Institutional Contract Work
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
"Neil and I have worked together for a number of years, firstly when he took on a senior business development role at CIPS where we were selling corporate training and consultancy solutions to organisations. More latterly Neil has worked with me at IOSH to support my networks team in Ireland. He carried out a very thorough piece of consultancy, engaging and consulting with our volunteer network to make recommendations around how activities could be supported and improved. Neil built very strong relationships with our volunteers, listened carefully to their feedback and presented this to me in a structured, balanced and well considered way. We are now implementing a number of the recommendations. I would not hesitate to use Neil's services again"
Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher Chief Executive at The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
"I worked with Neil for the 5 months he was working with IOSH in Ireland. I liked his methodical and proactive approach to understanding the business and the broad knowledge of similar areas he brought to the role."
Catherine Daly Branch Coordinator at The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)
"Neil is biased to action and energetically works to support delivery of the organisations business development programme. Neil has come up with a number of new ideas (e.g. Market Research reports, Advantage), brought in good sponsorship (PSN) and driven forward the CPS awards. Well done for that. Neil works hard to develop and foster relationships and clients.He has also worked hard to develop his team into a cohesive unit."
Neil Atkinson CEng CSci HonFSE FIChemE - Director of Qualifications and International Development, IChemE
"I think very highly of Neil and think that as the IChemE grows the function and role of someone like Neil becomes even more critical. To be blunt Neil has a capacity to roll with the punches and bob and weave around issues which I have not seen with others in the organisation, this sort of adaptability, a sort of fast track business evolution if you like is hugely important to an organisation experiencing such phenomenal growth! Neil is a Key interface with the consumer (membership). Gotta keep the customer happy and no better man than Neil. Maturity experience and Class....I use the last word deliberately....sounds snobby but there is an old expression "breeding beats feeding" when you have someone out there meeting high up industry personnel....having this extra touch is brilliant....and of course it’s in the background....never in your face! Neil has outstanding team working and communication skills"
Dr Denis Ring CEng FIChemE MIEI MISPE, Lecturer, School of Engineering, Process & Chemical Engineering University College Cork
"Ever since he joined IChemE, Neil has taken a real interest in our accredited company training scheme and is now also working with us on other initiatives. He has taken the time to get to know us, and is genuinely keen to provide us with all the help and support we need. His enthusiasm and energy are infectious, and I believe he is a real asset to IChemE. I'm looking forward to watching his ideas for future IChemE initiatives come to fruition!"
Emma Conway - Principal Engineer at Atkins
"I have worked with Neil for many years in his role as UK Membership and Market Development Manager for the IChemE as well as his more recent roles. Neil has always been very friendly, enthusiastic, supportive , responsive and helpful to myself and also in my ABB & IChemE roles. Neil has an excellent industry knowledge and senior level network ,for me in the region Neil was always the face of IChemE. He brought “customer service” to IChemE and really helped support the benefits of membership with his team. Neil was always the person to get things organised and listened to what members wanted. He was the main interface between Head Office and the member. Neil operates as a highly skilled business developer with strong business skills along with knowledge in all the industry sectors of Oil, Gas, Chemical, pharmaceuticals, Energy. I would recommend him as a great asset to an organisation."
Peter Hunt Business Development Director ABB
"Neil's energy and professionalism has created a step-change in the way the IChemE is engaging with industrial partners. We've benefitted directly from this as have the institution's local members in Aberdeen. "
Neill Renton Director of RCLD, Fellow of the IChemE, Honorary Senior Lecturer at University of Aberdeen.
"Neil is a strong communicator and diligent in maintaining agreed contact levels & meetings. He has looked to drive interaction and always very positive as to where IChemE are looking to develop. I have been pleased with the relationship building with Neil. Always a pleasure to work with Neil & the wider team "
Sean McDonagh FinstSMM / AFIChemE - Business Manager Chemical,Sales Manager Process, Siemens plc
"Neil is passionate about making a difference in the IChemE corporate accreditation programmes and has provided as huge amount of support and advice on how to get the programme in place at my previous place of work. In addition Neil was able to provide examples of documentation, a methodology to get the work done, a suitable and achievable time scale for the work to be done and a very creative way to motivate funding from within the company. His personality and ability to negotiate and discuss within the company from CEO to Junior Engineers is truly an asset to the IChemE."
