Meet the coaches
Our coaches are more than facilitators, they are specialist practitioners and change-makers who challenge, support and stretch leaders to deliver under pressure. By blending specialist knowledge with lived industry experience, they create the conditions for meaningful learning and real-world application.
Emma Chow
-
As an independent circular economy & food systems expert, Emma takes a deeply-human angle to fundamentally re-imagine today’s broken systems. She co-developed and led the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global food initiative, where she honed her food system knowledge and understanding of regenerative and circular design. Prior to this work, Emma was a consultant at Deloitte LLP.
Stephanie Gnissios
-
Stephanie focuses on integrating social, environmental, and climate impact into strategic decisions and risk management for global projects. With an engineering background, entrepreneurial experience, and an Executive MBA from Saïd Business School, she co-founded Climate Risk Services, specialising in climate risk advisory. She also mentors startups via Oxford University Innovation and teaches sustainability, climate, and impact strategy, blending real-world insight with responsible entrepreneurship.
Susan Thomas
-
Susan has spent over 25 years in the food industry in a range of commercial, marketing and strategic leadership roles. Formerly the Senior Director Sustainability at Asda, she is now an independent consultant working to bridge the complex landscape for action on food sustainability into industry commercial practices.
During her 8 years at PepsiCo she led strategic partnerships with retailers to shift the snacking category towards healthier options ahead of HFSS regulation, and consulted to many of the world's best known brands and retailers around the world during the first part of her career at Kantar.
Louise Nicholls
-
Formerly Corporate Head of Human Rights, Food Sustainability, and Packaging at Marks & Spencer, Louise now advises manufacturers, retailers, startups, and investors on sustainability and human rights. She drives awareness from boardroom to shop floor, shaping strategy and impactful collaborations. Louise is Executive Lead of the Food Network for Ethical Trade (FNET), a tutor with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership, Chair of IEMA, and a Trustee of IDH and SFACT, championing industry-wide change.
Charlotte Radcliffe
-
Charlotte is a multi-award-winning Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) with over two decades of experience working across the food industry. Her expertise spans evidence-based nutrition strategy, menu development, product optimisation, stakeholder engagement, and policy alignment.
Media-trained and science-led, Charlotte makes nutrition actionable for retailers, hospitality businesses, food brands, and public sector partners. She has partnered with leading brands to drive meaningful change in the food environment, helping businesses navigate the complex landscape of sustainable nutrition.
Katie Allen
-
Katie Allen is a DEI consultant, Executive Coach, and TEDx speaker with over 15 years’ experience in people, culture, and leadership. She helps organisations align their cultural goals with strategic, inclusive practices to achieve business success. Committed to transforming workplaces, Katie fosters inclusive cultures that empower diverse voices to drive sustainable change, showing that inclusion is key to maximising impact and performance.
Becca Hesketh
-
Rebecca is a pioneer in sustainable farming, managing a conservation-grazing farm on the Isle of Wight with native breed cows and sheep to enrich local habitats. With deep experience in agriculture and food supply chains, she is a key member of the Cool Farm Alliance. Previously, Rebecca served as Programme Manager for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Food Initiative and as Ethics and Sustainability Manager at Waitrose.
Rachel Ward
-
Rachel Ward is an experienced sustainability professional with a strong track record in energy management, carbon reduction, and environmental strategy. Currently the Environmental Sustainability Manager at the Royal Veterinary College, she leads projects across energy, biodiversity, transport, and waste. With prior roles at Selfridges, London Metropolitan University, and several years in consultancy, Rachel has consistently delivered measurable impact—including exceeding major carbon targets and fostering culture change. Known for combining strategic vision with hands-on delivery, she helps organisations embed sustainability into core operations and move beyond compliance.
Rachel has won several awards for her work including Energy Manager of the year and Sustainability Manager of the year.
Lucy Wager
-
Lucy Wager is an accomplished food industry professional and entrepreneur with 19 years of experience in product development at Bakkavor, Marks & Spencer, and Sainsbury’s. She’s passionate about inspiring and educating the next generation of food industry leaders, guiding them through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. With her wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience, Lucy is committed to empowering aspiring professionals and entrepreneurs to thrive in the dynamic world of food.
Lara Hanlon
-
Lara is an award-winning design strategist, educator, facilitator, and keynote speaker. In 2022, she founded Portion Collaborative to help food businesses reimagine food systems, including processes, technologies, and services. Previously, as a Senior Designer at IBM in NYC, Lara led design thinking for major clients like Unilever, Walmart, and PepsiCo, emphasising the need for strategic, efficient, and diverse board-level thinking to address challenges in the food system.