Berwick Partners Podcast Channel

In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, Colin Roope sits down with experienced business leader and non‑executive director Paul Hetherington to explore what truly makes a high‑performing board and how executives can successfully transition into non‑executive roles.With a background spanning executive leadership, government advisory work, and multiple board positions, Paul brings a refreshingly honest and practical view on governance, decision‑making, and the critical role of cognitive diversity in manufacturing leadership.Whether you're a CEO seeking better board support, or an executive curious about the NED path, this episode is packed with real‑world insight.

In this episode, Elizabeth James, Partner and Head of Education and Government Practices at Berwick Partners speaks with Professor Moira Fischbacher‑Smith and Professor Chris Pearce from the University of Glasgow about the evolving relationship between research and education in a modern, research‑intensive university. They explore how teaching and research can meaningfully reinforce one another, the shifting expectations of today’s students, and the University’s ambitions around interdisciplinary learning, sustainability and future‑focused skills.Moira and Chris share insights into Glasgow’s 2025–2035 strategy, new initiatives such as Curriculum for Life and Glasgow Changing Futures, and the importance of creating supportive environments where academics can thrive. Their conversation highlights a sector embracing change, students hungry for real‑world relevance, and the “magic dust” of connection, collaboration and shared enthusiasm across disciplines.

In this episode of The SME Leadership Series, Alka Gandhi speaks with Amanda McLaren, a highly respected UK manufacturing leader and the first non-family Managing Director in AW Hainsworth’s 240+ year history. Amanda has also recently been recognised at the 2026 Yorkshire Business of the Year Awards for her leadership as CEO of the YearAmanda brings over 35 years of experience in UK manufacturing, spanning multiple industry sectors, with more than 20 years at board level, including her previous role as Managing Director of James Heal Textiles.In addition to her professional leadership, Amanda also serves as Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, reflecting her contribution to industry, skills, and community across the region.Together, they explore:🔹 Balancing Heritage with Modernisation🔹 SME Leadership Realities🔹 Championing UK Manufacturing🔹 People-First Leadership🔹 Lessons for First-Time MDs

Leading Through Disruption with Alun Tribe, CEO of IMIGIn this episode of Manufacturing Matters, the podcast where we explore the journeys of senior leaders across the UK manufacturing sector, we sit down with Alun Tribe, CEO of the International Management Innovation Group (IMIG).IMIG is a global consultancy working with manufacturers to transform performance, strengthen resilience, and boost profitability. Operating across a wide range of sectors including automotive, aerospace, defence, and advanced manufacturing. IMIG has built a strong reputation for delivering tangible impact. Their ambition is bold: to generate $1 billion in net benefit for clients by 2023, and in 2024 they were recognised with the Institute for Turnaround’s Mid-Market Turnaround of the Year Award.Under Alun’s leadership, IMIG has expanded significantly on the global stage. Once focused primarily on planned transformation programmes, the business now leads urgent turnarounds and restructuring projects, often stepping in when companies are fighting for survival while still needing to position for future growth.Alun brings a uniquely broad perspective on how manufacturers can thrive amid disruption and rapid change. With experience spanning decades in senior leadership roles within manufacturing and engineering businesses, both in the UK and internationally, he has a deep understanding of the pressures, opportunities, and inflection points leaders face today.Alun’s candour, experience, and passion for manufacturing excellence make this a must‑listen episode for anyone leading or aspiring to lead within industrial sectors.

In this inspiring conversation, William Pringle, Partner and Head of Charity, Arts, Culture and Heritage at Berwick Partners, speaks with Suzi Digby OBE, renowned conductor, educator, and cultural innovator, about the extraordinary journey of ORA Singers. As the ensemble approaches its 10th anniversary, Suzi reflects on her bold artistic vision, the renaissance of choral music, and the challenges and opportunities facing the arts today.

In this Berwick Partners podcast, host Elizabeth James, Head of Government, Local Government, and Education Practices, sits down with Beth Chaudhary and Rachel Cooper, Directors of Strategy and Regulatory Compliance at the Food Standards Agency. Together, they share their decade-long experience as a successful job share duo, offering insights into how this model works at senior levels, why it matters, and the practicalities that make it thrive.

