with politicians, officials, and external partners to help deliver the Government’s programme. He also had responsibility for writing keynote speeches and leading on high profile communications challenges. In addition to his work for Government, Matt worked in various roles for the Labour Party in Wales, including as Director of Communications for the successful 2016 Assembly elections. 

Working at the top of government in strategic, policy and communications roles has given him wide-ranging and high-level experience of: speechwriting, media handling and training, change management, crisis communications, briefing senior teams, and stakeholder management.

Matt now runs his own communications consultancy, Words Matter, providing editorial advice to the United Nations and other clients.

Maurice Diamond

Maurice Diamond is a thought leader, senior executive, economist, and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and PFM Practitioner with extensive UK and international experience.

In particular, Maurice’s career has focussed on leading change in public and third-sector organisations with the key objective being to improve stewardship in the public sector. Amongst other skills, Maurice has substantial experience in project management, business case development, public procurement and PPP.

He has advised on complex procurements in the UK, Europe, Africa and Asia covering institution building through transactional advice and monitoring and evaluation and has used this experience to provide coaching, awareness, education, public lectures and training on complex procurements for senior civil servants and ministers. Maurice is a recognised expert on PPPs and led a UNCEFACT project group authoring a recommendation on PPP in trade facilitation.

Maurice has been awarded three prestigious procurement awards, including a gold award for innovation in Procurement from the Management Consultancy Association. Maurice is accredited to deliver the APMG World Bank-sponsored CP3P qualification. 

Maurice has

• Planned managed and led projects and procurements across a range of services and in a number of countries
• Authored and reviewed Business Cases/ Feasibility Studies ensuring that they are focussed and testing that the outcome will meet the business need.
• Undertaken reviews and audits of organisational performance and governance and, where appropriate, recommended and implemented change.
• Advised on the business delivery structure of government agencies and led subsequent reorganisations, mergers or divestments.
• Reviewed existing processes, procedures and systems and staffing competencies and working together with staff to develop new processes, and define and select new financial and administrative systems.
• Managed a review and update of the HMT Green Book
• Implemented resource accounting across a range of public sector organisations including the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Defence and govt agencies
• Devised and proposed business changes for Central medical stores in a number of countries across Africa, South America and Central Asia.

Amongst other agencies, Maurice has worked for USAID, PEPFAR, SMCS (Supply Chain Management Systems), UKAID (FCDO), World Bank and its agencies such as the IFC.

Maurice has experience working in over 25 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North and South America and central, south and southeast Asia and has delivered training online to participants in many more.

Meg Munn

Meg is an independent governance consultant who specialises in parliamentary processes, political party development, gender mainstreaming and women's leadership. A governor at Sheffield Hallam University and a non-executive director of the Esh Group, she is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

She has spent fourteen years as an elected parliamentarian in the United Kingdom, including as a Minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister for Women & Equality. Before parliament Meg worked for twenty years in the social work profession; her last post was Assistant Director of Children's Services.

Meg writes and speaks on increasing the numbers of women working in science, engineering, technology and construction, and is Patron of the Women's Engineering Society. She is a member of the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s Diplomatic Excellence External Panel, an Associate of Global Partners Governance and was previously on the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union UK.

Mel Owers

Mel had an outstanding career in the UK Civil Service up until 2011 and held roles such as HR and Organisational Development Manager. He is now a Self-Employed Freelance Independent Consultant, Management Trainer, Assessor and Business Coach. He is a qualified HR Professional of over twenty years with a wide range of both strategic and operational business experience. He is an outstanding trainer who has extensive expertise in Leadership, Management & Interpersonal Skills Training used with a wide range of leaders.

Mel is an excellent communicator, who makes training participative and engaging. He is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and has the Certificate in the Psychology of Management. Mel is qualified in Coaching and Psychometrics and frequently uses them as part of leadership development. In 2012, he became a CIPD Experience Assessor and has since assessed a range of HR Directors. In 2015, he led the assessment of a large organisation’s HR function in the UAE. Due to his business credibility, he was also asked to speak at a Leadership Conference about Emotional Intelligence alongside Nick Clegg, MP.

