Simon is an Englishman living in New York. He has been with ?What If! since 2005 and currently leads Client Development for the New York office, having previously set up and led the Learning practice. He specializes in helping businesses unlock the creativity of their people and innovate more effectively, and has worked all around the world with clients as diverse as Coca-Cola, Citi, J&J, Hasbro, the BBC, Nike, myspace and Marriott. Simon spent the first eighteen years of his life living in and around London before escaping to sunny Manchester to study Psychology. As a newly certified mind reader, Simon disappeared around the world for a stretch, eventually returning to London to seek his fortune... or to relieve himself of some worryingly large debts, depending on oneʼs perspective.
He began his career as a management consultant with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), working with their "Human Performance" practice in London. His speciality was "organization effectiveness" (optimising people performance) and his work included organization design and restructuring, communications, talent management, training and change.
After a few years, Simon decided he fancied a change of scene (as good as a rest they say) and joined a small, start-up consultancy also specializing in the "people side of things." There his work focused more on leadership development, culture change and creating and sustaining communities of practice. He was also responsible for marketing and business development.
But fundamentally Simon's passion is innovation, most specifically helping to unlock creativity in others. He first discovered ?What If! while reading the book Sticky Wisdom and was immediately inspired to join the creative revolution.
He joined the ?What If! Learning Team in London in 2005 and spent a year travelling the world delivering training programs and speeches on all things innovation. In early 2006 Simon crossed the Atlantic to set up and lead the New York Learning Team. He now leads Client Development for the New York office, which focuses on overseeing key ?What If! client relationships and working with senior business leaders to help them craft and deliver their innovation agendas.
Simon loves living in New York and supporting the Yankees and the Giants, but he misses English newspapers and decent curries! He is a life-long traveller who will go anywhere in search of the extraordinary life.