Our purpose is to get every team on a mission to actually do business better.

Leadership
Atif thumbnail
Founder & CEO
Atif Sheikh
Darren
Partner and Chief Impact Officer
Darren Ashby
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Chief Financial Officer
Iain Pratt
AW B40 Oct24 82r
Chief People Officer
Lauren Newton
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Partner and Chief Transformation Officer
Kirsty Osborne
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UK Managing Partner
Salim Earle
AW B40 Oct24 92r
Chief Growth Officer
Theo Keane
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Director
Kiran Wood
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Chief of Staff
Sarah Davies
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Atif Sheikh
Founder & CEO

Founded businessfourzero in 2015 after 18 years delivering actual growth at Unilever, Diageo, in Private Equity and at iconic innovation consultancy ?What If!

Org Purpose, Commercial Strategy, Exec. Team Effectiveness, Leadership, Innovation, Marketing and - above all else - Execution.

  • Marketing & Innovation roles at Unilever, Diageo, Premier Foods
  • European CEO, ?What If!
  • Angel Investor & Board Member Dash Water, Skin & Me, Brave Snacks, LKN, Snowflake Gelato, Arrival Education

Grew up in London’s poorest borough, watching my father build a £7bn business from one corner shop. Now found building Harry Potter Lego with my two daughters, being improved by my exec coach wife, or walking the river in my hometown Henley.

Darren
Darren Ashby
Partner and Chief Impact Officer

Commercial strategy and communication, transformational leadership, culture and behaviour change, innovation.

Partner | businessfourzero
Partnering with senior leaders at Lloyds Bank, LVMH, Asda and EA amongst others - to consider the strategy and leadership approach needed to reinvent their business for continuous change.

Transformation Leader | ?What If! & EY

Helping businesses reshape strategy, transform culture, innovate or make operational change happen - Barclays, Tesco, British Gas, Electronic Artists, GSK, Unilever - amongst others.

Head Of Innovation Performance | Cadbury

Developing new propositions and improving the effectiveness of innovation across Cadbury globally.

Loads of reasons. But if I had to pick one, I really enjoy working with groups of talented leaders, particularly a group who don’t always see eye to eye and helping them to form as a team around a powerful point of view on the future. Seeing the change that you can drive for their customers and people is hugely rewarding.

I first started working with Electronic Arts just after gamers had voted them the worst company in the US. For people who love what they do as much as this group of exceptionally talented people, it really hurt. Over the course of the last five years, I have worked closely with the leadership team, helping them reimagine their business as an interactive entertainment company, developing a compelling strategic direction and building a renewed sense of purpose and energy across all of their studios. During this time, EA has nearly tripled its share price and won game of the year, and it’s only the tip of what they have in store for us.

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Iain Pratt
Chief Financial Officer
AW B40 Oct24 82r
Lauren Newton
Chief People Officer
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Kirsty Osborne
Partner and Chief Transformation Officer

Growth strategy and innovation, Business strategy, digital strategy

Redesign Manager | Accenture Innovation Centre
Along with the Innovation Centre Director I was responsible for redefining the Centre's strategic vision, the operating model and co-designed and delivered a £3M transformation of the space and software used within it.

Workshop Design Lead | Accenture Innovation Centre
Responsible for managing relationships with the c-suite of organisations to help them define and answer their key strategic challenges. Led teams in the design, delivery and facilitation of over 40 workshops; from the research of client specific concerns through to the development of impactful and engaging stimulus.

Strategy Analyst | Human Services
Part of a global team that conducted a 6-month Strategy Refresh of Accenture Human Services Digital Strategy. Researched, designed, delivered and launched go-to market 4-year strategic plan and associated financial model.

Having grown up as part of the Harry Potter generation, I not only read about magic but I am part of an ever growing society that expects magic from every organisation that I interact with. This has led me to develop a passion in helping leaders understand what magic within their organisation means. Whether it is unpicking the complex environment around an organisation to help develop a strategy that ignites their future or understanding how an organisations culture can be used to propel them forward, I thrive when presented with a ‘big question’ that needs a ‘big answer’.

A UK household retail business renowned for its customer closeness was looking to understand how they could use customer insight to bring value to the organisation. After having been round the houses of consultancies I was challenged with designing and delivering an experience to shift their thinking on the topic. By reframing the problem from a customer’s standpoint and disregarding data, I was able to shift the c-suites attitude towards customer insight. As a result, the organisation moved away from talking about the number of data points they monitored, and redefined their customer insight strategy to focus on the questions they want to answer and action about their customer.

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Salim Earle
UK Managing Partner

Worked in consulting for the past 12 years specialising in organisational change and culture transformation with large, complex, multinational organisations. I've worked across Europe, mainly in France and Spain where I put my languages degree to good use.  I currently lead our Change practice, owning our key client relationships, developing our IP and creating a supercharged team who deliver real impact. My passion lies in working with Leadership teams to cut through what needs to be done to deliver real change and commercial impact. This includes helping a retailer increase it's share price by 20%, driving a 50% uplift in colleague engagement in a global Pharmaceutical business and re-igniting the culture of a leading Telco provider.

Exec Facilitation - Purpose and Strategy Development - Change Strategy - Leadership Development - Coaching

  • Client Director - The Chemistry Group 
  • Chief Operating Officer - Undercurrent News

Country bumpkin at my core, like nothing more than a Sunday afternoon stroll with the family. Committed to a fleece in any weather.

AW B40 Oct24 92r
Theo Keane
Chief Growth Officer

Worked in transformation and innovation consulting for over 10 years with clients in Europe, US, India, SE Asia and Brazil. As Client Development Director I lead our business development and growth agenda, helping to double the size of the business in two years and break into iconic clients that include Tesco, McDonalds and Bain Capital. Prior to this role I was in the consulting team leading transformation projects with clients including IHG, Centrica, LV, Aviva and Lloyds.