Training, education and qualifications

• Psychometric Ability Testing & Personality Assessment (MBTi, OPQ, 16PF and EQ-i 2.0)
• Chartered Fellow CIPD
• Prince 2 Project Management
• Business Coaching 

Mitzi Wyman

Mitzi Wyman is the Founder Director, Wyman Associates Ltd, WA is a leadership development organisation working with teams and senior leaders at all levels. Mitzi works with clients to build effective, dynamic organisations, enhance board capability and cultures which are inherently inclusive, enlightening and emboldening.

Mitzi is a solicitor by background with a training in Organisational Psychiatry and Psychology, Mitzi has worked with boards and senior leaders for the past 20 years helping to enhance their leadership capability. Her focus is creating inclusive environments where true engagement, intellectual honesty, trust and transparency are expected and the norm.

She has been a Non-executive in the NHS, a regulator and academic having taught on post graduate degrees in law and business psychology. She is on the Faculty of the NHS’s Leadership Academy, the National Association of Primary Care and a board member of Public Finance by Women. Her clients include the Cabinet Office, the Judicial Office, NHS Trusts as well as corporates including Sony Pictures, Skanska and Arup amongst others. Mitzi has a particular interest in Equality and Diversity and uses her lived experience to help others to connect with the wisdom, compassion and courage that is inherent in their own story.

Naomi Korn

Naomi Korn is one of the leading UK experts in copyright, compliance, rights and licensing. Naomi is the former Chair, Libraries and Archives Copyright Alliance (LACA) from 2013 – 2017. During this period, she led the reform of the UK’s copyright laws on behalf of the cultural heritage sector, which resulted in new UK exceptions to copyright in 2014. From 2015-17, Naomi was a Trustee of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professional (CILIP), the second largest professional organisation for librarians in the world. Naomi recently travelled to China for the British Council lecturing on copyright at the UK-China conference for Commercial Enterprise and Copyright Protection. Naomi is a visiting lecturer at City University, University College London and Kingston University. In November 2017, Naomi was appointed a CREATe Industry Fellow. Naomi established NKCC in 2003, after having overseen copyright at the Tate from 2000 – 2003.

@nkorn http://naomikorn.com 

Nicki McKay

Nicki has a wealth of expertise at a senior level within a number of organisations, both public and private. As a consultant, trainer, facilitator and coach, Nicki has worked with a variety of organisations including the NHS Leadership Academy, Department of Health, Civil Service Learning, DWP, the Competition and Markets Authority, Health Education East of England, Kent Surrey and Sussex NHS Leadership Collaborative, Human Tissue Authority, Central & Cecil Housing, Delphi Automotive and Virgin Atlantic.

Nicki’s Core Specialisms Include:

• Proven facilitation skills: designing and delivering a range of development activities, from programmes for staff aimed at confidence-building and developing self-awareness, to leadership development programmes using experiential learning and feedback on observed behaviour
• Qualified coach: ILM Diploma in Management Coaching and Mentoring, with experience of coaching individuals at all levels of seniority
• Extensive experience of using psychometric tools as part of management / leadership development programmes
• Broad experience of implementing Organisation Development initiatives and best practice, including organisation design, 360 degree feedback, competency frameworks, talent management and apprenticeship programmes

Noah Curthoys

Noah possesses extensive experience in developing and restructuring organisational strategy. As the founder and Director of Bridgenor Associates, his skills include; market analysis, scenario planning and horizon scanning. These are all services that he has provided for Central Government, NGOs and institutional investors.

Noah began his career in the Civil Service as a speechwriter for HM Treasury. He then took on the roles of Chief of Staff and Policy Advisor while on secondment at the Cabinet Office. Later, he took on the position of Director of Strategy at the office of Fair Trading where he advised the CEO, Chairman and Board Executives on strategic and governmental matters.