From Engineer to First Time CEO: Alan Brooke’s Journey On this episode of the Manufacturing Matters podcast, I’m delighted to welcome Alan Brooke, CEO of Gill Group.Alan’s career spans a diverse range of organisations—from privately owned businesses to global blue-chips like Wärtsilä and Danaher. His journey from engineering and operational leadership to the CEO seat is a testament to curiosity, adaptability, and a relentless drive for growth.Today, Alan leads Gill Group, a proudly family-owned business celebrating its 40th anniversary and recently honoured with the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. Under his stewardship, Gill has expanded its global footprint, launched new ventures such as Gill Corporate Inc in the U.S., and continued to innovate across its four core businesses.In this conversation, Alan shares what it takes to transition from functional leadership to the top job, the lessons learned as a first time CEO, and how Gill Group is continuing to shape its market.

In this episode of Built to Lead, the podcast where we talk to senior senior leaders in the Housing sector about their careers, thoughts on current events and issues, and hopefully give you some things to take away that will add to your own leadership journey, we are joined by Neil Yeomans, ex-Head of Property Safety and Technology at Orbit Group. Neil talks to us about stepping into the world of consultancy since leaving Orbit earlier this year, with his main being to offer his expert advise on a number of knotty issues currently facing Housing. Neil’s reputation proceeds him; he acted as Expert Advisor to the Building Advisory Committee’s higher risk buildings working group and has also worked alongside Central Government and housing industry bodies to review wider building safety reform.  Neil’s passion for resident safety really comes through in this episode, and he leaves us with 3 key actions points to take away from the conversation. For any enquiries about how we can help your compliance team, please get in touch at [email protected]

In this podcast, Elizabeth James sits down with Professor Jane Green, a leading figure in British political science. Jane is a professor at Nuffield College, University of Oxford, and serves as the director of the Nuffield Politics Research Centre. She also co-directs the British Election Study and is the president of the British Politics Group of the American Political Science Association.You may recognise her from her frequent appearances on television, where she provides expert commentary on elections and political trends. Today, she shares insights into her career journey, her roles in shaping political research, and her experiences in the public eye.

Join me in conversation with David Ripley, COO at Stonewater as we discuss his career in Housing, along with his customer service philosophy, the future of AI in Housing, and his vision in his role at Stonewater. From his customer experience focused role at Thirteen, to his Operations remit at Stonewater, we discuss the importance of a customer centric culture, and how Housing Associations can work to get the balance just right. David is very erudite, and I hope you enjoy this session as much I enjoyed recording with him!

Lisa Wallace has a really interesting background, starting her career within HR in the commercial sector before gradually winding her way through more socially focussed organisations and ending up at whg, where she has spent the last 3 years. Our conversation covers Lisa’s career, her interest in the housing sector and how closely entwined culture is with the service that customers receive. We also talked about building resilience in teams to get better outcomes for residents, and the future themes she feels housing associations should be getting ahead of. 

On our first episode of this Manufacturing Matters podcast , we are thrilled to welcome a friend to our firm, and powerhouse in business transformation and strategic leadership, Kate Davies.Kate is a seasoned change agent with a remarkable track record of driving operational excellence and strategic change across the manufacturing and engineering sectors. With board-level experience in both UK and European companies, including Private Equity-backed and FTSE 100 firms. Kate has led major turnarounds, restructured business models, and implemented governance frameworks that have delivered real, measurable impact. She’s held senior leadership roles with world class manufacturers such as Rolls Royce, General Electric, and Alstom, and most recently served as COO and Managing Director at BRUSH, where she led a cultural and operational transformation that turned a loss-making business unit into a 20%+ EBITDA success story in under a year.Kate is also the founder of Rufus Wren Ltd, where she continues to advise top-tier clients on governance, risk, and business transformation. Beyond the boardroom, she’s a passionate advocate for STEM education, actively supporting initiatives like National Interviewing Week and National Apprentice Week, and serves as a trustee for Stratford Upon Avon Municipal Charities.

In this episode Bonnie Amos-English, Consultant in our Regeneration and Housing Practice sits down with Nicki Jenkins, Corporate Director for Growth and City Development at Nottingham City Council. They discuss Nicki's experience of working for the Council for over 20 years along with the objectives for the future around housing strategy and inclusive growth. They also talk about the plan for the Housing Directate going forward and Strategic Director of Housing position that they are partnering on.

