For more than 25 years, I've worked across different sectors, business models and organisations - from the frontline to executive leadership. I've led teams, developed strategy and commercial plans, managed complex operations, created new propositions and built partnerships.

Along the way I've worked with boards, senior leaders, technical specialists, advisors and operational teams.

That breadth has taught me to look at the whole picture. Strategy has to work operationally and commercial decisions affect people. Team dynamics affect performance and the customer can easily get lost when different priorities compete.

I tend to see the connections between things - and between people - that can otherwise sit in separate conversations.

That's the thinking behind McDowell Partnerships.

From business experience to better facilitation

I've spent much of my career bringing people with different expertise, priorities and perspectives together to solve problems, make decisions and make things happen.

As Head of Advisory Services at SAC Consulting, I led a national consultancy business operating through 24 offices and teams of up to 200 people, with responsibility spanning commercial performance, people and culture, customer delivery, strategy and business development.

Earlier roles across big brand retail, airports, food production and aquaculture gave me experience of customers, operations, commercial negotiation, change, partnerships and complex stakeholder environments.

Today, I bring that breadth of experience into the room as an independent facilitator, advisor and business partner.

I'm an accredited LEGO Serious Play facilitator, but the value I bring isn't simply knowing how to use a methodology. It’s understanding the business question behind the workshop, asking useful questions, recognising connections and knowing when to challenge the thinking.

Facilitation creates the space. Business experience helps me know what to do with what emerges.

I want people to leave understanding more than they did when they arrived - about the challenge, about each other and, importantly, about what they are going to do next.

And I want whatever we build together to work in the real world, not just look good on the day.

What matters to me

Connection. Curiosity. Collaboration. Commercial thinking. Practical action.

Those are the things that have followed me throughout my career. They are what McDowell Partnerships is built around and I enjoy sharing the experiences, stories and observations I've gathered along the way. If something I've learnt helps someone spot an opportunity, avoid a mistake or look at their own situation differently, then it's worth sharing.