A Meeting of Minds - the online kind - Adapting to the New Normal

Speakers

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  Peter Thomson

  Author and consultant on The Future of Work

  Peter spent his formative years as the Personnel Director for Digital Equipment Corporation for Northern Europe, based in the UK. This was the era just prior to the birth of the Internet when DEC was leading the world in networked technology and was an early adopter of new working practices. Peter saw that there was likely to be a radical change in the way we worked as we moved into the 21st century and became fascinated with the organisational and leadership challenges this would present. On leaving DEC in the early 1990’s Peter set up a centre at Henley Management College to study the evolution of work and help managers prepare for it. It was called the Henley Future Work Forum (not to be confused with the current Future Work Forum) and he directed it for 16 years. When the Management College merged with Reading University to form Henley Business School, Peter’s Forum was absorbed into a larger research centre but he still remains an active visiting fellow at the business school. Peter has had many consultancy assignments over the last twenty years, helping organisations recognise that introducing new working practices involves a culture change, which should be driven from the top. He has worked with managers at all levels, coaching and training them to introduce a more flexible approach to work through trusting and empowering employees. He has spoken at numerous conferences on the future of work and its implications for leadership. In 2011 Peter co-authored a book, ‘Future Work’, with Alison Maitland which was published by Palgrave Macmillan. This proved popular enough for the publishers to describe it as a ‘best seller’ and ask for an updated second edition. This latest version was published in March 2014 and contains many new case studies and an extra chapter on implementation. Peter continues to be a popular public speaker based on the messages contained in the book about the fascinating time we are living through in the history of work.

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  Claire Dale

  Award winning author, (Physical Intelligence Simon & Schuster 2019), Founder and Director, Companies in Motion

  Movement Specialist, leading exponent of Physical Intelligence, and co-author of Physical Intelligence (Simon & Schuster, 2019), Claire Dale successfully coaches and trains from board level down to newly hired employees to help them achieve peak performance through Physical Intelligence. With a background in Contemporary dance, Claire led her own dance company to European critical acclaim during the 1990s representing Great Britain in a number of high-profile Contemporary dance seasons. Claire has also created works for Sir Paul McCartney, Alsop Architects, CandoCo and L'Oreal as well as working on many theatre productions. Developing and leading high-profile projects in the arts enabled Claire to develop her own leadership skills through engaging stakeholders in meeting their agendas, bringing together teams of talented artists, inspiring them about the project and motivating them to reach the deadline of opening night. That experience inspired her to develop the concept of Physical Intelligence, using her knowledge of the body to support peak performance in Leadership Development and ultimately across all levels of the organisation. Claire integrated her Physical Intelligence experience into the world of business by joining the elite team of business coaches at RADA and launching Companies in Motion in 2002 to carry forward her passion for and work with Physical Intelligence. Claire fully understands both the science and art of the human body and how business works. Her highly charismatic coaching, facilitation and guest speaker skills have engaged individuals and training audiences at National Express, Sony, Bank of New York Mellon, BAE, SAGE, Coca Cola, J.P.Morgan, Mars, Euroclear, Vygon and Hogg Robinson Group. Claire also has contributed to a variety of articles and BBC television and radio interviews on the topic of Physical Intelligence. Claire holds a BA Honours degree in Dance Theatre from the leading dance school, Trinity Laban.

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  Dominika Sieradzka

  Founder, RIE Solutions

  Dr Dominika Sieradzka is an insightful Practice Management Consultant, who works with financial planning firms that want to make a difference, as well as run great businesses. In 2018 she founded RIE Solutions, which helps firms master practice management, offers operational guidance and mentorship. Since joining the Financial Services industry in 2003, Dominika has helped countless organisations innovate their business practices. Dominika draws on her experience and knowledge from both her Business & Psychology degrees to give the consultancy a unique perspective. Working in partnership with her clients, she is able to support the development and implementation of best practice solutions at firms nationwide. This helps to create great businesses that people love to work for.