Business Development. Brand and marketing. Strategic clients. Partnerships. Growth initiatives.

  • Innovation consultant, Nesta
  • Arts production and programme management, Somerset House  
  • Business change and transformation, BT Global

Birmingham to hackney to Brighton. Father of two. Once set up a hyperlocal food market which didn’t really work out.

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Kiran Wood
Director

Innovation consultant with over 20 years’ experience in unlocking new growth and ways of working for big business. A track record across sectors – from Paypal, Samsung, and Unilever, to Costa and IHG. Immersed across cultures having lived and worked in both India and the US as well as working extensively across Asia, Middle East and Europe. At businessfourzero, works closely with CEOs and their teams to develop and align on purpose, strategy and the cultural shifts required to deliver them. Pretty proud of helping Waitrose develop their convenience store strategy and engage their people to deliver it – a game-changing customer experience rolled out over 400 sites at lightning speed, and still Waitrose’ most commercially successful format.

Strategy development and alignment, insight (commercial, organisational and consumer), proposition development, leadership engagement.

  • Partner and Practice Director – What If Innovation
  • Planning Director – LoweBrand
  • Senior Planner – Guinness / Brann Worldwide

Sports enthusiast (spectating), perplexed but happy dog owner (Vizsla), founder of an e-commerce contemporary art business in India (lots of learning, not enough cash). 

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Sarah Davies
Chief of Staff

I have spent the last 15 years’ helping to increase efficiency within Global senior leadership teams in Media, Advertising and Consulting.  Delivered large scale refurbishment projects, events for 200+ people and assisted in an intricate business merger.

At businessfourzero I maximise the time and therefore efficiency of our CEO and manage the Executive Assistant team to filter efficiency throughout the business.

Extreme Administration, Team Management, and Troubleshooting.

  • Executive Assistant to the Group CEO/Chairman, Miroma & Fold7
  • Executive Assistant to Founders & Home Team Manager, ?WhatIf Innovation
  • Executive Assistant to MD & Coordination Manager, OMD Media
  • Force Control Room Operator, Gwent Police
The team
Adam
Lead
Adam Sweeney
Amy
Lead
Amy Saunderson
Noush
Design Director
Anoushka Woodhouse
Ciara
Consultant
Ciara Murphy
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Director
David Staunton
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Lead
Eleanor Goodman
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Director
Emily Kendall
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Executive Assistant
Francine Tagholm
Imo
Senior Consultant
Imogen Bunting
Jack
Lead
Jack Scanlon
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Senior Marketing Manager
Kate Chapman
AW B40 Oct24 55r
Executive Assistant
Kirsty Davison
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Middle Weight Designer
Laura Rodriguez
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Director
Lily Jacobs
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Experience Lead
Lucy Hillier
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Commercial Director
Matt Hudson
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Financial Controller
Mustajeeb Akhtar
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Senior Consultant
Olivia Parrott
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Talent Acquisition Partner
Sarah Callis
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Coach
Sophie Grenville Baring
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Lead
Sophie Marr
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Consultant
Tara McLeman
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Business Experience Manager
Vatsala Agarwal
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Lead
Anna Strumia
AW Connor 32 HR
Business Experience Manager
Conor Axe
AW Ed 32 HR
Senior Consultant
Ed Dessaint
AW Emily 58
Director
Emily Greaney
AW B40 Oct24 36r
Business Experience Manager
Keira Dempsey
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Business Experience Manager
Libby Flood
AW Marina 62
Consultant
Marina Economides
AW B40 Millie CP 37 HR
Executive Assistant
Millie Carter Phillips
AW Hector 107 HR
Lead
Hector Grenville
AW Kirsty M 77 HR
Senior Consultant
Kirsty McMurray
AW Rob 24
Senior Consultant
Rob Hansen
Coming soon
Director
Tom Wooldridge
AW Juliane 5
Executive Assistant
Juliane Schreiber
AW Harry 10
Business Experience Manager
Harry Heneage
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Director
Adam Rubin
AW Maya 64
US Operations Manager
Maya Schwarz
AW B40 Oct24 16r
Commercial Operations Manager
Mark McKenna
AW B40 Oct24 31r
Lead
Rish Dolli
AW B40 Oct24 64r
Designer
Isak Owen
AW B40 Oct24 74r
Senior People Partner
Yannah Schou
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Coach
Kate Thompson
Charlotte Williams
Charlotte Williams
Executive Assistant
Adam
Adam Sweeney
Lead

10+ years advising CEOs, Exec teams and Senior Leaders on strategy and igniting change. Along the way I’ve helped turn around an iconic retail brand, put purpose at the heart of a life assurance company and shaped a $4bn global payments business - and worked with clients based across Europe, the US and globally. At B4Z, I lead our teams to ensure every intervention creates a commercial and cultural leap forward. Clients have included McDonald’s, John Lewis Partnership, TSB and Everywoman, but I’m most proud of using purpose to help Canada Life UK tackle the later life crisis whilst maximising their business’ profitability. What gets me out of bed? Witnessing the energy, clarity and even joy that emerges when we help teams have the conversations they really need to have. 

Strategy. Innovation. Exec alignment. Culture change. Leadership development. My superpower is a flair with words, which I use to create radical clarity wherever I can.

  • Strategy in global creative and branding agencies
  • Employee no.3 at a startup
  • Innovation and culture change consulting

As a word nerd through and through, of course I have published a highly embarrassing poetry collection. Currently spending my spare time teaching my 2 year old daughter to swim, and setting up an arts foundation with my partner.

