
Our people
Meet the Saxton Bampfylde team. Consultants, researchers, advisors and the support colleagues who, together, bring deep sector knowledge and a genuine instinct for exceptional leadership.


Maria Dodson Project Co-ordinator
View Maria Dodson“Every search has real people at the heart of it, making sure they feel valued and in good hands is what drives me every day.”
Maria Dodson Project Co-ordinator
Bianca de Santis Researcher
View Bianca de Santis“For me, the greatest reward comes from helping to place someone in a role they may not have thought possible for themselves, and supporting organisations to discover talent they might otherwise have overlooked.”
Bianca de Santis Researcher
Anthony Wood Associate Consultant
View Anthony Wood“No two searches are ever the same. The variety - different sectors, different organisations at different moments in their life cycle - keeps life here endlessly interesting. The stakes are always real, the impact always genuine.”
Anthony Wood Associate Consultant
Dame Ruth May DBE Senior Advisor to the Health practice
View Dame Ruth May DBE
Aidan Kennedy Head of Social Impact Practice
View Aidan Kennedy“Working with leaders in the social impact space is endlessly inspiring. Every day we meet people dedicating their energy and talent to improving lives and building a more sustainable future.”
Aidan Kennedy Head of Social Impact Practice
Annabel Russell-Wilks Project Co-ordinator
View Annabel Russell-Wilks“The variety of roles, sectors and people we encounter is always so interesting. Every search is different, and it’s rewarding to help ensure each process runs smoothly.”
Annabel Russell-Wilks Project Co-ordinator
Corrie Cowlard Consultant
View Corrie Cowlard
Rosie Kerr Project Co-ordinator
View Rosie Kerr“Every organisation is different, and taking the time to really understand what an appointment means for their values and mission is what makes this work so compelling.”
Rosie Kerr Project Co-ordinator
Alice Stobbs Researcher
View Alice Stobbs“It's fulfilling to find inspiring leaders and provide them with the platform to make a tangible impact on society.”
Alice Stobbs Researcher
Grace Collier-Large Co-Head of Research
View Grace Collier-Large“What is important is that clients feel genuinely understood. Not just their brief, but what they're really trying to achieve and why it matters.”
Grace Collier-Large Co-Head of Research
Sophie Hedge Project Co-ordinator
View Sophie Hedge“Every search has lots of moving parts. I enjoy helping bring them together so the process runs smoothly for both clients and candidates.”
Sophie Hedge Project Co-ordinator
Anna Lee People Assistant
View Anna Lee“Every person and situation is different, and finding the right approach each time is what makes the work so interesting and rewarding.”
Anna Lee People Assistant
Siân Brown Consultant
View Siân Brown
Sam Phillips Co-Head of Research
View Sam Phillips
Kate Ludlow CEO & Consultant
View Kate Ludlow“The most important things in leadership are rarely the loudest. Judgement, humility, and how someone treats people when it’s difficult - that’s what I’m always listening for.”
Kate Ludlow CEO & Consultant
Jo Wells Finance Manager
View Jo Wells
Sophie Tredinnick Head of Government Practice
View Sophie Tredinnick“I’m always interested in what shapes a person into the leader they are today, and what they have learned in that process. Leadership isn’t just about delivery - it’s about empathy, kindness, and how you support others. It’s often what isn’t said that tells you the most.”
Sophie Tredinnick Head of Government Practice
Ellie Dugdale Associate Consultant
View Ellie Dugdale“I’m fascinated by the nuances that make each organisation and leader unique. Guiding them toward alignment and meaningful outcomes ensures no two days, or projects, are ever the same.”
Ellie Dugdale Associate Consultant
Kate Crotty Researcher
View Kate Crotty
Erjona Shalaku Researcher
View Erjona Shalaku
Cassandra Woolgar Business Psychologist
View Cassandra Woolgar“Experience and technical capabilities are essential but how an individual goes about their work, leads a team and reacts under pressure can make all the difference.”
Cassandra Woolgar Business Psychologist
Stephen Bampfylde Co-Founder & Non-Executive Chair
View Stephen Bampfylde“Leaders at their best speak from authentic, deeply held and articulate values.”
Stephen Bampfylde Co-Founder & Non-Executive Chair
Shulie Aktar Project Manager, Schools' Practice
View Shulie Aktar“The most rewarding moments come from the relationships. When a candidate feels genuinely understood, and when a client tells you the appointment has made a real difference.”
Shulie Aktar Project Manager, Schools' Practice
Kim Adams Researcher
View Kim Adams“I find genuine reward in finding the perfect fit: for the candidate, for the client, and for the communities their work exists to serve.”