He also redesigned the department’s strategic function; shifting the focus to horizon scanning, corporate prioritisation and Board-level support.

As well as time spent working in the private sector, including a Vice President position at Morgan Stanley, Noah has also held senior and Board positions in NHS organisations, including Chief of Corporate Affairs for NHS Coastal West Sussex CCG and Board Member for NHS Tower Hamlets CCG, which he still holds today.

Paul Grant

Having worked in the UK Civil Service for over 5 years, Paul is an expert in the UK system of government and Parliament. For well over 20 years, Paul has ran training programmes on various aspects of the British system of government – Parliament, Ministers, The Civil Service, Devolution etc., as well as on the skills required of policy civil servants working for ministers. He ran programmes across all levels of the Civil Service and the wider public sector, and as well as for clients in the private sector. 

He was also responsible the main induction programme for new entrants to the Civil Service Fast Stream and co-directed the induction programme for external entrants to the Senior Civil Service. Furthermore, whilst at the National School, he co-authored the book “Understanding British Government” and continue to provide revised versions for use on programmes run by Civil Service Learning. 

Perry Timms

Perry Timms is the founder and Chief Energy Officer of PTHR - a micro global consultancy, setting out to create better business for a better world.

Perry is an international and 2x TEDx speaker and award-winning writer on the future of work, HR & learning. PTHR is a Living Wage employer, a pending BCorp Certified Organisation later in 2021, and a Gold-Standard 4-day Working Week company.

Perry’s 2017 book Transformational HR was named one of the Top 100 Business Strategy books of all time (and was published as a second edition in July 2021), and his second book - The Energized Workplace - published in August 2020 - was shortlisted for UK Business Book of the Year 2021.

Perry’s work is influenced by human-centered, design, and systems thinking plus agile, inclusive, and autonomous ways of working that enhance personal fulfillment and organisation effectiveness.

Perry is Adjunct Professor at Hult International Business School and Ashridge Management School; a visiting fellow at Cranfield School of Management, and at Sheffield Hallam University.

Perry is a proud Chartered member of the CIPD and is a 3x member of HR Magazine’s HR Most Influential Thinkers making the top 10 in 2018 & 2019 and a 2020 Top 100 Global HR Influencer on numerous lists, a LinkedIn Learning Instructor and Fellow of the RSA.

Prof Stan Gilmour FRSA

Stan Gilmour is a Professor of Practice at the University of Keele, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, a Senior Associate Fellow with the Police Foundation (UK), and a subject matter expert with the Scopium social sciences think tank.  He leads on Evidence and Evaluation for the UK Police and Health Working Group, with a similar role for the Hope Collective social action programme. He is a Fellow of the Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts. 

Stan set-up and led the Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit and was a key consultee in developing the Serious Violence Duty. This is a new legal duty that came into effect in January 2023, it requires organisations to collaborate in sharing data to identify local strategic needs and prepare a response strategy that they will commit to in order to reduce and prevent serious violence in their area. 

Following a 30-year career in the police, Stan founded Oxon Advisory - a strategic consultancy, research, and training enterprise.  He now works nationally and internationally as an adviser, consultant, coach, and mentor to NGO’s, transnational security organisations, and governments.  This includes the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), where he is the UK lead for Risk Technology (the technology, analysis, and evidence evaluation required to prevent risks from becoming harms), within the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) where he is a Consultant in Transnational Threats.

Rebecca Rothwell

Rebecca is a professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and holds a PGCE. With over 15 years of teaching experience spanning schools, colleges and professional organisations, Rebecca communicates and coaches with exemplary use of language, grammar and writing skills. She runs Rothwell Editorial, a successful editing and writing company, and works with some incredible people.

An accomplished ghostwriter, Rebecca collaborates with high-profile clients to create truly personal memoirs and autobiographies. She is a successful author and blogger in her own right – her work has been printed in national newspapers and by some of the world’s leading publishing houses. As an editor, Rebecca works on professional documents, freeing them from clichés and stock phrases, to bring personality and accuracy to the writing.

