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About us

Meet the team

Impact is bursting with energetic, talented and passionate people who want to make a difference. Our people work from over 30 global locations.

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Connor Gildert, Sales, Americas
USA
Connor andGildert
Sales Operations Administrator

I work alongside our business development team to ensure we provide quality service to our global clients. I also work closely with our internal teams to help do our bit to help develop the local community. Impact gives me the space to be myself, which usually gets me into trouble...

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Yusuke Kobayashi (Baya), Impact International
Japan
Yusuke andKobayashi(Baya)
Client Partner

'Continuing to "enjoy" life'
My lifelong mission is to continue positively influencing both myself and those around me, while persistently seeking enjoyment.
Throughout my career, I've had various experiences, from utilizing cutting-edge technology in logistics to engaging in gritty tasks. Through these experiences, I've realized the importance of finding meaning and joy in everything I do. Although sustaining this mindset is not easy, I am committed to continuous learning to become a professional to bring a positive impact to people and organisations.

Yukiko Asano (Coco), Impact International
Japan
Yukiko andAsano(Coco)
Client Partner

I have worked at Impact Japan since 2015, coordinating the delivery of programmes. I support our consultants and delivery operations. What makes me happy is seeing my colleagues, clients and participants smile, as my job is supporting them. My hobby is collecting Starbucks Coffee mugs from around the world, although I don’t drink coffee personally!

Phil Holdsworth, Impact
New Zealand
Phil andHoldsworth
Head of Asia

In the last 25+ years I’ve worked with many great organisations and love being able to bring a breadth and depth of experience to my programs. I currently regularly travel across Asia consulting for clients and looking after our great people. I'm described as an Energiser Bunny, I bring energy into everything I do, even if I'm stepping off a 12-hour flight! I recover by spending time with my family and exploring the wilderness in NZ with a fishing rod.

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Francesca Gianandrea
Italy
Francesca andGianandrea
Senior Consultant and Facilitator

Senior consultant, for over 25 years I have been involved in the design, development and management of projects in both corporate and cultural organisations. Consolidated experience in team building, creativity and development of commercial skills.I love photography, practicing yoga and creating unique and colorful objects with my hands.

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Maggie Pearce, Impact International
UK
Maggie andPearce
Head of Design

I have a global role around developing and sharing our learning practice, which I combine with designing and delivering some of our more complex client solutions. I have developed and pioneered ‘Solution Mapping’ – Impact’s consultancy framework, and specialise in evaluation strategies, as well as designing leadership action based simulations. I'm Impact’s unofficial Chief Cartoonist and, wherever possible, I use cartoons to bring insights and concepts to life.

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Lucy Gardner
UK
Lucy andGardner
Project Coordinator

As a Project Coordinator, the main focus of my role is to help organise and set up a variety of global programmes as part of the Project Management team. My favourite way to spend my time outside of work is travelling to different places and countries, and after moving to the Lake District a few years ago, I love being based in such a beautiful place every day!

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Yasushi Igarashi, Impact International
Japan
Yasushi andIgarashi(Yasu)
Safety Quality Controller, Master Coordinator

Before Joining Impact in 2002 I worked as an outdoor guide for nature tourism, kayaking and trekking in the ocean and forest. Using this experience, my strengths are in creating and coordinating programmes that provide learning experiences through outdoor activities. Beyond this role I wear several different hats, such as managing our website and managing H&S. Personally, I love to do challenging journeys by sea kayak and bike in many countries.

Doug Greenhough, Zinco
UK
Doug andGreenhough
Head of Learning Tech

I love both learning and technology, so leading Impact’s learning tech R&D is a fantastic gig. Technology can sometimes feel in conflict with the humanity we seek to serve, but thoughtful application of tech immerses us in challenging experiences, brings us closer together and helps us to learn the most important, most human skills. My approach to learning tech (and life, for that matter) echoes Impact’s practice: experiential and human-centred.

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Josh Williams, Impact
Australia
Josh andWilliams
Consultant

I enjoy working with people, teams and organisations to perform to their potential. My outdoor leadership degree, time working in the outdoors and coaching has built a foundation for me which I have had the privilege to build upon for the last eight years at Impact working as part of the delivery team with various clients. I have a keen interest in areas of the business such as leadership development, wellbeing and experiential learning.

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Alicja Pietrasz, Marketing Executive
UK
Alicja andPietrasz
Digital Marketing Executive

As a Digital Marketing Executive I am responsible for a broad range of global marketing projects and activities. I believe in Impact's mission, values, methodology and expertise, and I hope that thanks to my work more people around the world will hear about the great changes we make for organisations and their people. I am a nomadic soul and travel often to discover, experience and learn how the world and people differ.

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Jo Appleby
UK
Jo andAppleby
Head of Partnerships

I design projects to bring Sustainable Development Goals to life and get them into every programme we deliver. Globally. Universal in nature and relevant for all, the SDGs tackle the biggest issues facing our planet and everyone on it. I sit on the consultant team, support our Community Action Learning function and the wider and I’m the Impact UK representative for UNGC. I love running in the fells.

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Shiwali Daryapurkar
USA
Shiwali andDaryapurkar
Program Manager

I enjoy using my strengths in operations management to bring organisations into the chaos and to connect people with resources. I look forward to supporting the team from behind the scenes to execute the programs successfully and meaningfully. In my personal time, you will find me traveling, cooking, event planning, reading, and involved in theatre and film productions.

