OUR TEAM
People
Every consultancy is measured by the success of its outcomes – and perhaps more importantly, by the reputation of its team. Here’s ours.
Al Simmonite
Managing Director
Al brings decades of military, programme and bid experience. His main focus is on creating highly effective, empowering leadership, and delivering robust team development programmes.
Outside of work, Al takes his photography very seriously, concentrating on landscape and travel.
Alexander Shakespeare
Director
‘Curiosity’, ‘challenge’, and ‘support’ describe Alexander’s style to developing, building and enabling performance in individuals, teams and organisations.
A rugby referee and sailing instructor, Alexander has a key interest in fitness – and a broader interest in what sport and business can learn from each other.
Matt Hemmings
Head of Delivery
An effective leader and professional client manager with strong business acumen and commercial awareness with significant experience in affiliate marketing. Matt's professional maturity, specialist knowledge and wide range of skills have contributed to the success of campaigns and projects for clients he has worked with.
Cassie Kirk
Finance Manager
A fully qualified accounting professional, Cassie runs all our accounts activity. She joined Advance in 2013 as a business administration apprentice, and continued her studies to become a full AAT member (MAAT).
Outside of work, she enjoys DIY, walking her dog, Diesel, and raising money for charity by taking part in local tractor runs.
Karen Duckworth
Business Operations Manager
Karen works closely with Directors and Associates on all projects, ensuring smooth execution and client satisfaction. An experienced Office Manager, Karen manages the office operations, providing client support through each project stage.
Outside of work, Karen enjoys holidays to Thailand, and quality time with family.
Deirdre Fox
Non-Executive Director
After a successful career in steel and manufacturing, Deirdre brings to Advance a breadth of business experience working in the UK and overseas, building and leading diverse teams and working across many stakeholder groups.
She has recently returned to competitive rowing which (in her view) is the ultimate team sport!
Gavin Bateman
Consultant
Gavin brings his NHS, military and Central Government experience, in complex project & programme management, governance and assurance, as well as leading multifaceted tenders to Advance with a focus on integrated programmes, successful project behaviours and team development.
Outside of work, Gavin is a School Governor, keen photographer and lover of coffee.
Olivia Carter
Consultant
With a strong background in leadership coaching and consultancy, Olivia brings a wealth of experience working across diverse sectors both nationally and internationally. Her expertise lies in building leadership and team capacity to equip them to lead effectively through complexity and change.
Outside work, Olivia enjoys running, paddle tennis, and spending time with her family.
Damian Cook
Consultant
Damian has spent twenty-five years converting innovation potential into growth, supporting organisations from single entrepreneurs to large multi-nationals.
Outside of work Damian volunteers with Mountain Rescue in the Lake District.
Simon Joll
Consultant
Simon brings his deep military and maritime experience as an innovative and experienced leader to help inspire and support others to achieve their potential and solve problems. Having worked in many international environments, including in the US and the Middle East, he has a proven record of successfully delivering change within diverse working environments and cultures. He helps link vision to strategy to delivery through supporting leaders to build strong teams, enabling individual success.
He enjoys sailing and long-distance walking with his family and their dog when the demands of getting on top of a neglected house and garden allow.
Simon Kenwright
Consultant
With 20+ years experience in leadership development, coaching, and consultancy, Simon brings a deep expertise from working across a wide range of sectors, both in the UK and internationally. He specialises in helping leaders to build both confidence and capability, enabling them to lead their teams through change with clarity, trust, and purpose.
Known for his personable, pragmatic, and strategic approach, Simon creates a safe space for growth, enabling lasting change for individuals, teams, and organisations.
Outside of his professional life, Simon enjoys travelling, music festivals, and staying active.
Norman Pitman
Consultant
Norman brings to Advance many years’ experience of successful technology services and business process sales and sales leadership. Latterly, Norman has been using his skills and experience to coach pursuit teams to qualify, shape and win multi-disciplinary engagements.
In his spare time, Norman is focused on achieving his target to visit more than 100 countries. He’s currently on 83.
Geoff Rayner
Consultant
Geoff brings a quiet determination and a deep curiosity about people to everything he does. With a background spanning asset management, startups, technology and events across Europe and Asia, he’s most at home when helping others grow - whether that’s navigating change, embracing hard things, or finding new ways to work better together.
He’s deeply interested in how culture shapes communication, how challenge builds character, and how work can be a place of both purpose and wellbeing. At Advance, Geoff helps people and teams move forward - not with flashy fixes, but with thoughtful, steady progress that sticks.
Kevin Rayner
Consultant
Kevin has deep commercial, technical and management experience gained working with some Global Fortune 500 companies. He wants to bring this experience to assist and guide professionals at all stages of their career.
Downtime is filled by studying for a genealogy qualification and walking Britain’s long-distance footpaths.
Louisa Scanlan
Consultant
Louisa brings a wealth of HR experience from her career in both SME and FTSE 100 organisations. Her passion is to develop future leaders who act with authenticity and integrity, through coaching and leadership development.
Outside of work, Louisa likes to spend time with her family and swim when time allows it.
Precious Zumbika
Consultant
Precious is a Cost & Commercial Expert, Strategic Advisor and Non-Executive Director / board member with over 20 years’ experience delivering a portfolio of high-value projects and programmes across various sectors namely, commercial, retail, mixed use, residential and infrastructure.
She is passionate about leadership as a practice, the gym, spending time with her family and enjoys podcasting where she has been a co host and guest on many occasions. She believes strongly in changing narratives and is determined to support more women into construction.
Jane Hirst
Consultant
Jane is seriously into finding out what makes people tick and using this knowledge to help them bring out their potential. Creating positive and enabling cultures through engaging leadership and management is her forte.
Outside of work Jane is refining the art of gin tasting and now has a couple of favourites!
Malcolm Wright
Consultant
Malcolm has very broad senior experience in both project and business management within the construction sector. This enables him to support Advance’s clients with his detailed understanding of their needs.
Outside of work, he has a penchant for restoring classic mopeds and is always keen to don fancy dress for a good cause.
TESTIMONIAL