Amy
Amy Saunderson
Lead

Worked in Consulting for 4 years, with prior experience in Market Research. I came to businessfourzero with a background in ensuring customer and employee insight was at the heart of business decisions.

During my career I have worked for an array of clients, from HSBC to the AA. I helped Virgin Money to win almost £9m worth of funding to support the creation of a business banking offering that would encourage switching.

As an Consultant I make sure the whole team understands your business, create killer stimulus and design session plans to unlock the right conversations.

Human Journey Mapping. Insight and Analysis. Content creation.

  • Assistant Manager, Customer & Digital, KPMG
  • Analyst, Customer & Digital, KPMG
  • Project Executive, Customer Experience, Ipsos MORI
  • Research Assistant, Customer Experience, Ipsos MORI

Moved to the Midlands so that my partner and I could afford to buy a house. Amateur runner trying to complete a marathon without recurring injuries getting in the way! Volunteering in my local area to make sure success isn’t just for the privileged.

Noush
Anoushka Woodhouse
Design Director

Creative lead specialising in design of high impact events and outputs. Turns deep delegate journey insight into transformative spaces and experiences, and has delivered events across Europe, the US and the Middle East.

I have worked with clients ranging from Lucozade Nigeria to Reckitt Benckiser Global, from EA Games developers to GSK Corporate brand.

I’m most proud of the event experiences we created for EA Games that provoked truly new thinking for a group of uber-confident developers and helped reanchor them to the joy of gaming as their core motivation for the work they do.

Delegate journey design. Creating high impact visual narratives that create emotional responses and stimulate the conversations that need to happen. Holistic space design, from graphics, to staging, to lighting.

  • FMCG Designer at Blue Marlin
  • Innovation Lead at Haines McGregor
  • Creative Lead at ?What If!
  • Freelance graphic designer (Storm, Toucan, Interbrand, William Grant and Sons, Bloom)

Work plus travel has taken me to over 65 countries, including teaching arts and crafts at schools in Wisconsin, and pro bono work in Australia. Festivals. Oil painting. Cinema and galleries (by myself for downtime!).

Ciara
Ciara Murphy
Consultant

Achieved a first-class MSc in Management from one of the top business schools in the UK. Designed and delivered multiple 100+ person events putting human journey design at the heart. I am a Business Manager at businessfourzero, ensuring our client experiences are seamless, running project teams and managing budgets. I am most proud of the work to help the Simplyhealth exec team launch their new leadership expectations.

Project management. Event design and logistics. Client relationships. Effective communication

  • Junior Project Manager, Bioself Technology  
     
  • Domestic Project Manager, Pod Point

Lived in the West Midlands, the North and the South. Once was a tennis coach in America, spending every day in 35-degree heat with no shade will teach you perseverance.

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David Staunton
Director

11 years of consulting in Strategy, took me into Innovation and testing strategies out in the real world, living in Toronto for 2 years and working across the US and Canada. At businessfourzero, I help Exec teams take real ownership of their own direction. I love working in the space between deep strategy work and the Purpose and culture that brings it to life. I’ve led engagements with clients including Tesco, Abrdn, Bain Capital and the AA.

My favourite project? I helped a bricks and mortar family-owned retailer launch a digital subscription business through their new Innovation team. They’ve since featured on Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies in Canada for 3 years in a row.

Purpose & Strategy development. Commercial POV. Getting the best out of others.

  • Senior Manager, Monitor Deloitte (UK & Canada)
  • Growth Manager at Virgin Media (seconded)
  • UK Buying Manager at Cable and Wireless Worldwide (now Vodafone)

Bristol to Manchester to LA to London. Soon-to-be first-time dad (all advice welcome!)

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Eleanor Goodman
Lead

Worked in marketing and strategy for businesses big and small, from financial services to high growth e-commerce start up. Designed and delivered strategy and culture interventions for exec teams and senior leaders on purpose, leadership and engagement. Delivered projects for US and Japanese businesses, worked in digital marketing for a US Country Music fest.

At businessfourzero I design cut through stimulus and human-centered journeys with clients that include Tesco, Beam Suntory, McDonalds and LBS. I’m most proud of the work with LBS to define their purpose for commercial and social impact and design the journey to bring the business on the journey leaving 95% of leaders feeling completely committed to the purpose and what they stand for.

Strategy mobilisation. Cut through stimulus. Human journey design.

  • Head of Operations at art e-commerce start up
  • Head of Exhibition for Art Biennial
  • Marketing comms at Baillie Gifford

Obsessed with contemporary fiction and how people write about photography. Beautiful stationery is my weakness.

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Emily Kendall
Director

Strategy consultant at businessfourzero for 6 years. I work alongside Exec teams to define Purpose, Strategy and Culture that will deliver commercial growth and positive societal impact. In my time at B4Z, I’ve delivered work for global clients in the US, Hong Kong, Middle East and Europe, and led our project teams with Reckitt, Tesco, Bain Capital Europe, and Beam Suntory amongst others. When it comes to impact, I’m most proud of the work I have done with Tesco putting their purpose into action, and leading the work on their net zero strategy. Share price jumped 5% following new purpose and strategy announcement to market. 95% of their 400,000 colleagues are excited about Tesco’s new direction. And individuals everywhere are making changes that ladder up to big carbon reduction impact.

Strategic direction. Purpose driven change. Making culture change happen.

  • Consultant and Senior Consultant at businessfourzero
  • Business Manager at businessfourzero
  • Team Assistant at businessfourzero
  • Founder of student pop up lunch spot Beetbox
  • M.A. in behaviour change

Grown up in entrepreneurial family. Trained as a chef. Panicking about climate change. Member of the Client Earth Next Gen Board.

