After working in the commercial sector for the first 15 years of my career, and founding a business in 2003, I felt compelled to seek a change which aligned with my core values and principles. I have since worked in third sector organisations, tackling disadvantage and upholding the belief that someone’s past does not need to equal their future.

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I am a passionate advocate for the care-experienced community, having been CEO of Drive Forward Foundation for 4 years and witnessing firsthand the transformative effect of employment on young people. As a Trustee of Outside Thinkers, I am committed to drive positive change through our mission, and strongly believe that the community we continue to build will have a huge positive impact on its members.

I am currently a Production Director at VML, a WPP company, and a Professional Photographer.

I was fostered as a baby and eventually adopted some years later. Growing up as a black child in rural Staffordshire, I faced the challenges of a stutter and dyslexia, which shaped much of my early experiences. 

Before I finished school, my parents separated, and shortly after, my father who I lived with passed away. During those difficult years, my adopted brother gave me a piece of advice that changed my life: “Go to Art College.”

After three years at college, I embarked on my career in design and advertising. Over the years, I’ve held eight staff positions and freelanced extensively within the industry, building a career that I’m proud of. Today, I’m fortunate to be a husband and parent, able to embrace my creativity, continue learning, and thrive.

Now, I’m focused on supporting the next generation of Care Experienced individuals, helping them navigate their own paths to success.

I am a progressive and entrepreneurially minded business leader with more than 25 years’ experience in the media and advertising sector. Over that time, I have held several leadership roles including CEO of MEC UK, one of the country’s largest media agencies, Global Chief Transformation Officer at Wavemaker, one of the world’s largest media agency networks and Global Chef Data and Technology Officer for GroupM, the world’s largest media buying group.  

Prior to joining the media and advertising sector, I had an initial career in academia, and have witnessed how education can have a transformative impact on the lives of those it touches. Born into a mixed-race family in South London, I have always been a passionate advocate of DEI and have direct experience of how brilliant Outside Thinking can be when applied to business challenges.

I am soon to be 60, and young at heart. I have extensive experience of working with children, young people & their families in various voluntary, statutory and private settings, with the majority of my work career being in inner London Authorities. I have personal experience of fostering & adoption. I am a mother to two teenage boys. My field of expertise spans 40 years with and since I qualified as a social worker in 1996 I have been in management positions. 

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I’m a massive football fan and love watching my favourite team, Arsenal and when I can I try and get to watch them play. 

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I also sit on the JPS for the Hertfordshire region, in this role I am involved as a panel in the scrutiny of body worn camera footage and provide guidance of the grading of cases that come before the JPS panel. I am excited to be a trustee for Outside Thinkers. 

I am a young, pre-cliffedge biracial trustee with a unique perspective rooted in my own care experience as well as living with ADHD and dyslexia. I understand firsthand the challenges many young and especially care experienced people face and am passionate about creating a supportive, inclusive space where we feel seen, understood and belong.

With a background in boxing and personal training, I’m committed to helping others build resilience and confidence.

I'm a HR leader with a unique journey into HR work having started my career in client-facing ad agency roles. My current role as SVP, Global Head of People Experience at Just Global, Inc., allows me to shape inclusive and engaging work environments. I honed my expertise in employee experience, capability and learning at EssenceMediacom (and formerly, Essence), leading a large team to develop and deliver excellent, scalable experiences to employees around the world. I have broad experience across people practices, and I believe that the most positively impactful People teams are those that can create experiences - directly in service of the organization's mission and strategy - that attract and continue to attract the best talent. Certified as an Accredited Coach, I'm committed to developing talent and fostering an inclusive organizational culture so that people can learn and flourish at work.

Beyond what I do professionally, I'm born and raised in North London in amongst the Cypriot diaspora and now live in Cambridge with my wife and three kids. I've been lucky enough to live and work overseas a lot, with long stretches in Russia and Singapore. Growing up immersed in a variety of cultures - and coming from a place that doesn't officially exist in the eyes of most of the world (Northern Cyprus) - I am a firm believer that wisdom comes from multiple perspectives, and that is what makes me an Outside Thinker.