Kim Adams Researcher
Belinda Beck Project Co-ordinator
View Belinda Beck“The most fulfilling searches are the most challenging ones, when a client says that everything went seamlessly and candidates felt genuinely cared for throughout. Hearing a personal thanks from those candidates is the greatest reward of all.”
Belinda Beck Project Co-ordinator
Philip Rodney Senior Advisor to the legal practice
View Philip Rodney
Martin Reader Senior Advisor to the Schools' Practice
View Martin Reader“I have always seen schools as places of profound hope: we are about nurturing flourishing so that young people go out and influence the world for the better. ”
Martin Reader Senior Advisor to the Schools' Practice
Dave Adams Management Accountant
View Dave Adams
Gracie Linthwaite Associate Consultant
View Gracie Linthwaite“Seeing thoughtful groundwork translate into real impact is what makes our work meaningful for me.”
Gracie Linthwaite Associate Consultant
Becca Tame Associate Consultant
View Becca Tame
Eugenia Gonzalez Consultant, Head of Higher Education Practice
View Eugenia Gonzalez“Sometimes the most impactful leaders aren’t those with the high-profile initiatives but those who quietly create the conditions for others to excel, making them feel safe to do what they do best.”
Eugenia Gonzalez Consultant, Head of Higher Education Practice
Augusta Bunting Deputy Head of Board Practice
View Augusta Bunting“A truly effective board is about the chemistry, clarity, and shared purpose that allows an organisation to thrive. Helping our clients find and build that balance is a privilege.”
Augusta Bunting Deputy Head of Board Practice
Nick Ricketts Consultant
View Nick Ricketts
Ed Smith CBE Non-executive Director
View Ed Smith CBE
Alycia Marquis Researcher
View Alycia Marquis“The most rewarding part of our work is placing someone in a challenging new role where they can thrive, grow, and help transform their organisation for the better.”
Alycia Marquis Researcher
Jennifer Addo Researcher
View Jennifer Addo“What matters to me is a thoughtful, honest process that leads to a placement that genuinely changes the trajectory of a team or a career.”
Jennifer Addo Researcher
Jonathan Whymark Occupational Psychologist
View Jonathan Whymark“Leadership models may change but leadership is always about people. It’s about getting the best from others in ways that motivate, engage, and energise teams and individuals while achieving results through others.”
Jonathan Whymark Occupational Psychologist
Eliza Cox Project Co-ordinator
View Eliza Cox“It is a privilege to contribute to an organisation that appoints impactful leaders across such a wide range of sectors. I am proud to play a part in that work.”
Eliza Cox Project Co-ordinator
Niki Standring Head of Events
View Niki Standring“What I love about this work is that the connections people make here often outlast the event itself. That's what we're really building.”
Niki Standring Head of Events
Rebecca Wallace Associate Consultant
View Rebecca Wallace“The role offers an unusually privileged vantage point into how organisations truly function, and there is real joy in that.”
Rebecca Wallace Associate Consultant
Rosanna Cundall Consultant
View Rosanna Cundall
Neve Oliver Project Co-ordinator
View Neve Oliver“It’s a privilege to have thoughtful conversations with such a wide range of people while working on meaningful projects as part of a supportive and collaborative team.”
Neve Oliver Project Co-ordinator
Emma Hattersley Head of Schools' Practice
View Emma Hattersley“The quality of leadership shapes everything in a school. Finding people who combine clarity, courage and care - and seeing the impact they go on to have - is a genuine privilege.”
Emma Hattersley Head of Schools' Practice
Caroline Stewart Researcher and Chair of Trustees
View Caroline Stewart“I feel honoured to be part of an Employee Benefit Trust. The ability to speak openly and honestly about anything that affects colleagues is rare in most organisations.”
Caroline Stewart Researcher and Chair of Trustees
Jonathan Morgan Deputy Chair & Head of Regulation Practice
View Jonathan Morgan“The great privilege of my work is the diversity of the people I have the opportunity to meet and work with. ”
Jonathan Morgan Deputy Chair & Head of Regulation Practice
Kirsten Brooks Head of Operations
View Kirsten Brooks
Cheryl Hollick Head of Marketing
View Cheryl Hollick“As an employee-owned company you really feel the difference. There's a shared pride in the work that I think comes through in everything we do.”
Cheryl Hollick Head of Marketing
Ginny Jones Consultant
View Ginny Jones“Leadership decisions often happen at moments of real pressure or ambition. Helping people think clearly at those points, and seeing the confidence that then follows, is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.”
Ginny Jones Consultant
Sarah Thomas Head of People
View Sarah Thomas“People strategy only works if people feel it. The moment someone feels seen and understood, that's when I know we've got it right.”
