Managing Director

With a career in Internal and Corporate Communications spanning 25 years, working for some of the world's most recognised brands including BAE Systems, Heathrow Airport and British Gas (Centrica). Andrew has a deep understanding of the communication skills and competencies managers, communication professionals and in fact anyone with a communication responsibility need to survive. Andrew regularly coaches communication professionals to help them progress in their careers. He is a CTI qualified Co-Active coach and has completed the NLP Core Skills programme.

Training Director

Nicole has been working as a communications professional and L&D expert for circa 30 years, supporting an impressive range of global organisations, both in-house and as a consultant. Nicole has focused her attention on corporate communications, employee engagement, leadership development and change management with special emphasis on enhancing effective communications by understanding the psychology and science behind human behaviour. Nicole is a Certified Co-Active Coach and holds a coaching diploma from CTI – the Coaches Training Institute, accredited by ICF, the International Coaching Federation.

Director of Media Training

Sukhi is a BJTC qualified practicing journalist (currently a reporter with the BBC in The Midlands), which ensures he has a comprehensive understanding of the current media landscape and is therefore as authentic a media trainer as you can find. Sukhi has worked across all formats; Print, Online, Press Agency and Broadcast. He’s covered major events both in News and Sport including the Cricket World Cup in India, South Asia Tsunami, Olympics, 7/7 London terror attacks and the General Election 2010. Sukhi has a Diploma in Coaching from the University of Warwick.

Strategy Consultant and Sustainability / Impact Specialist

Natasha is an associate trainer with The Academy and founder of Spinning Red, her Strategy consultancy. Natasha delivers workshops on Strategy, Sustainability (ESG) and Corporate Purpose. She has worked across communications, corporate and public affairs disciplines. Her early career was built on a foundation of NGO and political campaigning.  A campaigner at heart, Natasha has developed and executed high-profile thought leadership and behavioural change campaigns with the likes of Diageo, HSBC and P&G’s fabric care and beauty brands. Her approach is built on the role that reputation plays in driving business success. She is passionate about the role of business in solving issues of people and planet.

DEI Trainer and Consultant

Charlotte Butler is an Associate Trainer with The Academy, as our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion guru. With over twenty years’ experience in employee engagement and HR, in 2015 Charlotte founded her own consultancy, AltogetherDifferent, specialising in building empathy for diversity, equity and inclusion in workplaces. Charlotte and her team work with large global clients and smaller UK organisations alike to help them create a more inclusive workplace where everyone can belong.

Described as ‘revolutionary’ by clients, Charlotte’s immersive and innovative approach to diversity training provides an ‘active ingredient’ that creates meaningful change in workplaces, fast.

Digital Strategist

Tony (Tones) has enjoyed an extensive inhouse career, working in both the public and private sector, supporting some exceptional organisations including Aviva Investors and NBC Universal. This experience helped Tony understand how to develop and deliver digital strategies that actually work. He now shares this deep knowledge with some of the world’s highest profile companies in a consulting career, establishing his own consultancy and as an Associate with The Academy, to build and deliver successful digital communications strategies that support business goals and employee engagement ambitions. A self-proclaimed ‘IC Geek’, Tony delivers his strategy sessions with a personable, enthusiastic and friendly style.

Leadership and Executive Wellness coach

Louise is a Leadership and Executive coach and Associate Trainer with The Academy. Louise delivers a range of training and workshops including the Business Partnering workshop for the IoIC. Louise enjoyed an extensive inhouse career as a senior communications professional before establishing her own business LBP Wellness in 2022. Prior to that Louise was Head of Group Community Investment and Group Head of Communication, Employee Engagement and Internal Communication for BAE Systems. She is a huge advocate of the importance a strategic business partnering role plays in helping senior leaders navigate the complexity of delivering impactful communications within large and multi matrix global businesses.

AI Consultant

Tim is also an Associate with The Academy and founder of AIConfident, a social enterprise seeking to ensure that the rapid AI transformation is equitable, by helping leaders across society to responsibly embrace the transformative opportunity presented by AI. Tim brings a background of over a decade of applying AI technology to societal challenges within Government, and four years setting up the Government's Office for Artificial Intelligence.

Tim combines this extensive AI background with his leadership coaching, workshop facilitation and passion for change, in order to empower leaders to create the environment for responsible, confident use of AI technologies. 

Recruitment Director

Rebecca heads up our recruitment offering. She has enjoyed an illustrious career in Internal Communications spanning more than 20 years, working for some impressive brands including Barclays, which she joined on the graduate scheme, the BBC and H&K Strategies, before starting her second career in internal communications recruitment 14 years ago, culminating in the launch of Comms Leaders in 2015.

Rebecca focuses on senior level Internal Communication roles as well as offering exceptional career coaching support and advice to communication practitioners, especially those who are between roles or seeking to develop their career further.