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Jessica Cucco
Italy
Jessica andCucco
Senior Consultant and Executive coach

With over 25 year experience working as a Consultant and Executive Coach specialized in People Management and in topics related to organizational development, I had the chance to come across Impact after  an International experience in UAE and South Korea. Living abroad I got familar with different cultures and change. Coaching people along their transformational journey, supporting organizations throughout change is what really matters to me, my job!

Simon Brown
UK
Simon andBrown
Accountant

AKA Bloodaxe. I am an accountant at Impact. When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my family, cycling and heavy metal. Not all at the same time, though – that’d be dangerous.

Sara Baranzini, Impact Italia
Italy
Sara andBaranzini
Senior Consultant and Executive coach

I have experience as an HR Manager in multinational and Italian companies, managing L&D, recruitment, employees relations, coupled with across-the-board experience in consultancy projects on those subjects. Since 2013 I have been supporting organisations to change with a focus on learning and development with main focus on leadership, individual effectiveness, business coaching and change management.

 

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Joanna Rada, Senior Consultant
Poland
Joanna andRada
Senior Consultant

After many years in business environment, leading sales and operating teams, I decided to share my knowledge and practice as a coach and facilitator. Becoming Impact consultant enabled me to support leaders and talents in developing their leadership with a solid dose of the "fun factor" that Impact programs provide.

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Dan Jones
UK
Dan andJones
Head of Media

I bring my passion for photography and film-making to work, creating people development and marketing films. I like many types of cheese, with my favourite probably being Wensleydale with some sort of dried fruit in it. Sometimes with crackers. And chutney. Maybe a glass of wine… What was I supposed to be writing about again?

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Roger Nielsen, Impact
Australia
Roger andNielsen
Senior Consultant

Over the past 16 years at Impact I've worked around the world with some truly wonderful people. I've been the lead facilitator on many large-scale initiatives focused on developing leadership capability, high performing teams and coaching. I love the outdoors, and spend many hours at the beach with my wife and daughter.

 

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Michelle Dong
China and Hong Kong
Michelle andDong
Senior Consultant

In all my work, I am driven by a profound interest in what moves and motivates people. I believe that everybody can make significant improvements through continuous self-exploration. I deliver individual coaching, workshops and training programs with the focus of increasing the potential of Senior Managers and High Potentials and developing their team leadership skills as well as helping them with behavioural change initiatives which naturally bring along performance improvements. 

Naoshi Kimura (Woody)
Japan
Naoshi andKimura(Woody)
Manager, Client Success Department

Over 10 years of experience in retail industry, I experienced various roles, managing some stores as a store manager, executing retail strategies as a retail manager, and an internal trainer in the organizational change project, planning, making, delivering the programs to the managers and staffs. I am very much interested in “people change” so very happy to work at Impact to build my career as a professional of people and organizational consultant.

Cassie Cuppek
USA
Cassie andCuppek
Senior Consultant

When asked, "What do you do for work?" it is not uncommon for me to respond, "Light Bulb Moment Technician". I have been fortunate to be filled with such energy through my talent, leadership, and organisational development work. When I am not working, I take my role as Aunt Cassie with my husband, Josh, very seriously! It is the greatest thrill to teach them to ride motorcycles, do yoga, and explore the world.

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Stuart Kelly, PhD Researcher
UK
Stuart andKelly
Associate

I have a passion for helping people in organisations perform to their potential. I have spent the past 10 years co-creating solutions to develop high-performance cultures. I work in elite sports and use the transferability of the skills people need in those environments in a competitive business one. I completed my PhD researching Leadership & Well-being in blue-chip organisations and apply this to my practice.

 

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Ethan Brown
UK
Ethan andBrown
Accounts

I work in accounts at Impact. I am based in the Windermere office (UK).

Leadership

The leadership playbook: executive summary

Get hands on with our interactive leadership playbook, shaped by 45+ years' experience working with some of the world's biggest organisations.

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Leadership
News

2025 Training Industry Top Training Companies Lists: Leadership Training 

Training Industry, known for its independent and rigorous assessment of the training marketplace, has recognized Impact as a Top 20 Leadership Training Company for the 15th consecutive year.

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Change
Innovation & Creativity
Leadership

C-level leaders on navigating complexity

Discover what it means to lead in today's global business environment through our insightful eBook.

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Emerging Talent
Transformational Leadership

Frontline leadership program for Orica

A 12-week blended program designed to help frontline leaders develop foundational and practical skills to be more effective in current

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Change
Digital & Technology
Leadership

Podcast: Is BANI the new VUCA? with Jamais Cascio

Jamais Cascio created the BANI framework in 2018 and six years later, Impact is the first UK/US based organisation to invite him to speak about it. In this podcast we explore what BANI is and how...

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Change Management
Transformational Leadership

Empowering transformational change through leadership with Charter Manufacturing

Charter Manufacturing’s multi-award-winning programs have produced leaders who are enabled to be agile and lead transformational change.

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Our awards

Year after year, we continue to be acknowledged for the quality and effectiveness of our partnerships with clients and for our own work on building Impact as an organisation worth working for.

2025 Training Industry Top 20 Leadership Training Company
Top 20 Leadership Training Company 2025

Impact is a 2025 Top 20 Leadership Training Company. Training Industry independently assess the training marketplace for top providers. Their Top Leadership Training List, based on capabilities and expertise, includes Impact for the 15th consecutive year. 

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AITD 2025 award finalist
AITD Excellence Awards 2025

Orica's Frontline Leadership programme has been shortlisted in the Best Leadership Development category of the AITD Excellence Awards 2025 (Australian Institute of Training and Development).

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