Ralph Grob - Senior Consultant, Petroleum, Chemicals & Energy, JACOBS Consultancy
"My main interactions with Neil were via the organisation of the ChemEngDayUK conference held at the University of Bath in March / April 2016. I led the local organisation but the conference was very much a joint effort with the IChemE, and Neil was absolutely central to that via his management of sponsorship and the company exhibit stands. Neil showed fantastic energy and persistence in securing a wide range of company sponsorships and exhibits for the conference. This really kept the conference finances on track and made the conference itself really go with a swing. Neil is a tremendous asset to IChemE and the Chemical Engineering community at large"
Professor Timothy J Mays, CEng, FIChemE - Head, Department of Chemical Engineering University of Bath
"Neil is a strong communicator with a very personal approach and style. Great thinking on his feet but also great in a more forward-thinking pro-active approach. I think the IChemE requires that type of approach to get things done but to also add value and solutions to its members and the industry as a whole. Very knowledgeable and is aware of gaps and opportunities within the industry."
Mark Ballard - Operations Director, NES Global Talent
"Neil is energetic and imaginative in pursuit of his role and is excellent at networking and putting people in touch with each other. As well as keeping regularly in touch with me both by Email and by arranging to meet regularly, he has introduced me to several professionals where there may be some mutual benefit. Furthermore, he has been remorseless and glacial in badgering me (in a very good-humoured way) to apply for membership of IChemE (which I have now finally done)."
Laurence M. Harwood MA (Oxon), BSc, MSc, PhD (Manch), CSci, CChem FRSC, Professor of Organic Chemistry, Director of the University of Reading Chemical Analysis Facility, Department of Chemistry, University of Reading
"Neil is very good at networking. He presented well to the Cambridge students – very clear on what they should do to join IChemE & the benefits. He had the foresight to invite me & we made a complimentary team. A further positive is that he encouraged me to join as a member (now Fellow) and add more time and insight to the IChemE."
Alan Gundle - Senior Director and Managing Director, Reading Science Centre
"I have worked with many consultants and business development people and can happily say that Neil is a complete one off. Insightful, forthright, decisive and above all a high achieving deliverer of outstanding results for his clients and their business. If you are looking for a success agent able to drive results in sales, marketing and business"
Mike Woods - Owner, Supply Solutions Limited
"I worked with Neil on the development of the Oil & Gas Industry specific Corporate Award Training Programme for the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS). Neil was the CIPS Senior Consultant, Customer Development and he did exactly what it said on the tin. The initiative was dragging its heels a bit until Neil came on board. His limitless tenacity, energy and attention to detail meant that the initiative regained its focus and the programme was launched in November 2010 with more programmes in the pipeline with commitment from a broad range of companies. In simple terms, if Neil Young makes you a commitment to do something, then it is Neil Young who delivers. In any development programme, there are times when some of the people involved become tired or disengaged for a number of reasons. Neil's character and drive kept the momentum and it is no understatement when I say that if Neil had not come on board when he did we may well, as of today, still been at the 'thinking about it stage'. I don't think 'give up' has a place in the Neil Young vocabulary "
Steve Johnson MSc, FCIPS, FCILT Head of Global Procurement & Supply Chain Management, Prosafe Offshore Ltd
"Neil Young is a natural consultative seller who takes time to empathise with his potential clients and fully understand their drivers before launching into solutions. This is a sophisticated approach which will tend, in my view to build long lasting business exchange across a range of fronts. Neil’s personal style is well suited to the long lead time we associate with the learning and development marketplace."