Rebecca is fascinated with the study of linguistics and how our language choices define us, both as private individuals and public personalities. She combines her personal interest with her professional experience and honed skills to create effective, worthwhile and meaningful training sessions.

Rich Turley

Rich has a wealth of experience leading inclusive teams across the public sector following executive positions in the NHS. Local Authorities and internationally on behalf of the Saudi Government. A Senior Officer in the Royal Navy, training delivery includes over 4 years at Britannia Royal Naval College and the Royal Naval Leadership Academy. Most recently he had led the Royal Navy’s diversity recruiting programme to increase representation across the Service.

Rob Baker

Rob is a specialist in bringing positive psychology to life within organisations. He is the founder and Chief Positive Deviant of Tailored Thinking, a leading and award-winning evidence-based positive psychology, wellbeing, and HR consultancy that were named HR Consultancy of the Year 2020 by the CIPD.

Rob is world-leading when it comes to enabling and encouraging job crafting within workplaces. He is a TEDX speaker and author of Personalization at Work by Kogan Page, a practical and evidence-informed guide to applying job crafting which was a finalist at the 2021 Business Book Awards. His work, ideas, and research on how people can personalise and bring their whole and best selves to their jobs have been presented at academic and professional conferences around the globe.

Rob is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and a Chartered Fellow of the Australian HR Institute. He has a first-class Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Melbourne and continues to research and collaborate with academics from the University’s Centre of Positive Psychology.

As a senior HR leader and consultant, Rob has delivered sector-leading and award-winning people initiatives and business transformation projects working with companies across sectors ranging from multi-national banks to digital start-ups.

An avid runner, Rob has previously competed on the international stage, having represented Great Britain in mountain running and orienteering. These days, Rob runs and cycles purely for fun and reflection and enjoys outdoor (mis)adventures with his family in Durham.

Ruben Carol

While studying business management at university, Ruben attended 2 years of acting classes to help him gain presentation skills he would need as a business owner.

He had been running a successful business for 11 years when he was struck by a hit-and-run  driver while riding his motorbike. He spent 5 weeks in a coma and 6 months in hospital before coming home and continuing to run his business from a hospital bed. He was almost unable to mobilise for another 2 years, as doctors tried to save his leg. 

In January 2007 it was decided that his leg would require to be amputated.  After the amputation, later that same year, Ruben found love online and sold everything he owned to move to the UK to join the woman who became his wife.

Looking for a meaningful new career, Ruben decided to fall back on his acting training and became a casualty simulation actor and facilitator for the British military. He then took on roles in film and television and even became a radio presenter. Doing investigative work in the media led him to explore the barriers faced by Disabled People. 

He continued to learn about disability equality, the difference between the Social Model of disability and the Medical Model of disability as well as disability legislation and how it can help Disabled people, as well as being columnist with regards to barriers and frustrations of the disabled community for multiple magazines (Able, Step Forward & Disabled Motoring).

Ruben is now an established Disability Equality Trainer with over 17 years lived experience which has given him the knowledge and experience to help advocate for the disabled community. Through this extensive and varied experience he has built a solid foundation of knowledge around disability, the issues & barriers the disabled community face and taking steps to help become a part of the drive for change to make.

Here a few examples of his work:

• Providing training packages around Disability Equality to multiple large companies, including but not limited to; the Church of England, various London local authorities, UBER, C2C Rail, and Transport for London. Educating their staff on the Social Model of Disability, current legislation, the right way to assist disabled patrons and the correct language to use when conversing with members of the Disabled Community.
•  Senior managers of different organisations also attend his training sessions to learn how best to support employees with impairments and making reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
• Working with local London Councils to facilitate co-production and co-design, involving disabled people in the decisions that are made with them rather than for them
• Most recently he has started Access Auditing, assisting companies in their efforts to become more inclusive to the Disabled People by pointing out the potential barriers they may face when coming into their premises. Including office buildings, construction sites, street and road diversions.