In this episode, host Bonnie Amos-English speaks with Matthew Norwell, Director of Place at London Borough of Bexley about the journey he and his team have been on during his 4 years with the Council. Matthew talks about the hard work done to get the directorate into a strong and stable state that they can now “springboard” from to achieve the exciting plans the Council has around Growth and Regeneration. Bonnie and Matthew also discuss the recruitment of a new Deputy Director, who will be heavily involved in bringing these plans to fruition - join us to hear more!

Welcome to "Switching Sectors with Berwick Partners," the podcast series that delves into the fascinating career journeys of leaders who have successfully navigated across different industries. In each episode, we explore the unique career histories, pivotal decisions, and strategic moves that have enabled these leaders to thrive in new sectors.In our inaugural episode, host Bonnie Amos-English sits down with Paul Harris, the Chief Customer Officer at Curo Group. Paul shares his inspiring career story, detailing the challenges and triumphs he encountered while transitioning from one sector to another. Tune in to hear valuable insights and advice on how to make bold career moves and succeed in unfamiliar territories.

John and Berwick Partners’ Principal Consultant, Tom Ewen discuss John's career to date, as well as the motivations which have driven him throughout his career. He also reflects on how leading British Brands Group and working with the members has had a meaningful impact on the lives of virtually every consumer in the UK and across the world. The release of this podcast coincides with the the search for John's successor as he is standing down as Chief Executive next year. Berwick Partners are supporting British Brands Group to recruit John's successor and John discusses what the members are aiming to accomplish with this exciting opportunity in this podcast.For more information on this appointment including access to the full job descriptionplease visit: Chief ExecutiveJohn has a background in Marketing and has worked throughout his career with a wide array of businesses. He became the first Chief Executive of British Brands Group over 25 years ago and has led the organisation through an incredibly dynamic period of change and opportunity. For an informal conversation about the Chief Executive appointment for British Brands Group, please email Tom Ewen on [email protected]

As we explore the journeys of professionals in the placemaking sector, we are excited to introduce the first episode. We kick things off with Ben Heywood from Liverpool City Council. Ben's career, as you will hear is a fascinating blend of commercial and public sector experience and he shares insights from his year so far at the Council, his vision for his new team and how he continues to integrate strong commercial perspective into his public service role. Join us for an inspiring conversation with Ben Heywood as we uncover the unique paths that lead to impactful placemaking.

In this episode, Liam Young explores the world of external affairs with Michelle Smyth, Head of External and Government Affairs at the Open University. Together, they explore the vital but often misunderstood role of external affairs teams within universities. Michelle shares firsthand insights into her daily responsibilities, navigating the general election campaign, and fostering meaningful connections with businesses and community organisations. Listen to discover how these efforts shape strategies and outreach initiatives, building stronger links between institutions and their communities.For further information about Berwick Partners and their Education Practice, please contact Liam Young at [email protected]

In this podcast we are speaking to Jo Causon the Chief Executive of the Institute of Customer Service. Jo and Berwick Partners’ Principal consultant, Tom Ewen discuss how critical customer service is to the economy of the UK and in creating a conducive environment for a thriving business. The launch of this podcast coincides with the publications of The Institute’s flagship annual report the Customer Satisfaction Index. Tom and Jo also discuss a new search which Berwick Partners is leading on behalf of the Institute of Customer Service. In this newly created Commercial Director role, Jo describes how critical this appointment is, as part of an organisational redesign and what success will look like for ICS, their members and for the successful applicant. For more information on the appointment of the Commercial Director for the Institute of Customer Service, including access to the full job description, please visit: https://www.berwickpartners.co.uk/90778To look at the Customer Satisfaction Index published by The Institute of 23rd January 2024, please visit: https://lp.instituteofcustomerservice.com/ukcsi-jan-24

In this podcast, we are speaking with Professor David Grayson CBE, Chair of the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE). David and Berwick Partners’ Principal Consultant, Tom Ewen discuss the Institute and the work that it undertakes and relates specifically to a search which Berwick Partners is undertaking with IBE to find their new Chief Executive Officer. David reflects on what Business Ethics is and how it works to advance the success of business as an advocate and driver of the economy. It also highlights the impact that sound business ethics has on the broader society.Ultimately David describes what the Board is aiming to accomplish with this obviously critical appointment. For more information on these three appointments including access to the full job description for the IBE’s Chief Executive Officer please visit: https://www.berwickpartners.co.uk/90640