Sarah Thomas Head of People
Victoria Blunt Project Co-ordinator
View Victoria Blunt“I love being a steady presence for candidates before interview. I recognise in their nerves the same anticipation I once felt auditioning for significant roles. Offering reassurance and perspective at that moment is the part of the work I value most.”
Victoria Blunt Project Co-ordinator
Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE Non-executive Director
View Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE
Jonathan Badyal Senior Advisor to the Arts and Creative Industries Practice
View Jonathan Badyal
Vidhu Sood-Nicholls Consultant
View Vidhu Sood-Nicholls“Humility and curiosity tell you far more about a leader than confidence alone. I pay close attention to how people reflect on their impact, especially when they think no one is watching.”
Vidhu Sood-Nicholls Consultant
Rhys O’Connell-Davies Project Manager, Health Practice
View Rhys O’Connell-Davies“Every week brings new conversations, new relationships, and new challenges to unpick. Seeing projects move forward while building long-term partnerships makes the work continually rewarding.”
Rhys O’Connell-Davies Project Manager, Health Practice
Liz Brabyn Associate Consultant
View Liz Brabyn“The work of executive search stays interesting to me because every search is about people, purpose, and potential, and identification of the right leadership that can change the trajectory of an organisation and the lives within it.”
Liz Brabyn Associate Consultant
Christabel Ajediti Co-Head of Research
View Christabel Ajediti“One of the greatest privileges of this role is that you never stop learning – about organisations, about leadership, and about people. Every conversation offers a new perspective, and every brief expands your understanding.”
Christabel Ajediti Co-Head of Research
Alex Richmond Head of Health Practice
View Alex Richmond“After more than a decade in this work, it’s still the variety and the impact that matter. No two organisations are the same, and helping them find leaders who can navigate complexity and deliver real results is endlessly rewarding.”
Alex Richmond Head of Health Practice
Rhianna Connolly Consultant
View Rhianna Connolly“Seeing the difference the right leadership can make for staff, students and communities is what keeps this work meaningful.”
Rhianna Connolly Consultant
Eve Clark Researcher
View Eve Clark“What keeps this work interesting is the real-world impact. Placing the right leader in the right role can genuinely shape an organisation’s future.”
Eve Clark Researcher
Jane Lewis Researcher
View Jane Lewis“The moments I most enjoy are when we are able to surprise our clients with candidate profiles they weren’t expecting, and are excited by.”
Jane Lewis Researcher
Alice Brent-Smith Researcher
View Alice Brent-Smith“Placing a candidate in a role where you know they'll thrive and hearing from them years later, still energised and making an impact - that's what makes this work meaningful.”
Alice Brent-Smith Researcher
Lydia Roud Project Co-ordinator
View Lydia Roud
Claire Brooks Researcher
View Claire Brooks“What motivates me is getting under the skin of a client and bringing them a diverse and high-quality list of people to consider, always starting with first principles and never reverting to the ‘same old names'.”
Claire Brooks Researcher
Siân Wild Researcher
View Siân Wild“We speak to some extraordinary individuals, often placing them in hugely significant institutions. Following their achievements and the good work they do in these appointments is quite astonishing. ”
Siân Wild Researcher
Sophie Kerr Project Co-ordinator
View Sophie Kerr“I enjoy working closely with colleagues across the firm and supporting teams behind the scenes. Helping projects run smoothly while developing the Project Coordinator team makes the role both engaging and rewarding.”
Sophie Kerr Project Co-ordinator
Brett Anderson Consultant
View Brett Anderson“I value the opportunity to support organisations whose missions genuinely matter by helping them find leaders who can bring clarity, integrity, and ambition to complex challenges.”
Brett Anderson Consultant
Jo Ogilvy Consultant
View Jo Ogilvy
Louise McCarthy Project Co-ordinator
View Louise McCarthy“What I value most is collaborating with remarkable organisations doing important work, where everyone involved feels supported and confident throughout.”
Louise McCarthy Project Co-ordinator
Aliyah Lightbourne HR & Finance Assistant
View Aliyah Lightbourne
Mary Few Consultant, Head of Scotland
View Mary Few“I pay closest attention to how a leader listens, how they speak about others, and how self-aware they are. Those signals tell me far more than polish or confidence ever could.”
Mary Few Consultant, Head of Scotland
Ed Bampfylde Head of Arts, culture & creative industries
View Ed Bampfylde
Fiona Galliers-Pratt Researcher
View Fiona Galliers-Pratt“One of the aspects of my role I particularly enjoy is talking to so many wonderful people – it’s a real privilege.”
Fiona Galliers-Pratt Researcher