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Francine Tagholm
Executive Assistant

8 years producing and project managing in the media industry, followed by a decade as an EA supporting CEOs and leaders in the Consulting sector. 
Project managing Government-funded learning products & advertising campaigns in my previous career - I now support Leaders/Directors working with clients across Europe, the Middle East and America.

At B4Z I was EA to our CEO when the business started and supported Atif and the Leadership Team to establish and grow the business. I now work part-time supporting our Directors with their busy diaries, and our marketing team helping to arrange and execute regular events with our growing network.

I am most proud of playing a small but important part in establishing B4Z as a cutting-edge boutique consultancy, with a kind and driven team, who are creating real impact for our clients and in the world.

Supporting leaders to lead. Project management/Event management. Creating calm in a storm. Diary Tetris.

  • PA to European Business Leader & UK CEO, ?What If! Innovation
  • Digital Project Manager, TMW
  • Project Manager, BDP Learning

A multi-tasking control freak, who has honed these skills in the media industry, the consulting world and now as mum to 2 little rascals.

Imo
Imogen Bunting
Senior Consultant

As a Business Manager I love having the opportunity to have complete oversight of the end-to-end project and work alongside my internal team and client team counterpart to deliver the project outcomes efficiently and effectively. On completion of my degree in economics I am equipped with a set of tools that allow me to analyse commercials and manage delivery risks to ensure a project is delivered on time and on budget. I have experience working on projects and events across Europe, Asia, and America; A highlight of my time at businessfourzero has been running a virtual SLT event across four time zones - witnessing the entire team connected and excited about their purpose was extremely rewarding.

Project management, client relationship management and event delivery

  • Project Managing Global Clients: Tesco, Beam & Bain Capital

Following my undergraduate graduation I trained as a chef, although this career didn’t quite work out for me...

Jack
Jack Scanlon
Lead

I’ve always wanted to work with the world’s biggest businesses, and I’ve spent 3 years working all the way from the Exec boardrooms right down to helping the frontlines change faster than the world around them. I've been lucky enough to work with some of our biggest global clients including abrdn, IHG and Reckitt – running Exec workshops to 700-person events. At businessfourzero I design the client journey and create insight-based content that delivers breakthrough impact for our clients. My proudest moment was facilitating a series of behaviour change sessions with Yorkshire Building Society’s sales function that led to a 200% increase in sales referrals the following quarter.

Client management. Behaviour change. Leadership development. Insight stimulus.

  • Team Lead of Business Managers, businessfourzero
  • Co-founder, Holmwood Investments
  • Mentor, Mad Millennials

Born in Dublin, bred in Brighton. Slowly learning Spanish. Love-hate relationship with Arsenal FC. Currently spending a lot of my free time helping my brother launch his new VR business in London.

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Kate Chapman
Senior Marketing Manager
AW B40 Oct24 55r
Kirsty Davison
Executive Assistant

Almost a decade spent organising Executives and keeping busy offices running smoothly. My skills have developed over the years by working in different environments, from accountancies to recruitment and one of the biggest property and marketing design agencies in London. I’ve managed offices and executives across three continents and helped open an office and relocate a UK Team to Chicago in 2019.

My job is to create and happy, functioning and welcoming environment that both staff and clients can enjoy whilst coordinating the diaries for two of our busy Directors. A career high for me will always be successfully and safely completing two office moves in 18months, one of which was during the height of the pandemic.

Diary tetris. Office management. Employee wellbeing.

  • Office Manager & PA, Stanton House
  • Office Manager & EA, Sectorlight
  • New Business and Service, XDT-UK

Self-proclaimed wine connoisseur and lover of cheese, still learning the art of being swan-like when things move at 100 miles an hour.

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Laura Rodriguez
Middle Weight Designer

After earning a master’s degree in Interior and Spatial Design in London, I’ve focused on building a career in design and customer experience. As the Director of Design and Communication for Make-a-Wish Colombia, I created social media strategies, led community engagement, and planned events to raise awareness and funds for the organization.

In the UK, I worked as a Creative Assistant for Celebration In A Box, organizing high-profile, custom events. Later, I moved into design consulting, helping bring creative ideas to life for events and styling projects in Colombia and the USA.

Graphic Design. Experience Design. Design Thinking. 

- Director of Design and Communication, Make-A-Wish, Colombia.
- Design Consultant, Wedding with Eliana, Colombia-USA.
- Creative Assistant, Celebration In A Box

Arrived from Bogota, Colombia to London for a 6-month internship. Ended up getting married and staying for a little longer.

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Lily Jacobs
Director
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Lucy Hillier
Experience Lead

Bringing fresh perspective from client side, having worked in the FMCG industry for over a decade, in a breadth of roles across George at Asda, Unilever and Boots. At businessfourzero I craft the end-to-end client journey to help teams transform their business with pace and creativity. Prior to this role I was part of the senior leadership team at George and worked on everything from; strategy planning and change, to large scale organisation design, to culture and engagement. I’m most proud of the work I led that helped George drive cultural momentum, generating an improvement in colleague engagement. This involved working with global teams to design and land cultural initiatives and events across in-country home offices.

Client experience ‘feet on the ground’. Leadership alignment. Project management. Cultural initiatives.

  • Business planning & change, George at Asda
  • Brand & marketing, Unilever
  • Commercial graduate & under-graduate schemes, Boots

Studied in Nottingham. Lived in Ibiza. Married. Food lover. Keen traveller. Mini poodle called Louis.

