The Leaders Council Podcast

Andrew Rooney is a director at Rooney Fish, a family-run business based in Kilkeel, Northern Ireland, which specialises in catching, preparing and processing the finest fish caught from the waters surrounding Ireland. Having traded since 1975, Rooney Fish is now a second-generation family business with Andrew playing an active part in its running. In 2014, the business recently fulfilled a long-te...

Mary Quicke is the managing director at Quickes Traditional Ltd, a farming and cheesemaking business in Devon dating back as far as the 16th Century. Mary Quicke has been involved in running of the family business since 1987 when she took over as MD. Under her leadership and using its traditional recipes and time-honoured techniques passed down through many generations, the business continues to c...

Laurence Conisbee is founder and owner of Wharf Distillery, Northamptonshire’s only grain to glass distillery, and England’s smallest whisky distillery. He launched the Wharf Distillery business in 2009, and continues to run the company today. It is a speciality producer of small batches of English whisky, single malts, gin, brandies, rum, vodkas and liqueurs, providing small batch contract and pr...

Dr Belinda Board is the founder and CEO of Peoplewise, one of the world’s leading business psychology firms. Dr Board is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, with a PhD in leadership behaviours and workplace well-being, and postgraduate degrees in Organisational and Forensic Psychology. She is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a visiting Lecturer at Hertfordshire University.

Anne Thomas is the Chief Executive Officer of Cornwall Care and has a wealth of experience and knowledge in the sector. She began her career as a nurse in the 1980s, developing a specialism in diabetes, and has since gone on to spend many years working at senior level in the adult health and social care sector.

Alan Stanton is the owner and principal director of Stanton Williams, an architect in London. Alan and Paul Williams. As founding directors, both have overseen the practice’s creative direction throughout its existence and continue to play leading design roles in all its projects. Some of its most notable projects include the UAL campus for Central St Martins at King’s Cross and Kings Cross Square...

Gillian Sewell is the CEO at YMCA Derbyshire, the Derbyshire arm of the YMCA, the oldest and largest youth charity in the world. Gillian is an experienced CEO with a demonstrated history of working in social finance and non-profit management. Before joining YMCA Derbyshire in 2001, she worked for just over nine years at YMCA Leicester in programme management and housing and sports management roles...

Bhumika Parmar is the Director and founder of BP Legal Solicitors, a legal practice in Leicester established in 2009. Under Bhumika’s leadership, BP Legal Solicitors has grown into a high street practice covering a vast area of law including Conveyancing, Commercial, Litigation, Matrimonial, Immigration, Wills & Probate and Personal Injury.

Paul Alderson is the founder of Wonderstuff, a brand development agency based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He also founded Flintlab, an entity providing work and office space for independents, sole traders, and small businesses locally. Paul Alderson is a business leader with a focus on brand, using design to affect change for organisations and help clients deliver on their vision.

Philippa Keith FCIS is the managing director of MSP Secretaries, the leading independent provider of company secretarial and corporate services to all types of company operating in the UK. MSP Secretaries has been active since the early 1990s, with Philippa at the helm since 2010. She boasts extensive experience in the professional practice arena and is active in consultations in relevant legislat...

Victor Chestnutt is a sixth-generation livestock farmer and president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, the largest democratic voluntary organisation representing farmers and growers in Northern Ireland. A Greenmount student back in 1978, Victor developed his home farm into several livestock enterprises, with Pedigree Texel Sheep introduced in the early 1980s.

Steve O’Brien is the founder and CEO of tech company Newicon Ltd and the adjoined Newicon Academy. After almost seven years working as an engineer for Airbus, Steve founded Newicon in 2009 to help companies take advantage of new connected technology. Newicon’s mission today is revolution, by redefining what’s possible, Steve and his dedicate team help build change and make sure that companies stay...

John McDonough is managing director a Recro Consulting, an employability and recruitment solutions consultancy and training company. John has been managing director of Recro Consulting since 2009, following his position as In-House Head-hunter with NEST. McDonough is an advocate for “The Life You Want ©” a programme dedicated to encouraging personal breakthrough and employment.

