The Mangrove

Driving better results faster

Marie de Guzman, Applied Neuroscientist
Marie is an Applied Neuroscientist, actively researching the relationships between brain physiology, human performance and social processes as they relate to leadership and change. Passionate about applying her scientific knowledge more widely, she helps leaders and organisations to use neuroscience to improve leadership, change and performance.

Marie’s skill is to diagnose situations quickly, integrate seemingly disparate concepts, and to formulate practical and insightful solutions. Her career spans the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Experienced at working across senior levels of organisations, she has worked with senior Government Ministers and Officials, FTSE-100 Chief Executives and Directors, Business Leaders and Owners in both Canada and the UK. Now wishing to share her commercial experience and neuroscience knowledge more widely, Marie has developed a neuroscientific framework to support effective leadership, change and performance.

Marie admits that she is addicted to learning. Her MSc and PhD research in Social Neuroscience builds on her separate university degrees in Behavioural Neuroscience, Political Science, and Law. Marie is a Certified Executive Coach with the International Coach Federation, a Certified Prince2 Project Manager, and a Registered Canadian Cardiology Technologist. She is also a member of the international Society for Social Neuroscience and a Fellow of the RSA. She is also a classically trained pianist with Canada’s Royal Conservatory of Music.

Damon Newman, Strategic Advisor
Damon has 15 years of experience in transformation, performance and leadership. Originally from New Zealand, Damon was an avid sports person in his youth; this signalled the beginning of a passion and focus on performance improvement – a theme that has continued throughout his career.

From his early days working at New Zealand's top racing stable to working with the top executive team at the country's largest corporate farming company, Damon sharpened his performance improvement skills for enhancing corporate productivity and efficiency. Moving to London in 2002, Damon's expertise led him to a groundbreaking and in-depth intervention programme with the British Government, tasked with improving the poorest-performing local authorities across the country. Working alongside local authority chief executives and senior government ministers, this national program proved fruitful ground for honing Damon's negotiating, leadership and transformation skills. Following this, Damon has advised on leadership, efficiency and transformational change programmes across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

A skillful facilitator, Damon's gift is in strengthening systems, organizations and the performance of individuals. He is also one of a select few speaking on behalf of the British Stroke Foundation in London. Damon holds a Bachelor Degree in Business and Diploma in Marketing from Massey University in New Zealand. He is a certified executive coach with the International Coach Federation and NLP practitioner.