Ruben continues to work in film and television but his passion lies in public speaking and delivering disability equality training across the UK and the Republic of Ireland

UK Training aims:

• Explore the origins and evolution of attitudes towards disability and disabled people whilst recognising their historical shifts.
• Emphasise the significance of the Social Model and its value.
• Provide a concise overview of the Equality Act, outlining the expectations for service providers in the UK.
• Foster awareness of respectful language and etiquette.
• Cultivate an understanding of creating a more inclusive environment for staff, clients, volunteers, pupils, etc.

Utilise diverse training methods such as:

• PowerPoint presentations
• quizzes
• videos
• group activities
• and discussions to enhance engagement and comprehension

Ruth Knox

Ruth Knox is currently a Senior Policy Fellow for The Health Foundation.  Prior to this she was a Senior Civil Servant in four government departments: the Foreign Office, where she was head of operations; the Home Office, where she led counter-terrorism work; the Department of Health, where she was private secretary to the Permanent Secretary and in operational roles; and the Cabinet Office where she worked in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit.

She is an expert facilitator, with a flair for bringing people together from a range of backgrounds and perspectives to come up with practical solutions to real life problems. Her extensive experience of successful collaboration with colleagues in the NHS and wider public sector, alongside her deep knowledge of project and programme management, have ensured major change initiatives have delivered positive results.

Her operational experience ranges from helping people on welfare benefits to working with the emergency services on England’s response to terrorist related attacks. It also includes knowledge of commercial and procurement activities, having reviewed arrangements in the Department of Health and the NHS, where she made recommendations for change that realised £500m in savings.

Major achievements in her former role included supporting the Department in producing the NHS Plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform. She also worked with NHS colleagues to ensure successful delivery of the Prime Minister’s key NHS service delivery targets.

Above all, her experience across some of the most important departments of Whitehall has given Ruth a total belief in the importance of the public sector and the people who work in it. She started her career in 1987 on the front line, assessing people’s eligibility for means-tested benefits. The knowledge that these early experiences gave her, of the vital role that the welfare state plays in people’s lives, have stayed with her as she undertook more senior roles, making sure that she always looked for more efficient and effective ways of using scarce resources to achieve positive social outcomes.

Sam Hill

Sam has 15 years experience in the field people analytics and strategic workforce planning as a practitioner, consultant and educator.

His primary expertise is to enable individuals and organisations to make accelerated progress on the People Analytics journey.

Sam is founder and managing consultant at Workforce Dimensions Limited who partner with organisations seeking to understand and maximise the contribution their people make to business imperatives.

He is a Senior Lecturer in People Analytics at Middlesex University and a member of the CIPD HR Analytics Advisory panel.

Sara Robinson

Sara is the founder of Sara Robinson Comms and is a multi-award-winning public relations consultant and trainer working with clients across the UK and Europe. A former print and broadcast journalist, Sara has 20 years of experience delivering campaigns for clients in a wide range of sectors. Sara is a former Institute of Directors’ Young Director of the Year and is an award-winning columnist for the Western Mail. She also regularly contributes to Business Matters and BBC radio. Sara is also a Cardiff City Councillor, representing the ward of Grangetown in the city

Seamus Gillen

Seamus started his career in local government, before moving to Whitehall as a civil servant, becoming Private Secretary to John Gummer MP, Secretary of State for the Environment, and then Private Secretary to John Prescott MP, Deputy Prime Minister. 

He moved into industry, as the Group Company Secretary and Director of Regulation at Anglian Water (later AWG) plc, and then as Head of Public Policy and Regulation at O2 plc (now part of the Telefonica Group). 

He became Policy Director at the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), where he authored a number of influential publications, including ICSA’s guidance on 'Boardroom Behaviours', and the UK Financial Reporting Council's ‘Guidance on Boardroom Effectiveness’, He also created ICSA’s successful annual Awards dinner.  He was responsible for the production of ICSA’s technical output, including its best practice Guidance Notes on boards and directors. 