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Matt Hudson
Commercial Director

Leadership, change and innovation consultant for over 13 years. Working with senior leaders to create the right environments for their people to thrive and business to grow. From Swindon to LA, delivered local and global projects with clients like DHL, Nationwide, British Gas, Aviva, IHG Hotel Group, Esure, Tesco and more. I am really proud of the mobilisation work we did with Esure during the Nov 2020 lockdowns; generating real momentum for their leaders who were stuck at home. I then got the opportunity to go join the internal transformation team for 3 months, supporting the Chief Transformation Officer, it is something I am really proud of and I learnt loads doing.

Strategy mobilisation, leadership team development, change management programmes, individual behaviour change, business storytelling and digital innovation.

  • Change Lead - businessfourzero
  • Support to Chief Transformation Officer – Esure
  • Insight and Innovation Strategist – Freelance
  • Business Lead – businessfourzero
  • Programme/Business Manager - businessfourzero
  • Lead Producer - ?What If! Innovation

I love learning about people. Human beings are fascinating creatures, and how we interact in the modern world is a huge focus of what I care about in my life. I am a yoga practitioner and teacher. I love learning from Indian philosophy, yogic energy techniques as well as developing an understanding of brainstem function and human anatomy. I am a seeker of understanding what it is to be human in the world.

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Mustajeeb Akhtar
Financial Controller

Financial reporting, due diligence, audit, start-ups, bootstrapping, business partnering, effective execution.

Head of Finance | Lenstore.co.uk
Built the Finance Department from the ground up, putting in place key processes and controls. Responsible for managing the department spanning from day-to-day activities to reporting, business partnering and evaluating the business’ performance. Managed financial due diligence and post-acquisition integration for when the business was acquired.

Associate | Grant Thornton UK LLP
Led audit engagements from planning to completion as the main point of contact for the client throughout the engagement. Audited clients across various industries including IT Services, FMCG, Financial Services and Charities with turnover ranging from £6m to £700m.

I thrive on seeing hard, tangible change. From driving progress and getting things done, to looking back and reflecting on the journey - the results delivered, the lessons learnt, the people met – all leave me thinking “wow, we did that”.

Joined one of the fastest growing startups in the UK fresh out of qualifying as an Accountant. Built the Finance Department from grass roots level and saw it all the way through the due diligence process when it was acquired by one of the largest optical players in Europe.

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Olivia Parrott
Senior Consultant

I studied Physiology at Leeds university before working at a pharmaceutical consultancy, which specialised in Medical Affairs. Worked with a variety of clients, including Astra Zeneca, Novartis and Takeda, where I event managed training sessions in the UK and internationally. Since joining businessfourzero, I have worked with a range of clients, whether it be working with Tesco on their strategy mobilisation, or with McDonald’s People Team, I love being able to make a real difference in my work and see the impact we can create. No day is ever the same, but my role is centred around day-to-day project management, owning logistics, and supporting the team with whatever they need, whether it being delving deep into some research, or helping create stimulus. I am most proud of the work we did with Reckitt on their Global Leader’s Event, the scale of production was our biggest yet, we created visceral and immersive exhibitions, cut through stimulus and guided the client through the whole journey.

Project and Event Management. Research and insight gathering. Stakeholder communication.

  • Placement year working for a start-up Luxury LGBT travel company in Sales and Marketing
  • Project Assistant, One MSL
  • Business Manager, businessfourzero
  • Consultant, businessfourzero

Totally food obsessed, both eating and talking about it, and love sport, especially skiing (and the après!). Was selected to be on the GB Skeleton team at the age of 18, but decided university was the best path for me!

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Sarah Callis
Talent Acquisition Partner

Often being the first port of call – the impact that I’m able to have on everyone I meet in the initial stages of our interview process is critical. I lay the foundations of what people can expect and use my ‘killer instinct’ (as was once said) to identify who and what our business needs across each role and practice area. I thrive on spotting that golden nugget of brilliance in people. As our business grows, I feel committed and energised about diversifying our talent pool and strengthening relationships that span the globe and am particularly excited to speak to those who think a little more ‘zig when the world zags’ and who are going to challenge our thinking to do even better work.

Passionate people person and talent acquisition specialist who loves to create new and exciting opportunities for people. Being the catalyst to building brilliant teams and strengthening cultures. 

  • Interim Head of Ops & Vaccinator - Hospital of St Charles Covid Clinic
  • Talent Lead - businessfourzero
  • Creative Consultant - Grace Blue, Global Executive Search
  • EA to Founder & Global Commercial Manager - ?What If! Innovation
  • EA to Global CEO – Brand Union (part of WPP’s Brand & Design business)
  • EA to Worldwide Creative Director, Sir John Hegarty – BBH, Leading Global Advertising Agency
  • Int’l Marketing Manager - Virgin Records America Ltd

26 homes and 13 schools. Dreamt of the big lights only to have had my TV career quashed when I was dropped at the 11th hour from being that kid in the “Mild Green Fairy Liquid” TV ad! Fun times partying with George Michael and Bowie and shopping with Sir Mick – and yet my biggest achievement yet has to be, being Mummy to my girls, Coco & Indigo.

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Sophie Grenville Baring
Coach

Organisation transformation, transformational leadership, brand building, proposition development, innovation, insight, leader facilitation, executive coaching.

Director and Managing Director | ?What If! Innovation
Led teams in both the Inventing and Transformation business to create momentum behind Innovation: Innovation Strategy, Process, Behaviours, Organisational Structure: Pernod Ricard, AbbVie, Tesco. Also responsible for people and culture, implementing significant internal restructure and change.

Director of Brand and Product Innovation | Yellowhammer, Leo Burnett, BANC
Focus on brand development, led strategy to create growth and employee engagement: Kelloggs, GlaxoSmithKline, Proctor and Gamble, BBC, Abercrombie and Kent.