Steven Landes is the managing director of Hawksford, a leading provider of corporate, trust and fund administration services. He also heads up his own business, SH Landes LLP, a London based firm of Chartered Accountants specialising in Audit work. Steven is a business leader with a demonstrated history in the finance services profession. His first partnership spanned 1988 to 1993, when Steven wor...

Alasdair Reay is the CEO of HPi Verification Services, the UK government approved body for the issuing of certificates for pressure equipment, machinery and recreational craft. Alasdair has previously worked with Lloyd’s Register of Shipping as a ship surveyor earlier in his career, and has managed certification and business development for other sector players including AEA Technology and ABS Gro...

Andrew Riley is the chairman of Mechatherm, a world leading provider of bespoke casthouse equipment to the aluminium industry. Andrew’s chairmanship of Mechatherm has culminated in great success for the business, with three Queen’s Awards for Export having been won under his leadership. He has also proven instrumental in guiding the business through the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

Ian MacCorkell is founder and consultant solicitor at MacCorkell Legal & Commercial, a leading niche Private Client and Commercial Legal Practice in Northern Ireland. As well as having been involved in several significant commercial transactions in Northern Ireland, Ian’s practice won the Law Society of NI award for Excellence in International pro-bono work. This is linked to Ian MacCorkell’s...

Chris Price is the CEO at Pecan, a Peckham-based Christian charity changing the lives of long-term unemployed people, ex-offenders and the disadvantaged. Chris has held his present role at Pecan since 2011. He is well-versed in the responsibilities of directorship, having previously held such roles with Southwark Diocesan Welcare (2007-2011) and The Positive Place charity (2005-2007).

Ken Deary is the owner and CEO of Right at Home UK, a leading social care company providing quality care in the home. Ken is a successful healthcare and multi-award-winning franchise professional. Having started his career working in insurance for RSA from the early 1980s to 1994, he then spent 11 years as a McDonald’s UK franchisee, heading up multiple stores and winning various awards. Since 201...

Amy Barnwell is the founder and director of Amiwigs Ltd, a bespoke wig making business specialising in handmade European human hair wigs for men, women and children suffering hair loss. Amy established the business in December 2011, armed with an extensive background in the TV and film industry and an education at The London College of Fashion.

Cathy Barlow is the managing director of Smith Goodfellow PR, a PR, marketing and creative agency specialised in the Construction, Manufacturing, Built Environment, Industrial and Sustainability sectors. Since 2015, Cathy has balanced her managing directorship with the role of company secretary at the Engineered Panels in Construction [EPIC], a not-for-profit trade association established to repre...

Kim Laws is the managing director of Norcon Computers Ltd, a long-established Electronic Point of Sale [EpoS] provider to convenience stores, based in Derby. Kim has been managing director at Norcon since its establishment back in 1983. Under his leadership, the business thrived during the pandemic as Norcon clients prospered with the advent of local shopping. --- Follow The Leaders Council and ha...

Martin Mockler is a lead advisory partner at Evans Mockler, a dynamic and progressive firm of Accountants, Auditors, Business and Tax Advisors based in London. Before training in accountancy with Emile Woolf in the late 1980s and embarking on a career in the profession, Martin’s background was in hospitality, and he spent three years working as an assistant manager and cost controller for the West...

Lee Sandford is a former professional footballer turned entrepreneur. He is the founder of Trading College, a stock trading coaching business. Since retiring from football, Lee has become a published author, business owner and professional trader, launching Trading College. He maintains his love of sport and fitness in his spare time.

Alex Hewitt is the CEO of AOK Events, a full-service event management company specialising in corporate hospitality & tickets, live events, incentive schemes, venue finding, parties & sponsorship. Alex has run AOK Events since its establishment in 2000. He launched the business on the back of six years’ experience in the events management sphere, running the events department at Expertease...