Neil Wright, Managing Director PMMS Consulting Group
"Since working with CIPS, Neil has been quick on the uptake, rapidly developing an excellent understanding of the CIPS value proposition. He has shown himself capable of insightful and proactive sales generation. He happily acknowledged the limits of his procurement knowledge and invested in this aspect of his understanding. Refreshingly he also welcomed working with his key suppliers recognizing the power of joint selling using their technical skills to cement client relationships and develop sales. He calls on this resource when there is genuine need and opportunity. Working “client-side” I have found him to be professional in his approach to working, mutual and respectful of ourselves and generally good fun to work with”
Mike Woods, Director Supply Solutions 2009 Ltd
"I respect Neil’s approach that places the client’s needs as paramount. Direct face-to-face contact is vital and when it can be accompanied by the CIPS provider that is even better. Neil is driven by achievement and has empathy with a client’s needs. He always keeps promises and drives a response from Brian Farrington as a provider. In my considered view this will generate business and gain a client’s respect. A further quality Neil has is that he will dedicate the requisite hours to meeting needs. Neil is an excellent listener and can identify actions very well."
Dr Brian Farrington, Managing Director Brian
"Neil was employed by me from August 2009, in the position of a Senior Sales Consultant and worked under my remit as Director of Customer Solutions until August 2010, where after this function transferred to a colleague. During the time that Neil worked with me and the Customer Solutions team, I found him to be industrious, productive and diligent in all aspects of his work, in sales and marketing. In particular, Neil demonstrated a highly proactive bias in prospecting, opening and closing sales. Neil’s work in selling business transformation services through the CIPS Corporate Award consortia product was highly successful in the Oil and Gas industry, around the Aberdeen area. Neil Young is a first-class Relationship Manager who understands intimately the sales function and I would have no hesitation what so ever, in considering him for Senior Sales positions in the future. "
Chris Gallagher - Director of Strategic Development – CIPS
"I met Neil when he was working to develop CIPS business, membership and training and education events in NE Scotland. I found Neil to be a consummate professional in this regard and during his time really made his mark with continuing and accelerated development of the Branch. A really good guy. "
Allan Wright MBA, MSc, FCIPS - Owner of Scapa Services (UK) Ltd.
"I respect Neil’s approach that places the client’s needs as paramount. Direct face-to-face contact is vital and when it can be accompanied by the provider that is even better. Neil is driven by achievement and has empathy with a client’s needs. He always keeps promises and drives a response from Brian Farrington Ltd as a provider. In my considered view this will generate business and gain a client’s respect. A further quality Neil has is that he will dedicate the requisite hours to meeting needs. Neil is an excellent listener and can identify actions very well."
Stephen Ashcroft - Procurement Expert
Institute of Financial Services (ifs)
"Neil performed a strategic research and relationship role to help resurrect customers who had not previously been seen for some time at the ifs School of Finance. He worked for me when he was employed for two six month contracts and progressed his role into more of a “hunting” capacity, creating new relationships and potential business, and helping support the CRM team with introductions across the FS industry. Neil was extremely active in his role and is hard working, loyal and supportive, and has created many new contacts for the benefit of the institute. He is a person who will “get the job done”, and bring his energy and enthusiasm to play with customers. I would have no hesitation in recommending Neil to you and wish him well for the future."