I believe that there is much untapped potential sitting in every business. To unlock it takes clarity of purpose, strong relationships, self-awareness and the right processes and skills to get the best out of each and every one of us. A career that has involved working in many teams, both at a leading business level and project level. This has created a passion for finding ways to foster genuine collaboration and commitment to deliver the right impact, and to foster a working culture that is enjoyable, rewarding and commercially successful. That applies to both our clients and our B4.0 team and requires ingenuity, structure, insight and experience.

Partnering with a tech hardware giant to establish the new businesses that would launch them as leaders in emerging markets. By re-expressing their core assets, and elevating their printing proposition from a business of paper and ink to a business of information exchange, we unlocked new revenue opportunities for the core brands, and created a strategic vision that inspired the wider business to make these possibilities a reality.

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Sophie Marr
Lead

Been in the business from the early days. Spent 5 years specialising in helping businesses define purpose, strategy and culture. Working with teams at every level to argue out and align on a clear and compelling direction that helps transform businesses, delivering both commercial growth and positive social impact. Began my career in Zambia working with small local businesses. Now at businessfourero I work with large global players such as Reckitt, abrdn and L&G, designing human journeys and creating cut-through stimulus to drive real impact.

Strategic direction. Purpose-driven change. Leadership engagement. Stimulus & human journey design.

  • Consultant, businessfourzero
  • Business Manager, businessfourzero
  • Founders Trainee, Streetbees
  • Junior Business Consultant, ICS, Zambia

Music obsessed, festival lover. If I’m not dancing or running to my favourite track, I’m cooking up a storm, planning my next trip or cooing over my ragdoll cat Pria.

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Tara McLeman
Consultant

Born into a Franco-English family, people and culture have always been my thing. My degree in Anthropology led to work in international development where I project managed financial solutions for UN agencies worldwide. At businessfourzero, I use my project management skills to support businesses deliver people-driven change. Last year, I managed Exec workshops and a Senior Leaders Event for a UK Building Society. It was incredible to feel the energy and excitement as their team gained clarity on the new Blueprint and to see the progress that they’ve already made to drive the business forward and deliver on their Purpose.

Project and events management. Team organisation. Stakeholder communication.

  • Project Supervisor, International Institutions and Donor Assurance, BDO UK LLP
  • Sports Programme Lead, University of Bristol
  • Arts Project Officer, University of Western Australia

Volunteered as a swimming instructor whilst studying in Perth, Western Australia. Now a self-professed lockdown cyclist and aspiring triathlete – just need to get into running! I’m also a big foodie and love to cook, so always keen to hear others inspiration in the kitchen and recipe recommendations.

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Vatsala Agarwal
Business Experience Manager

Attained an MSc in Organisational & Social Psychology from the London School of Economics in 2022, I have a keen interest in Change Management, Organisational Culture, and Employee Well-being, which led me to choose businessfourzero. My background in Human Resources, and Psychology gives me a nuanced view towards human behaviour and helps me build diverse and lasting relationships. Growing up and having worked in an Indian business family helps me bring new and multicultural perspectives into the incredible work that we do.  

As a Business Manager at B4Z, I am responsible for end-to-end project management of our teams to ensure their efficiency and effectiveness, so we can achieve seamless client journeys and as of present have worked with 9 different clients. I am very proud of my recent contribution to the ITP Aero & Colgate Projects in aligning their leadership team and helping them gain clarity towards a common future direction.  

Expansive Thinking. Insightful Perspectives. Interpersonal Relationships. Experience-Driven Solutions.

  • Worked in multiple Indian firms as an HR Associate. 
  • Experienced in leading and coaching multiple teams at university-level. 

Intrigued by the human psyche and successful businesses. Love to sing, was in an Acapella and am perpetually humming a tune. I once wanted to pursue Tennis professionally, but went on an intense academic journey instead. 

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Anna Strumia
Lead

With a background in Behavioural Science, for over 7 years I've been exploring its practical applications in Tech, Sales, Public Policy and Management Consulting.

I've designed and delivered transformation and behaviour change programmes at scales ranging from Exec teams to global businesses. I work closely with CEOs and senior stakeholders, coordinating and supporting project delivery.

Throughout my career I've loved working with international industry leaders and world-leading academics, and since joining businessfourzero I've had the chance to work with Italian, American, Japanese, and British businesses.

At b4z I'm a Senior Consultant, helping shape the work we deliver for clients including Bain Capital Portfolio Companies and Sainsbury's. From understanding the commercial and operating aspects of a business to crafting stimulus and experiences, I get to play across the strategic, human and creative sides of our work.

One thing I'm really proud of is the work I did as part of the city of Rome's Behavioural Public Policy office, where I ran projects in partnership with government bodies and pioneering researchers to change behaviours in the city's over 4M citizens. Our small unit's work and set up was a first in Italian history, and I was invited to co-author a chapter in the academic publication "Behavioral Public Policy in a Global Context" to share the impact we had and the innovation we introduced.

Human insight. Behaviour change. Culture change. Experience & Human Journey design. Leadership & business engagement.
 

  • Senior Behavioural Science Consultant, Inizio (UK)
  • Behavioural Science Consultant, MIDA (IT)
  • Associate Behavioural Expert, Office of Behavioural Policy in the Municipality of Rome (IT)

Born and raised in Italy, I'm very serious about my gelato. You'll find me smiling the biggest when I'm at the top of a mountain with friends, although I'll probably be the last one to get there, and when I'm off exploring the world, just me and my backpack.

 


 

AW Connor 32 HR
Conor Axe
Business Experience Manager
AW Ed 32 HR
Ed Dessaint
Senior Consultant
AW Emily 58
Emily Greaney
Director
AW B40 Oct24 36r
Keira Dempsey
Business Experience Manager

 Have been a little bit here, there and everywhere, following my passion for languages. Finished school and moved straight to Austria to start university- had a massive personal growth moment when I realised it wasn’t for me and came back to Bristol. Completed my degree, even with my year abroad in covid- and spent time teaching children and young adults English - always bringing energy into the room. After this, I made the biggest jump ever and moved to London. 

