Flock: To the Country day one speakers and contributors

Andy Holmes is a certified high-performance leadership coach and keynote speaker, having spoken on global stages for the likes of The Economist. His career to date, has spanned working in 35 countries, training and coaching tens of thousands of people, in his roles as Global Director of Capability, Global Head of Leadership, and most recently, Global Head of Wellbeing, for some of the biggest organisations in the world. 

Driven by his extensive personal experiences, knowledge and passion for people, Andy has stepped out of the corporate world, to run his own consultancy business - C4Human. The C4Human framework brings together the science of holistic wellbeing, along with cognition and leadership development to enable cultural change, unlock D&I, collaboration and innovation, driving personal growth & business performance. 

A marketeer with significant experience in both the advertising and entertainment industries, Andrew began his career in advertising as a media strategist in the late 1980s. He then moved over to the client side in the 1990s and spent 16 years in international media for a number of movie companies including Paramount, DreamWorks and Universal Pictures. During this time Andrew progressed into the associated fields of partnerships, promotions and content, working with many blue chip companies, handling a variety of high profile movie releases and building partnerships with many global brands. Andrew is currently responsible for developing corporate brand partnerships for award-winning charity CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably. Leading a movement against suicide, the cause of death for 18 people each week, and the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, CALM strives to build awareness of the issue, drive societal change and provide practical support, to improve the situation going forward. Partnering with brands and organisations is a key to CALM’s success.

Mike has worked as a journalist in newspapers, radio and television for almost 40 years as a producer, reporter and presenter for the BBC and Sky News.  His assignments have included the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, terrorist attacks on the Boston marathon, the Canadian parliament in Ottawa and the Manchester Arena in the UK.  His range of stories stretches from politics in Washington DC to rioting in Athens, demonstrations in Gaza, floods in the UK and sporting triumphs across Europe.

Mike has interviewed almost all UK prime ministers since the 1970s including Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.  He also once had the privilege of meeting and interviewing boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

He covered and was deeply affected by the Hillsborough Disaster in which 96 football fans lost their lives in 1989.  Mike says:  “It made me much more aware of how interested parties can try to form a distorted narrative and that, unless we are very careful, history can be shaped by dishonesty.”

In February 2021 his son Ross took his life aged just 31.  In his farewell letter Ross asked his family to campaign for better mental health services and Mike is now trying to honour his son’s request.

Dr Phil Hopley is a globally recognised expert in mental health and performance. He holds advisory roles with a number of the UK’s leading professional service firms and the McLaren Formula 1 RacingTeam.

Phil’s 20 years as a medicolegal expert enables him to effectively support leaders coping with the intense media-exposed demands of high profile events including: Commons Select Committee hearings, the US Senate Committee hearings, contentious Employment Tribunals and Civil Court cases.

In his downtime, mindful dog walking, watching sport, playing golf and spending quality uninterrupted time with family and friends helps keep Phil balanced.

The High Performance Podcast offers a unique and intimate glimpse into the lives of high-achieving, world class performers who have all risen to the top in their respective fields - across business, sport, film, start-ups, the secret service, and everything in between - and asks them what non-negotiable behaviours they demonstrated that got them there, and kept them there?

No.1 best-selling author and organisational psychologist, Professor Damian Hughes, and BAFTA-winning TV personality & host of BT Sport Jake Humphrey interview an elite special guest in each episode, sharing their unique knowledge of winning behaviours through the conversation - along with inspiration and advice from leading experts on how to be the best version of ‘you’ in different areas of your life and work.

Formerly Managing Director of Carphone Warehouse where he led the years of rapid expansion, Jonathan is a proven business leader who has run and grown a hugely successful business whilst winning multiple awards for people development and culture. Jonathan is also a trained teacher who spent 10 years working in primary education and as a Headteacher turning around underperforming schools. Jonathan is the architect of all CHX programmes and is a passionate developer of people.

Ed has 25 years of proven success as a human-first leader in sales and marketing and has held senior roles in private and public health organisations. He has managed £50m+ portfolios whilst also mentoring and coaching teams and future leaders.  A seasoned professional, Ed’s expertise and zeal have had proven impact on all levels and across numerous organisations.       

Now a partner in Giant London, Ed applies his skills in performance coaching and consultancy with C Suite executives helping them to create invincible teams.                      

If you’re a success and want to embed a strategy into your leadership that will create clarity around the next decisions you make for yourself, your family and the people you lead, Ed is your go-to guy.

Claire became European Champion in her age group for Triathlon in 2019. That same year she was aiming to gain her Professional Racing Licence but unfortunately a collision with a tractor during a training ride resulted in catastrophic injuries, including a spinal cord injury. Paralysed from the waist down, the accident ended her Triathlon career as she knew it. Three years later Claire is training hard and now an aspiring Para-Athlete, already competing and winning medals again. Claire is also a proud Ambassador for Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation and for their flagship event, The Wings for Life World Run.

Emma has nearly twenty years of fundraising experience in both small and large organisations. Currently the Chief Executive Officer of Wings for Life UK, part of a global foundation dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injury. Wings for Life is an independently run charity, partnered with Red Bull and Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 team, so the role has a unique charity/corporate remit. Formally at Cancer Research UK, Emma managed the partnerships with some of their highest profile supporters, all raising millions for cancer research as well as generating positive brand awareness.

Alex, father of three and a two time Olympic Gold medallist.

Despite his Olympic success, the founding years of his sporting career failed to meet his and others' expectations through personal disaster, failure, pressure, stress and injuries. After a ‘pivot moment’ everything changed with the next eight year chapter turning into a success. Alex heralded his sporting career after crossing the line to win his second Olympic Gold as one of only three men in the world to have won every major rowing championship in six consecutive years.

His time pursuing Olympic Gold was a journey of discovery, in which those ‘failures’ became lessons and the successes became tools. Implementing these allowed Alex to perform at the highest of levels…to become a High Performer.

Having retired from international sport in 2016 the challenge became how to use those lessons and implement them into everyday life. Alex firmly believes we all must learn, improve, develop, lead, inspire and serve to live happy, healthy and full lives…to become a High Performer every day.