Gary Millner, Formerly Director of Financial Regulation - Institute of Financial Services
"I have worked with Neil in both Lloyds TSB and Nationwide and have always found him to extremely knowledgeable in the field of learning and development. He has a wealth of industry knowledge and a wide network of professional contacts. He is passionate about learning and in my view 100% reliable around project delivery. "
Craig Pocock - Head of People Performance and Development - Nationwide Building Society
"I've known Neil for more than 15 years initially as a colleague, latterly as an account manager and friend. Neil is a real can do person with wide knowledge and experience of the financial services sector. What impresses me most about Neil is that he cares about his customers and once he has taken time to understand their needs, he will move heaven and earth to ensure that he delivers for them 100% of the time. "
Dennis MacDonald, former Head of Training, Yorkshire Building Society
"Worked with Neil many times over the last 15 years - quality person who listens to my requests as a customer and creates pragmatic and workable solutions to problems that are cost effective. I would recommend Neil. "
Mike Brewin - T&C Manager at Smith & Williamson
Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC)
"I knew Neil in his capacity as Head of Employer Engagement for the Financial Services Skills Sector in 2006 – 2007 when I was employed by the Welsh Assembly Government as Director of Business Policy. During that time, Neil made sure that we met on a regular basis to discuss issues of mutual interest in respect of the Financial Services sector. His keenness, commitment and drive to actively involve key stakeholders in understanding and responding to the skills challenges facing the sector were all too apparent. He worked diligently to develop new contacts with major employers in Wales but also acknowledged the need to engage effectively with government to ensure a joined – up approach to the development and delivery of the Sector Skills Agreement. Neil was always highly professional and enthusiastic in my contact with him and was also extremely knowledgeable about the opportunities and threats facing the sector. His ability to network seemed effortless but this disguised considerable hard work behind the scenes to establish key contacts and effective networking events. On the basis of my dealings with Neil, I would have no hesitation in recommending him as a very motivated, focused and committed manager who has a strong specialist knowledge of the UK Financial Services sector."
Steve Webb (Formerly Director of Business Policy – Welsh Assembly Government)
"Neil’s approach to management is based upon planning and the development of clear strategic and operational objectives.
Neil encourages his team to provide input and suggestions on the development of the team business plan, targets and operational processes. He plays to individual team members strengths and supports, encourages and helps with team members self-development. Neil is open to new ideas and ways of working and empowers his staff to fulfil their potential and to maximize team results. He develops good professional relationships with his staff and is supportive to achieve team and individual targets. Neil will sponsor the team’s needs (including resources) to achieve targets, and will challenge decisions that will negatively impact upon his team’s performance. He is a realist and understands what can be achieved with set resources."
Tony Young (ex FSSC Team Member) - Adult Social Services, Public Health & wellbeing Cluster Contracts & Procurement Officer at London Borough of Redbridge
"Neil was a participative manager who engages with his charges seeking to understand them and their issues; offering support and tests (his) solutions with his team; sets, manages and monitors objectives with his team; constructive and communicative relations always attempted both up and down the line"
Stephen Smith ex FSSC BDM
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB)
"Neil is one of the best managers I have had the pleasure of working with. Neil’s overall philosophy was “work hard and play hard”. We worked hard but Neil created a fun environment to work in. Everything was centred around the team. He was without doubt the best line manager I’ve ever had in terms of, coaching and developing me, challenging me, supporting and helping me to grow. .A good example of Neil’s motivation was the local centres conference where h inspired the local centre reps by rewarding and motivating them, and told them how important they were, rather than the usual tell sessions of previous conferences."
David Fields ex ifs Senior BDM and eventually Head of the Banking & Finance Faculty- Director, Effectus Learning Ltd
"Neil is a motivational leader. He creates an environment that enables a person/team to develop confidently to their full potential. He is supportive, honest, positive, enthusiastic and energetic. He reflects an individual’s personality/motivation in his managerial style and is approachable, trustworthy, as well as being empathetic and breeding confidence in his team"
Lisa Milton - Relationship Director at The London Institute of Banking & Finance
"Neil Young during the late nineties and early naughties successfully managed a business development team of which I was a part; the following is a list of his traits and styles as my manager and mentor: His overriding style was to lead by example and he used his wealth of experience to coach and build the confidence of those who were both above him and subordinate. An example would be the use of a de-brief after sales and customer service meetings that, even when critical, left you feeling positive and exited about the next approach that you would make. Neil believed in the whole team experience and no one individual was to be seen as a favorite, his attitude being all of his staff were vital in their roles of supporting each other and the team. An example that comes to mind was the holding of regular meetings where administration and sales could explore new approaches thereby achieving the Institutes objectives."
John Harrison ex ifs Senior BDM
"Neil Young worked for the Institute from 1997 to 2002. During that time he built up a strong sales team for the ifs which was particularly successful in the realm of qualifications and other products related to regulated sales (CeFA and CeMAP). Neil is one of the best product sales people I know, full of energy and enthusiasm, and an ability to take set-backs in his stride. He also demonstrated great loyalty to the organisation. We were sorry when he left us in June 2002 to advance his career elsewhere."