Started my ‘adult’ career path in tech and AI, working closely with executive teams to implement tech into their organisations and overseeing those projects with a small team across the UK and mainland Europe. Realising that I can click with someone, regardless of their professional title gave me the confidence to embrace another path! 

 Being a Business Manager at businessfourzero entails serving as a proactive driver within the project team, while also assuming the role of a strategic thought partner. Driving the creation behind game-changing experiences comes as an exciting part of the role, ensuring any moment, big or small, has the groundbreaking impact we strive to deliver. This means being an energy bunny- always pushing the team forward whilst making sure everything is communicated clearly, to all participants of the project. 

 One of my proudest achievements during my time at B4Z has been witnessing the tangible impact our initiatives had on the top 200 in AXA XL in New York. Our primary goal was to curate an exceptionally meaningful experience that fostered a strong sense of connection to the new purpose we collaboratively crafted with the executive team months prior. Initially, they were apprehensive to participate, however, after the two days, we struggled to get them to leave and stop talking about it (we were going to get kicked out the venue!) 

Project and Experience Management and Design, stakeholder engagement, research gathering, powerpoint-fixer! 

  • HR Manager, Ad-Hoc Translator and English Coach, Austria 
  • British Council English Teacher, Austria 
  • Account Executive, London 
  • Business Manager, London 

Left home 5 days after turning 18 and ventured to Vienna. Ended up teaching English and training as a sommelier. Moved back to Bristol, followed by London but my heart always yearns for Austria. Love to embrace the unknown and do something a little spontaneous! 

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Libby Flood
Business Experience Manager
AW Marina 62
Marina Economides
Consultant
AW B40 Millie CP 37 HR
Millie Carter Phillips
Executive Assistant
AW Hector 107 HR
Hector Grenville
Lead

Being a top performer at Amazon for 4 and a half years helps me get results as a consultant because I understand what it’s really like to work in a big business. I’ve experienced that making change happen is hard and doing it whilst delivering commercially is even harder. I also ran Bolt Business’s (Uber competitor) Global Strategic Partnerships Team before becoming a consultant.

At businessfourzero I lead delivery teams on strategic and cultural change projects. Key projects include an 18-month direction reset with M&G Plc, where we got 90% of Senior leaders being clear focused on their role in delivering the strategy, and re-writing One Savings Bank’s strategic narrative and launching it to senior leadership in only 8 weeks.

I enjoy the challenge of helping leaders make complicated things simple and communicate them straight forwardly so that people can understand, care and act.

Strategy and business model articulation, Commercial vision, Team Effectiveness, Facilitation

  • Management Grad Scheme at Amazon
  • 2 promotions in Amazon’s Retail Business
  • Lead Bolt’s (Uber competitor) Global Strategic Partnerships Team
  • 2 years consulting experience, working with clients including Amazon, M&G Plc, Sainsburys, One Savings Bank

Love travelling (particularly accompanied by a surfboard to hard-to-get-to places with good waves), playing the piano, tennis, restaurants, films, the outdoors.

 

Mentoring young people with 1 Million Mentors (check it out and join us! https://onemillionmentors.org.uk/)

AW Kirsty M 77 HR
Kirsty McMurray
Senior Consultant

Prior to joining businessfourzero, I spent seven years as a Managing Consultant, leading change strategy and adoption for global Agile and tech transformations. But while completing a strategic review for a UK charity, I realised I wanted to focus more on organisational purpose and impact. And that’s what brought me to businessfourzero!

 

A typical day for me might involve designing Executive Team sessions or large-scale leadership events, facilitating behaviour change sessions or creating provocative exhibitions that will help employees connect with the case for change.  

 

I’ve worked with great clients like AXA XL, Hiscox, M&G, First Hawaiian Bank, and a global healthcare company, bringing our blend of human, commercial, and creative thinking to the table.

Human insight, human journey design, and actually making culture change happen.

Senior Consultant at businessfourzero (2 years)

Managing Consultant at Clarasys (7.5 years)

Recruitment Consultant (1.5 years)

I worked remotely in Croatia in 2022, and still pine for the morning sea swims and weekend island hopping. I’m a complete convert to pebble beaches over sand!

AW Rob 24
Rob Hansen
Senior Consultant
Coming soon
Tom Wooldridge
Director
AW Juliane 5
Juliane Schreiber
Executive Assistant
AW Harry 10
Harry Heneage
Business Experience Manager

I’ve spent the past 4 years either creating or joining new businesses and learning how to make them work. This has ranged from a university nightlife production company to a peer-to-peer marketplace reselling school equipment. Through this, I have managed to develop strategic planning and implementation skills and shape an entrepreneurial drive into something more analytical. I enjoyed the process of researching all aspects of a business opportunity and trying to actually make it happen!  

Since joining businessfourzero, I’ve been lucky enough to work with a range of clients, helping to design and deliver a new purpose, strategic drivers and set of behaviours. From a bank in Hawaii to an Insurance firm here in the UK, every day brings something different! I’ve loved being part of dynamic teams and making real differences in big businesses. As an analyst, my role is particularly diverse - I ‘helicopter in’ to provide assistance to teams wherever needed. This can involve helping to uncover human insight through research and gathering creative stimulus or helping the team design game changing experiences for our clients. 

I’m most proud of my contribution to M&G’s 800-person people manager’s event, where we helped the GLT launch their new purpose and facilitated delegates to 'say what needs to be said'. 