Seamus runs his own governance advisory business – Value Alpha Limited – working with boards and directors around the world.  His particular focus is on board and director effectiveness.  He runs a Leadership Development Programme for company secretaries, and a fortnightly LinkedIn discussion group on governance, called Building Better Boards.

Seamus writes and speaks extensively on governance issues. He holds a Degree in Business Studies, and is an MBA and an ICSA Fellow. 

Sir Peter Thornton KC

Formerly head of the well-known Doughty Street Chambers in London, judge at the Old Bailey and in the Court of Appeal, His Honour Sir Peter Thornton QC became the first Chief Coroner of England and Wales (2012-2016).

He is now a Visiting Professor at King’s College London where he lectures on coroner law and practice. As Chief Coroner he provided national leadership for coroners, initiated extensive reforms, conducted high profile inquests and sat in the High Court on inquest appeals including the Hillsborough case. He achieved a reduction of over 50% in the number of inquests not completed within 12 months from death.

Having previously provided training for nearly 1,000 coroners and coroners’ officers, Peter Thornton now advises overseas territories on their coroner services and conducts coroner and judicial training. He has recently delivered courses in The Bahamas and The Gambia. He held a seminar on inquests at the CMJA Conference in Australia in 2018 and gave a well-received keynote speech (introduced by Chief Justice Maraga of Kenya) for the CMJA in Papua New Guinea in 2019 on judicial leadership.

He is a contributing editor of Jervis on Coroners, the leading textbook in the field.

Sophie Bryan

Sophie Bryan is Founder and Chief Workplace Culture Specialist. As a previous Director of HR and Workplace Culture, with 17 years experience within her field, she now trains, coaches, and advises on cultural transformation projects with clients in from government organisations, NHS, charities, and the private sector.

Her forte is radical organisational and personal effectiveness, and has spoken at many conferences, on podcasts, and YouTube Interviews both here in the UK and US, as well as winning awards for her work. As a FCIPD qualified HR professional, an executive, career and life coach, and an action learning set coach, Sophie brings out the best in people - including that of managing time, finding passion and purpose, and personal productivity.

Steve Ware

Steve Ware is a University of Oxford trained mindfulness expert, specialising in resilience programmes for the modern workplace.  With a 28-year career at IBM behind him (during which he burned out), he understands what it takes to build resilience and look after our most vital asset – our mental health. 

Whilst at IBM he taught his mindfulness programmes globally which were the first (and only) HR approved mindfulness-based training programmes in the entire company. 

His courses were so popular that he had a waitlist of over 500 people worldwide.  It literally changed lives, and the feedback he received was nothing short of phenomenal.  When he left IBM in 2020 Steve continue to follow his dream of improving the mental wellbeing of employees everywhere and has continued to teach his transformational courses globally, working with some of the biggest organisations in the world.

Thomas Foster

Thomas Foster joined the Civil Service in autumn 2009, in time for an inside view of the first peace-time Coalition Negotiations for almost a century. He participated in the subsequent emergency Spending Review and went on to play a role in designing the incoming government’s flagship Universal Credit policy.

Later he went on to areas as diverse as financial regulation and designing new financial instruments for private sector investors, and at the other extreme frontline management in a London Jobcentre.

In 2015 he joined the Department for Transport where he built and ran a Briefing and Public Affairs team for the rail franchising programme that oversaw one of the most active and controversial periods in the twenty year history of privatised rail.

Last year he moved to a policy and regulatory role in Local Transport where he is currently overseeing one of the biggest open data projects in UK government history and a wide-spread review of the future of regulation in the taxi and private hire sector.

Prior to joining the civil service Thomas went to Law School in York, studied Politics and Contemporary History at university and worked in a variety of private-sector fields, including high executive search and recruitment for UK based financial services companies.