Rachel Gosling, Deputy Chief Executive - Institute of Financial Services
"I have known Neil for several years through our involvement with the ifs School of Finance. During that time, I have always found Neil an extremely personable, committed and enthusiastic individual with a clear focus on his objectives. Neil's people focussed approach and enthusiastic manner make him a strong team player and one who is prepared to lead from the front. We have worked together on rebuilding a brand and Neil certainly put the work in to get to the right people and ensure the message was delivered. "
Jason Poucher, President, ifs School of Finance, Jersey Network
Strategic Business & Market Development, Training & Sales
Freelance Consultancy
"I worked with Neil for a significant period of time in 2011. From the very outset he demonstrated his wealth of knowledge and experience in developing and working with people and teams. He cares deeply not only about the quality of the work but the working relationships of the people he knows. On a number of occasions the project changed significantly and Neil was always there to help it get back on track. He follows up and always gets back to you with a sincere and friendly approach, demonstrating his values of integrity, openness and trustworthiness. It has been a pleasure to work alongside him."
Richard Moss - Management Development Consultant at St James Place Wealth Management Group
"I have worked with Neil Young over the past year and have found him highly skilled as a Business Consultant and training professional. Neil is experienced in working with businesses to help them to identify their training requirements. He then works with a team of consultants to provide the training required for the business needs. In tendering for any work, Neil ensures that he has the commitment and resource of experienced experts in the necessary field of business to ensure a high quality product for his customers. I have worked with Neil over the past year by designing RDR learning and assessment interventions for one of his customers, and look forward to working with him again in the future."
Sara Cook Owner - BFH Associates Ltd Training and Development Services
"Neil is a very experienced Training professional with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the financial services sector and most of the significant individuals in the industry. Armed with this experience and knowledge he is well placed to address almost any training requirements a business might have."
Charles Meade-King - Former Director, IFAct Services Limited
"I have known Neil over many years most recently where he helped manage and create a more effective Major Employers Advisory Forum (MEAF) at the Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC). He refocused the original approach from the Skills Council to an approach which was more customer focused, and meaningful to the audience, involving approximately 20 of the larger financial services organisations in the UK. Neil also helped me at the FSA with our FSSC accreditation, when I looked after the Corporate Learning function. If it wasn’t for Neil’s hard work, flexibility and commitment to the cause our accreditation would not have been kept on schedule, as the process was more intensive than first envisaged. He helped provide a sense check interpreting the FSSC standards, and we were very grateful for his enthusiasm, patience, knowledge and expertise. Because of his hard work and diligence he also ended up helping Industry training with their accreditation as well. I would have no hesitation in using Neil again and wish him well in his future career"
Steve Orton (Formerly Manager Learning & Community Affairs – FSA)
"Now we’ve had our audit, I thought it would be appropriate to register my thanks for all your help. Your hard work, flexibility and commitment to the cause has been truly commendable and has been extremely important in preparing our submission.
I am very grateful for your enthusiasm, patience, knowledge and expertise"
Darren Moxam (Formerly Team Leader Industry Training – FSA)
"I have worked with Neil for many years and at most of the companies I have worked for. I've never hesitated to use Neil because I know he will always deliver what I need. He has a tremendous network of high quality reliable people who do a great job for my clients. He takes the risk out of outsourcing by understanding my business and giving me people that I'll gladly use again and again."
Steve Orton - L&D Manager at AVIVA UK
"Neil and I have worked together in various roles for over 20 years - Neil is the consumate professional and always has ideas and suggestions to offer in any situation. A fantastic networker - builds relationships for mutual benefit. "
Jeremy Brettell FIoD CDir MBA - Non Executive Chairman at Airdrie Savings Bank
"I have the great fortunate of knowing Neil over 3 or 4 years and his service on many occasions. Neil has a great knowledge of the financial services industry and his networking skills, well I only wish I had half his contacts. I would not hesitate to work Neil again."