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Adam Rubin
Director
  • Nearly 20 years of growth strategy & innovation, corporate innovation capability & culture building, strategy & creativity leadership coaching. 
  • Led projects across sectors, including GSK - core strategic opportunities, Newell Brands - innovation operating model, and Samsung Electronics - cross-category consumer solutions, among many others. 
  • At businessfourzero, I work with clients to understand their needs and design bespoke engagements, and then I oversee their delivery. As part of the NA leadership team, I grow our impact and develop our team on this side of the pond. 
  • Transformed clinical trials in critical treatment development to be more patient-centric and productive; designed and deployed innovation operation models in Fortune 100 companies across sectors to boost bravery, efficiency, and impact. 
  • Leveraging my career in growth strategy & innovation, I help leaders define their company’s purpose, strategic opportunities, and cultural enablers. 
  • Through extensive experience designing and deploying effective methods and processes, I help the world’s biggest companies be more creative, calculating, and collaborative. 
  • Executive Strategy Director & Head of Innovation Enablement @ Frog Design 
  • Senior Director, Innovation & Strategy @ Capgemini Invent 
  • Consumer Strategy Practice Lead, Associate Partner @ Fahrenheit 212 
  • I enable leaders and teams to maximize their impact through strategic, creative problem-solving and effective collaboration. 
  • I transform corporate innovation into a better, more reliable source of growth. 
  • I accelerate my clients’ innovation agendas through support in every process stage. 
  • Lover of the outdoors, whether hiking on trails, skiing on the slopes, or canoeing on rivers. 
  • I am passionate about chess, whether playing rapidly online, over the board in local tournaments, or casually late at night with friends. 
  • I am obsessed with art and the creative process as both creator and consumer. 
  • My job #1 is as a father to Mila & Romy, whom I love to cook for, read to, snuggle with, and watch grow. 
AW Maya 64
Maya Schwarz
US Operations Manager

Started off a publicist before pivoting to my true passion: harnessing the power of people. I’m committed to focused change through a human centered approach. Building trust with leaders while also hearing the voices of their people, I'm on a constant pursuit to leave every person, team, organization, and situation better than I found them.

Seized the opportunity to join businessfourzero as the first US-based team member, on a mission to spread our impact globally. I’ve hustled to rapidly grow our business ashore — focusing broadly across external and internal initiatives — always crafting a way to smash the next target, build our stellar team, and deliver seamless client experiences.

Project management. Unlocking supercharged teams. Finding moments for joy. Firefighting. 

People Ops at technology start up

Publicist at global PR agency

Avid believer in (almost) everything in moderation. Chronically overdressed. Still remember that one thing you told me years ago.

AW B40 Oct24 16r
Mark McKenna
Commercial Operations Manager

Depth of experience across global businesses and startups in the digital landscape. Part of growing Accenture Interactive (Song) through a larger period of M&A market entry into the global leader in digital marketing.

Operations Manager for first of it’s kind Virtual Reality, Art gallery and exhibition platform, building towards Miami and London Frieze Art fairs.

I’m most proud of being part of one of the largest scale digital landscape transformation at Accenture.

Commercial analysis, reporting and people focused resourcing.

Analyst at Accenture Interactive

Operations Manager at Votic.art

Commercial Operations Manager at JourneyHR

I’m a huge dog fan, I regularly walk them alongside my own and would own a kennel if I could.

I listen to too many football podcasts and about 5% of me thinks I could still be a Premier League coach.

AW B40 Oct24 31r
Rish Dolli
Lead
AW B40 Oct24 64r
Isak Owen
Designer
AW B40 Oct24 74r
Yannah Schou
Senior People Partner
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Kate Thompson
Coach

Founding leadership team at businessfourzero, after 15 years strategy, innovation and brand consultancy in US, EU and UK. My background in behavioural science, commercial growth and design thinking helps me bring a human, commercial and creative lens to the work I do. Delivered impact across FTSE 100s inc. BP, Pernod Ricard, RBS, M&S, Diageo, Aviva and Unilever – but particularly proud of helping IHG’s Exec define a stretching 3-year direction that led to their fastest net system-size growth in a decade. Currently running a randomised control trial at the LSE to explore the impact Purpose has on our body’s physiological reaction to stress. Ultimately, I love helping people and businesses get deeply clear and committed to a direction that will let them do well and do good.

  • Strategy, innovation & brand consulting at ?What If! (now Accenture), BBDO & Saatchi’s
  • Applied Behavioural Scientist (MSc) & accredited Executive Coach (AOEC)
  • businessfourzero: founding Leadership Team; Talent Director; Strategy Practice Lead
  • Board Member: several NGOs, social enterprises & government committees striving to close the gender opportunity gap

Half American, half Swiss. Massive Christmas fan. Slightly freaked out by condiments. Belief that it’s about being kind and working hard. Mother of two little girls who blow my socks off.

Charlotte Williams
Executive Assistant
Charlotte Williams

I have been in the business of creativity since I left school, through my Art Foundation degree at the Camberwell College of Art, to my degree in Theatre Prop Design [from Brighton University], to three years managing operations for Prop Works. I support all to do this, that and the other.

I thrive working in teams, using creativity [and plenty of determination] to solve problems and oil the wheels - team logistics/ travel/ event planning - at businessfourzero.

Propworks – Workshop Supervisor, leading day-to-day operations

Hyperactive London – Event Support Exec, Production Asst., Account Exec.

Fold 7 – Office Asst., managing reception, office ops, and finance team support.

Marie Claire - Intern/ researcher in the editorial team.

Grew up in London. Love to travel, particularly around SE Asia, and box [not at the same time]. Lots of love for the animals in my life, especially two miniature donkeys [Spud and Teasle] and Pickle, my canine companion [IYKYK].