WHO WE ARE
Alex Webb – Director
Teacher – Sports Media – Employee Engagement Manager – Experiential Marketing & Events Director – International Sports Coach – Startups Consultant – Career Accelerator – Resilience & Leadership coach – Wife and Mother of two boys
Alex has been one of the leading project managers in her field for the last fifteen years. Although she has specialised in large live events (225,000 people) she has worked across multiple business sectors and has helped develop programs for start-ups and SMEs.
She started her career as a teacher and as a natural mentor brings a deep understanding of the challenges facing students and graduates. To balance working with students and young adults, Alex works with individuals and teams within the world of business to create high performing teams through self-awareness, resilience and leadership. It’s this work that allows her expertise to the younger audience.
Outside of Flying Start XP Alex has also run and coached international sports teams.
Charlie Welch – Programme Director
Charlie is a leading business facilitator and programme development consultant who has worked across most business sectors. She was the first female winner of the Queen’s Medal at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Charlie has facilitated at all corporate levels, from boardroom to new employees and has experience nationally and internationally in public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Clients include The United Nations, EDF, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, GSK, RBS, GE and The British Red Cross.
OUR VALUES
We love to grow, support, challenge and release natural genius
We are passionate about being effective
We care about our students, our clients and our team
We value loyalty and build together. We are a strong team of authentic positive people
We enjoy what we do, with the people we do it with
OUR EXTENDED TEAM
James Prior – Founder & Executive Director
James has been consulting FTSE 350 companies in employee engagement and change management for 20 years. He has led a team that has created award-winning experiential techniques that accelerates learning and sustainable behaviour change. He brings experience from different perspectives which include serving as an officer in the Scots Guards, driving a food convoy into Bosnia and he recently rowed the Atlantic as part of an eight-man team.
He believes that the first step into business is one of the biggest that we take. It should be exciting, inspiring and like all adventures you need to be properly equipped. James and his team have created Flying Start XP to achieve this and are determined to accelerate the careers of each person on every course.
Lorne Armstrong – Business Associate
Lorne is a highly experienced designer and facilitator of behaviour-changing live experiences. As co-founder and director of experiential agency INVOLVE, Lorne has created some of the UK”s most innovative projects for both private and public sector clients to create and deliver real change in companies including Santander Business, GSK, EF, RBS Corporate, Sainsbury’s, Argos and HMRC.
Mitch Smith – Business Associate
Mitch is trained in classic leadership and change management theory, focusing on allowing teams and individuals to develop through collaborative and engaging techniques. Mitch was a Senior Leader at AXA heading up Engagement, he has delivery experience in complex, multi-functional and multi-cultural environments that combine real business experience with a hands-on approach to coaching, training and mentoring. Clients include GSK, AXA.
Madelaine Healey – Social Media Manager
Madelaine is a social media specialist trained by Digital Mums. She makes sure Flying Start XP is engaged and visible where we need to be to bring the best opportunities to our students.
Madelaine has previously worked as a university tutor in Australia and has a strong understanding of the challenges young people face finding the right career path. She has also worked in social research and policy and has a PhD in South Asian History.
Piero Vitelli – Business Associate
Piero is a lecturer, author, facilitator and presenter. He specialises in effective communication and mentors leaders of FTSE 100 companies including GSK, TATA, AXA and EE. In addition, he designs experiential
training courses for strength deployment inventory, time management and presentation skills. He is a brilliant facilitator and works across both industry and Universities.
Ron Hopkins – Psychometrics Specialist
Ron has worked across a wide range of industries, multinational and UK FTSE organisations for over twenty-five years. They include Pharmaceutical, Insurance, Investment Banking, Oil & Gas, Communications, Light Manufacturing, Retail and major charities. He has used psychometrics as a key part of his executive & team-leader coaching. Working directly with strong leadership teams, Ron has helped them to understand what they have to offer, their particular strengths and the best communication strategies for maximum personal and team effectiveness.
Guest Speakers
Flying Start XP will be inviting an inspirational mix of industry experts to come and speak to our courses. They will share their perspectives on graduate requirement, employee development and the challenges facing new starters.