Andrew Greaves - Tenet Advantage Training & Development Consultant at Tenet Group
"Neil is an extremely knowledgeable and connected individual and his experience in financial services is tantamount to none. His work with Penrose has been excellent and we appreciate his assistance in achieving some great results! "
Leone Lewis, Associate Director, Consumer Finance Team, Penrose
"I have always found that Neil delivers where others flounder. He does the right things at the right time and I trust his business advice and integrity in all matters. "
Alex Alder, Personal Development Team, Aviva.co.uk
"I retained Neil while I was a Partner and then Director at threesixty services. He wrote/edited a large part of our training material and worked closely with me on a major project for a national firm. His work was of a consistently high standard and he delivered material on time and within budget (even when timescales were a little unreasonable!)"
David Ingram - Managing Director at SIFA Ltd
"Neil has, over the last 3 years, undertaken a considerable amount of project work on behalf of threesixty services llp.
This has involved the production of numerous training manuals, produced within extremely tight timescales and to an extremely high standard, as well as a number of examination databases. Additionally, Neil has been extremely active in helping us secure meetings with numerous building societies and banks where his personal contacts, garnered over a number of years providing services to them, have been influenced in meeting with us due to their own regard for Neil. In the many years which I have known Neil I have found him to be extremely hardworking and trustworthy. As a supplier he is definitely on our ‘gold list’ in that we are always comfortable that once he has agreed deadlines and costs we can simply sit back and await delivery of a very satisfactory outcome"
David Ingram - Partner - threesixty support services llp
"Neil has provided training material to the highest standard on time and to specification against challenging timescales and within tight budgets"
Brian Corrigan Retired – ex Halifax Training Executive
"I worked with Neil for many years in his capacity as Training Manager and also as Head of Business Development and would enthusiastically recommend him to anyone considering employing him or working with him His knowledge is excellent, his approach is always thorough and his understanding of the markets in which he operates is comprehensive. His outgoing personality makes him easy to work with, both as a colleague and as a man manager"
Charley Watkins - Head of Retail Design at Virgin Money
Corporate Training Partnerships (CTP)
"Neil Young worked for Corporate Training Partnerships Ltd as our Business Development Director from June 2002 when the company commences trading to June 2004. Neil's unfailing enthusiasm and determination helped the company to build a blue chip portfolio of clients. Indeed, his management of a network of contacts and generation of interest in our services prompted the need to re-structure and create a number of new roles to manage the relationships with our existing clients and grow the business. I have no doubt that without Neil's particular skills, determination and energy the company would have taken longer to reach the position it has."
Jayne Owen, Chief Executive – Corporate Training Partnerships
Halifax- Leeds Permanent Building Society
"I have known Neil for about 15 years since I was Training and Development Manager at Leeds Permanent Building Society.
Neil always struck me as having a very high level of drive and personal commitment to getting results. One of Neil's key strengths lie in operational management, and getting things done, where he can build and lead effective teams. He is both highly enthusiastic about his work, and motivates both work colleagues and customers to action. He thrives in an environment where he is given space in which to operate but support and guidance is readily available. He will readily take the initiative. He is honest and straight forward. Another key strength, despite the obvious ones outlined above, is his ability to network, and provides a superior level of customer service. The sheer scale and breadth of his network is impressive. He also has the capability to utilise his network to get things done. He has a skill in facilitation of experts rather than necessarily being the expert himself. He now wants to work with an organisation on a more sustained basis and develop his career with some stability. This is the ideal environment for him. He had thought he had found this with the FSSC, but that did not turn out as hoped."
Tony Jefferson, Formerly Head of Group Management and Development - Halifax plc, and Head of Training – Leeds Permanent Building Society - Director Rookes Consulting
"I have known and worked with Neil for many years, initially as a colleague, and then as an employer of his consultancy skills. For HBOS, over the past few years, his involvement as a freelance consultant in the development of question banks and materials has been invaluable. Neil contributes enormously to any team with whom he is involved. He is a highly professional, enthusiastic and passionate individual who is committed and driven to create results for the customer. He is people focused and customer orientated ensuring the on-time, bespoke delivery requirements that are needed in the FS Industry, either personally, or buy the management of a wide network of associates. You can trust Neil to deliver the cost effective first class results which you require."
