Take a closer glimpse into the people at Saxton Bampfylde and its global partners with our regular team insight feature ‘View from the River’.
Sophie Tredinnick is a Partner and Consultant in our Government Practice
Past, present and future
I joined Saxton Bampfylde last year having spent over ten years working in the Civil Service and in Parliament. Prior to Saxton Bampfylde I had great fun working on electric vehicle policy, on EU Exit negotiations, working with Ministers and incredible Civil Servants and increasing diversity in recruitment. I joined Saxton Bampfylde to help grow the pool of talent in the public sector having seen first-hand how getting the right person into the role can make such a difference for an organisation.
Rainy day dreams
I’m not very good at doing nothing and definitely haven’t mastered the art of relaxing. I recently went on holiday to Madeira where we had rather robust April showers. It didn’t stop me from climbing the highest peak on a wonderful 5 hour trek and we rewarded ourselves with a very indulgent afternoon tea to dry off afterwards!
True passion
Looking after, developing and getting the best out of people. Until last year I mentored a young girl as an Independent Volunteer for Action for Children. We were ‘matched’ when she was 12 and did different things together every month for 6 years until the match came to an end. Watching her come out of her shell, hearing her story and becoming her friend gave me a joy and pride I hadn’t felt before.
Who – dead or alive – do you view as a particularly inspiring leader, and why?
I was Chief of Staff to Clare Moriarty when she was Defra Permanent Secretary. She acted on a language of speaking about respect, ensuring people were valued, heard and nurtured. She taught me a lot about how as a good leader it was okay to be vulnerable at work, that it was important to bring your whole self to work and that if you had a disability or were in some way ‘different’ that it was not just okay it was better than okay, it was ‘normal’.
Sector view – sum up your sector in three words
Brilliant, unpredictable and inspirational.
The people who work in the public sector never cease to amaze me with their incredible minds, diligence, sacrifice and love for doing something for other people and the greater good. Three words can’t do the sector or its people justice.
What would you identify as the greatest challenge facing leaders in the government sector in the next two to five years?
The Civil Service has had to change and adapt in an unprecedented way to respond to leaving the EU. I suspect that one of the biggest challenges will be to harness the learnings and potential from operating in such intense circumstances but also to guide people who joined the Civil Service during that period through a more normal period and teach them what the Civil Service looks like in peace time.
Get in touch with Sophie Tredinnick