Tim Petransky

Tim has worked with diverse organisations in Europe, Africa and Asia. Since growing up in Pakistan he has always had a keen interest in other cultures and perspectives. This has been enhanced since working as the Army's lead officer for engagement with BAME communities.  He has worked with Northern Trust, The National Memorial Arboretum, AMEX and Bournemouth Chambers of Commerce on the Equality Inclusion and Diversity agenda.

Tom Bryant

Tom Bryant is a distinguished expert with over 25 years of experience leading large-scale change initiatives and developing impactful learning programs for FTSE 100 companies and several world governments.

Tom holds a Master’s in HR from the US and began his career at Accenture as a Talent & Organisation Performance Consultant. He later joined the British Government's Cabinet Office (Government Digital Services) as a Senior Advisor, where he led digital skill transformation initiatives. He published the first-ever detailed Digital Skills Matrix for Civil Servants and helped establish the British Government’s first ever internal Digital Academies. Tom has also advised the governments of Malaysia, India, and Jersey on their digital capabilities.

Currently, Tom focuses on consulting in AI and Generative AI integration and transformation. He advises clients in government, higher education, financial services, and defence on AI strategy and capability building. Tom is dedicated to helping organisations and governments navigate change and develop adaptive resilience in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

Wyn Williams

In nearly 30 years of corporate experience across multiple sectors and multiple continents, Wyn has allowed his development to grow with all of his experiences becoming relevant – good and bad equally. Customers (people, teams and businesses) perceptions and needs are always Wyn’s main focus and his ethos is encompassed in everything that he does or pursues. Coaching, mentoring and leadership skills Wyn has utilised during his tenure in both the employed and self-employed worlds have augmented his development, resulting in the enormous success he has enjoyed as a leader and a manager.

Wyn’s skill set, coupled with a wealth of experience and a pragmatic approach, allows him to provide business consulting focussed on achieving growth, sustainability and performance improvement for clients and the organisations. Developing and harnessing the need to make his professional environment to focus on Commercial Empathy (CE) allows the synergy between the commercials and the leadership for growth, innovation and overall change a highly sought-after skillset (Commercial Empathy, change management and finance for non-finance managers being areas of expertise).

Wyn is also a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the ILM, an Associate of the Association of Project Managers (APM) and also an Associate of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC).

The ability to be able to combine the commercial knowledge with the leadership and management is a perfect fit.

Yasmin Robinson

Yasmin has been practicing mindfulness for several years. She has experience in holding mindfulness workshops in the workplaces in the public and private sector which have been very successful. Yasmin's has attained certificates in mindfulness training having learned the core principles. 

Yvonne Lardner

As well as being the Head of Group Communications for one of the UK’s largest independent media and marketing organisations, Yvonne Lardner is currently completing a postgraduate degree in Social Innovation at the University of Cambridge where her current primary area of research is race and leadership.

Zoë Collier

Zoë is a highly experienced, CIPD-qualified training consultant, delivering strategic advice, coaching and training in policy, strategy and communication skills. She started her career as a policy adviser to ministers in HM Treasury, where she ended up working as a Private Secretary to the Rt Hon John Major MP. Zoë moved to become a diplomat in the Foreign Office and then head of strategy at DCMS, before being appointed as a senior lecturer in policy and government at the National School of Government. It was here she discovered her passion for helping people to work more effectively and with impact and confidence.

She is a highly effective and motivational coach and trainer, and has applied her professional experience, together with her training and coaching skills, to deliver training programmes for a wide range of organisations, both in the UK and EU as well as extensively across the world.

Zoe has also worked in the private, local government and voluntary sectors, and is a published author of several short stories.

Specialisms:

• Policymaking and political thinking;
• Strategy and foresight;
• Stakeholder and citizen engagement;
• Negotiation and influencing skills;
• Advising, briefing and report-writing.

Education:

• MA (Hones, Cantab), BA (Hones) Philosophy & Law, Cambridge University
• Certificate in Training Practice, CIPD