Brian Corrigan, Training Consultant, Halifax
"My perception was that Neil’s management style engendered a feeling within the team of belonging to a family. As in any family there might be different points of view, but, when needed, team members would support one another absolutely. I prefer to think of Neil as a leader rather than a manager. I have suffered under several managers, who just managed, but working with a leader, such as Neil, is a far more rewarding experience. A heavily regulated environment can be pressured, but having a leader who is prepared to be involved in the action, to give clear direction, and take bold decisions makes that pressure much more acceptable."
Brian Corrigan ex Senior Trainer at the Leeds Permanent and eventually HBOS Group
Refuge Financial Services-Refuge Assurance
"Neil is very intelligent, motivated, dynamic, driven, positive, professional and a gentleman. He has amazing energy and drive to get things done. He has the power to engage people at all levels in all sizes of organisations. He is a wonderful person to have known all these years, although I have not had the opportunity to tell him as often as I would like. An immense man, and loyal friend. That's Neil."
Steve Conley - Managing Director at Workplace Pensions Direct and Leader of the Market Integrity Team of the Transparency Task Force
Management Contract Work
Census 2021- Office For National Statistics
"I wanted to take this opportunity as we enter the final week of your employment on the Census 2021 project to thank you for all your hard work throughout what has been a hectic 3 months.
Despite numerous technical (IT especially) and operational issues experienced throughout you have remained 100% professional and committed to the task in hand. Typically your calm, assured and unflappable approach ensured that your Census Officers felt fully supported throughout the operation. You demonstrated a can-do attitude, preferring to get on with everything that was thrown at you rather than getting dragged into energy sapping negativity. Leading by example (a natural trait) you took responsibility for their continued wellbeing and took a pragmatic approach to all problems and incidents that occurred.
You made a significant contribution to the overall success achieved by South Derbyshire & South Nottinghamshire.
Thanks you once again for all your help and I wish you well for the future"
David Scaife Census Area Manager (South Derbyshire & South Nottinghamshire) Office for National Statistics
Sesame
"I had the pleasure of working with Neil both at Sesame and during and immediately after the Halifax and Leeds merger.
Neil managed a 9-month project at Sesame to look after the applications and exits department through M-Day. During this project Neil enabled the department to process twice the normal throughput of applications accurately and in a timely fashion aiding Sesame's sales targets to be achieved. The project also included re-engineering and streamlining the department processes and improving morale, motivation and retention within the department. Fully documented procedures were produced for the first time and a major regulatory database introduced. Neil was also party to helping Sesame achieve a "clean bill of health" from an FSA visit. At the Halifax Neil helped to devise and implement a training programme to help Leeds advisers to move across to Halifax products and working practices. Subsequently, Neil led a project to ensure that all of the Halifax advisers passed the CeFA examinations before the PIA deadline. I have always found Neil to be highly professional, totally focused on results and someone who can be relied upon to get the job done."
Stephen Young, Sales & Marketing Director – Sesame Group (Formerly Head of Training Halifax plc)
"Neil has a close management style. He keeps regularly abreast of required activities, issues and focusing minds. He manages to deliver director level needs through to administrator level staff and understands how to deliver these messages so that they are understood by all. He also uses targets for his staff well and knows the value of these and how incentives can raise performance."
Steven Smith ex Team Leader
"Neil headed up the Applications department whilst I was working for Sesame Services Limited. Neil was supportive, positive and very enthusiastic. At an early stage in my career in Financial Services he helped me develop and instil a confidence in me that gave me a belief that there are no limits on how far you want to progress your career. I always found him to be a great motivational leader. I couldn’t recommend Neil highly enough. "
Tom Frizzell DipPFS – Frizzell & Partners Wealth Management LLP