Biography 1

I grew up in Bristol. My Dad was a Lagger and worked away a lot, as I remember. My mum started work as a cleaner and progressed through promotions and changes of employer to lead a section in the local council working on social care benefits for the elderly. My mum loved her job, whilst my dad hated his job and wanted to be a hairdresser when he was younger. I have an older brother who got a partial financial scholarship at a public school. I wasn’t as clever and went to the local comprehensive. My brother had enough of school by 16 and left to work, whilst I stayed on and I was the first in our family to go to university. Some say I ran for my degree because I studied Sport Science! I didn’t enjoy studying when younger and got a 2:2. I left and went back to Bristol for a year before joining the RAF.

I spent 6 years in the ranks before commissioning and ended up with a 17-year career as a Regular. I was initially commissioned as a Fighter Controller but failed the training and went on to become an Intelligence Officer. I spent time on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan but stayed within the wire, and when I was in Afghanistan (Kandahar Airfield), my wife was closer to the action, operating out of Camp Bastion in Helmand Province! The last 3 years were the best of my commissioned career, where I worked at RAF College Cranwell, starting as a Leadership Instructor, and going on to lead various programmes and teams. I was lucky enough to be sponsored through post-grad study in Leadership yet wanted to know more about psychology. I left the RAF and studied for an MSc Psychology whilst taking on the role of Daddy Daycare for 1, then 2, kiddies, whilst my wife went back to ‘paid work’ in the RAF.

After 3.5 years, we did a job swap and I returned to paid work with my wife becoming the stay-at-home parent. I returned to uniform, as a Fulltime Reservist, again working in leadership and management, but this time with the RAF Air Cadets. I then took a role in Higher Education as a Senior Lecturer on Degree Apprenticeship programmes. My final role before setting up Coaching & Development: Simplified was with Police Scotland as a Leadership & Talent Manager.

My passion and purpose are coaching and helping to develop individuals and teams, and I am lucky to be able to live in such a wonderful area, where I can combine my love of being outdoors with my passion of coaching and development.

Along the way, if you value to know such things, I have bagged some credentials and qualifications, and have postgraduate qualifications in leadership, psychology and coaching; I am a Chartered Manager, Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society, and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

I have loved running since I was young and have run quite a few marathons and ultramarathons. I am fortunate to still enjoy and be able to run marathons – even if the legs don’t let me go as fast as I used to. Previously, I won the British Polytechnics 3000m steeplechase – making me, technically, a British Champion (not that I would class myself as such), and won the RAF Marathon champs in probably the slowest time in the history of its winners! I previously attempted the world record for fastest marathon carrying a 40lb backpack, and whilst I beat the old record, I was beaten on the day by someone else – so never held the record!

I live in Grantown-on-Spey with my wife, Ingrid, and 2 kids: Anna-Lena and Sebastian. 

I have always sought to understand how my experiences have helped me get to where I am today and I am always happy and willing to share my learning and reflections if it can help others with their journey.

Biography 2

I grew up on an inner-city council estate in Bristol and went to the local comprehensive. We never had much as a family, but never went without. I joined the RAF in the ranks and after 3 years as an RAF Policeman I volunteered for and successfully passed the arduous selection for special employment in Northern Ireland. Two years of working undercover followed, operating across the Province. These were challenging times, yet I excelled in this unconventional environment. We worked hard and played hard, and at the end of my tour I applied for and was commissioned, becoming an RAF Intelligence Officer. I continued to be operationally focused, heading off to Basra, Iraq, and Kandahar, Afghanistan. Rocket and mortar attacks were a constant danger with many being injured, and suffering PTSD.

After an operationally-focused career, my talents for leadership were recognised and I was selected to be a member of staff at RAF College Cranwell, responsible for training the RAF’s future leaders. I progressed quickly and later led the Leadership Department, responsible for all leadership programmes across the unit.

After going deep into leadership study, I wanted to know more and left to study psychology – something that has maintained my interest ever since. Later, I returned to uniform as Head of Leadership Development for Adult Volunteers with the RAF Air Cadets before a calling to academia led me to a Senior Lecturer role, developing and delivering Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship and Senior Leader MBA Apprenticeship programmes. Being able to connect theory with day-to-day leadership and management practice was right up my street and my students benefitted from the no nonsense approach that I had honed since my days undercover in Northern Ireland and through my operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I have grafted to gain recognition across a broad range of organisations and societies, with many recognising my capabilities. I gained a distinction in my MSc Psychology, and achieved postgraduate qualifications in leadership and executive coaching. I am a Chartered Manager, Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society, and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

As well as excelling in leadership and management, I have excelled in sport, having been a British Champion at the 3000m steeplechase and RAF Marathon champion. I have won the Cyprus Ultra, a gruelling 50-mile trail race held in the scorching heat of July, even after collapsing on multiple occasions with cramp, screaming in pain – before getting up, dusting myself off and cracking on with it. My course record still stands today.

I finished the Belfast Marathon in 1999, having torn my Achilles tendon at 14 miles, hobbling my way to the finish line in just over 3 hours. I attempted the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon carrying a 40lb backpack, having lost the previous 8 weeks of training to an Achilles injury.

Pain and injury are part of the challenges of life, and I use all these experiences to support my coaching and development programmes.