The Mangrove

The strength of our programme is reflected in the calibre and passion of the facilitators we work with.

Together with The Mangrove founders Damon Newman and Marie de Guzman, our team of professional facilitators will share in their own transition experiences, and provide you with practical tips, insight and guidance.

Mike Hall - Mike is a qualified 'Mind Factor Coach' and an NLP sports consultant. A professional squash coach for over twenty years - coaching from beginner to full international level - Mike also teaches Tai Chi and Chi Kung. He uses his sporting background as a catalyst to create an understanding that the characteristics of an outstanding athlete are the same as those of any successful person - be they an actor, an artist, an entrepreneur or in business.

Mike spent his formative years representing his county and home town of Liverpool in football and cricket, joining Premier League Club Everton as a junior professional. Currently based in Edinburgh, Mike’s interest in arts expanded into writing and directing plays. His Play Mozart - performed at The Edinburgh Festival - was based on Mike's own coaching experiences and in 2006, Mike was invited by Stirling University to lecture on The Mozart Effect - Playing Sport in The Zone.

Mike’s work was featured in Carl Honore’s In Praise of Slow - a book that reached the top ten best sellers list in the USA and UK. During 2006/7 Mike's on going involvement with the relationship between Body, Brain and Business captured the editorial attention of New Scientist magazine and a new BBC Radio 4 Science Series.

Simon North - Simon is a breakthrough coach and business mentor with a particular interest in individual careers. He has supported hundreds of individuals who are in transition at key points in their life and in smart ways across a spectrum of activities including being creative about their talents and capabilities and how they can connect with a market that will value them. He counsels, coaches, mentors and consults with individuals and organisations in this field, and is currently leading on a collaborative book project in this subject.

Simon has worked for Rolls-Royce, Shell International, Price Waterhouse and KPMG. He subsequently worked in slightly smaller organisations, typically the divisions of large enterprises. His eclectic background includes working in HR at various levels up to international HR Director, in sales and marketing, as an Operations Director and as a Managing Director. In recent years he has worked as an interim in various capacities and as a headhunter for an international search firm.

Simon is a Sociologist with a degree from Exeter University and is also a Fellow of the CIPD. He is a member of the International Coach Federation and has undertaken ICF accredited training.

Charles Barnard - Charles has had a professional career in Human Resources and Development for the past 20 years, spanning from the Hotel and Catering Industry to Local Government. Charles has a CIPD Diploma in Personnel and Training and Occupational Testing qualifications from the British Psychological Society.

Charles' real passion is for contemporary design, and enjoys expanding and exploring the boundaries in floral art. Born and raised in Zimbabwe in a small farming community, Charles gained his passion for flower arranging from his mother and entered his first flower show at the age of 13.

Charles is a NAFAS (National Association of Flower Arranging Societies) trained demonstrator and Judge, and he also teaches contemporary design. He is a regular competitor at RHS Chelsea and has won numerous awards at the NAFAS National Competitions. His many years demonstrating has enabled him to showcase his skills and talent as a floral designer throughout the UK, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Charles also enjoys teaching, and regularly holds contemporary floral workshops both for NAFAS and private design groups.

In 2007, Charles was featured in NAFAS' The Flower Arranger as one of the Great British Contemporary Designers. His more recent work has been featured in the recent publication, The Judith Blacklock Encyclopedia of Flower Design.

Geoff O'Shea - Driven and motivated by helping people, Geoff is a Director with Accumulus Consulting - a company whose team of ethical advisers passionately believe in Holistic Independent Financial Planning. Their moto is ‘helping you to achieve and protect your dreams’

Geoff spent 8 years in Air Traffic Control with the RAF. After leaving the RAF in 1991, Geoff joined a direct sales insurance company, and subsequently retrained with the Halifax in giving protection and mortgage advice, becoming an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) in 1998. His experience includes advising high net worth clients on wealth management issues, and setting up the Investment, IHT, and Tax Reclamation department for an accountancy firm.

Following his wife's diagnosis of an autoimmune illness, he set up Accumulus Consulting in August 2001 to spend more time with his wife.

Sally Prescott - Sally is an ICF qualified coach and member of the International Coaching Federation. Sally’s passion lies in enabling people to reach their peak performance. She believes that coaching is not exclusively for sporting professionals who want to attain their ultimate (and more) in performance, but that coaching can be for everyone who wants it - whether they are starting out in their career, mid way through or dealing with situations at home which may affect their professional/personal goals.

With 20 years of experience working within the hospitality industry, Sally has lead teams within Forte, Granada, Intercontinental, The Savoy and Jumeirah to success, for the benefit of both the organisations & individuals. Sally now specialises in Learning & Development and is CIPD qualified.

Sally is also an active volunteer for Radio Lollipop, which is a charity whose volunteers provide care, comfort, play & entertainment for sick children in hospital. For 17 years Sally has recruited, trained, presented, organised conferences & helped the charity reach more sick children across the world.

Adrian Goodall - Adrian's experience spans over 25 years in the City and business. Combining insight from his executive experiencewith the safety and confidentiality of professional coaching, Adrian works with executives and entrepreneurs to find clarity and release energy and performance.

Adrian's career as a top-ranked equity analyst in the City, with firms including Goldman Sachs and SBC Warburg (UBS), involved close co-operative work with leading international investors, senior industry executives and corporate financiers. As a self-employed consultant andwith Oxford Capital Partners, Adrian has worked with numerous entrepreneurs in funding their businesses, and hewas a non-executive director of AdIQ, a venture-funded mobile technology business. Adrian has also worked as a visiting lecturer at the University of Greenwich Business School.

During his years in the 'City', Adrian also enjoyed establishing a major mentoring initiative with Business in the Community and graduated through the Common Purpose leadership development programme.

Adrian is a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF) and holds an ICF-accredited certificate in coaching, as well as learning in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Clean Language, Team Coaching and Solutions Focus . He read Biochemistry atOxford University. He is also For the past 6 years, Adrian has been an active English Cricket Board qualified volunteer cricket coach.

Peter Redman - Peter is The Mangrove's private chef, taking our delegates through a private cooking lesson for their Saturday lunch. On Saturday evening, Peter treats our guests to an exquisite and specially prepared four-course meal, which is accompanied by an exclusive wine-tasting session hosted by International Sommelier and biodynamic wine specialist Frederic Grappe.

Peter's obsession with cooking started at a catering college event with the well-known three-star chef Albert Roux, whose restaurant Le Gavroche was Britain's first Michellin-starred restaurant. After working in the restaurant trade himself, Peter became a member of the personal chef team to the Sultan of Oman, expanding his knowledge of international cuisine. Peter then became involved in the competition circuit, winning 2 gold, 3 silvers and Best in Class at the Culinary Olympics. He also placed 3rd in the Young Chef of the Year.

Peter now works for Baxter Storey - an independent catering firm for business and industry - running one of their top 5 sites. Known for mixing new ideas and technology, Peter has brought his team (and his food!) at Baxter Storey to be one of the best outside London.