ABBEY SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Strategist and Programme Manager
Ben is an experienced strategist and programme manager, having led a variety of projects and campaigns for local, national and international charities. From developing and launching a global, business-led mental health initiative, to managing a multi-million pound Covid-response programme for students, Ben prioritises work that has the potential to make large-scale, meaningful change. Having grown up in Hong Kong, he values working with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, and particularly enjoys coming up with creative solutions to tricky problems.
Job Titles:
- MinstF
- Trust and Foundations Fundraising Specialist
Debbie has held senior positions in large national charities such as Perennial www.perennial.org.uk where she was Director of Marketing and Fundraising; Paul's Cancer Support Centre; The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields; the Rain Forest Foundation; GUTS Fighting Bowel Cancer - Royal Surrey County Hospital; Carr-Gomm Society and many more. Debbie is an excellent bid writer and now specialises in Trusts and major bid preparation.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Fundraising Specialist
Dom is an exceptional corporate fundraising specialist, with experience across all areas of private sector engagement.
His skills include new business and pipeline development, employee engagement, sponsorships, long term strategic partnerships, corporate foundation grants, charity of the year, cause related marketing partnerships and developing growth strategies.
Dom started his career establishing corporate partnerships as an income stream at Restless Development.
As head of team and corporate partnerships globally, he designed and executed a strategy that saw income from corporate partnerships grow from virtually nothing to a team raising six figure sums.
Drew is an influencing expert, with over 15 years of experience leading and supporting policy, campaigns and public affairs projects within the charity, public and private sectors. Working across organisations, Drew provides strategic planning, development, delivery and evaluation of influencing initiatives.
Drew has provided insights and support to organisations in a wide range of policy fields, including health, sport, housing, homelessness, education and apprenticeships, and the environment.
Howard has over 20 years' experience as a consultant, facilitator, trainer, and coach focusing on leadership, management and organisational development, and effectiveness.
Howard specialises in strategy, governance and impact, business, project and risk management, finance, and change. He has worked with Boards and senior managers from the private, public and third sectors to improve individual and organisational performance through a focus on vision, collaboration, confidence, and outcomes.
Client-centred and flexible, Howard employs a participative, solutions-focussed faciliatory approach to encourage ownership: he is a skilled communicator for changing attitudes and behaviour, and is passionate about making a difference. Howard has lived and worked in Europe, Africa, and North America, and has been a UK charity Trustee and Chair. He holds a Master's degree in Management and is a Belbin Team Roles Accredited consultant.
Howard is an Associate with NCVO, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, working on strategy and impact, financial and risk management, and governance projects. With the Centre for Strategy & Communications, he works with Boards and management teams on individual and organisational performance improvement in strategic thinking and planning, business planning, and monitoring and evaluation. He has been a Consultant with Lloyds Bank Foundation's Enhance programme since its inception working on capacity building projects in strategy, business planning, governance, and organisational development. Howard has also worked with Citizens Advice, the Chartered Institute of Insurance and a number of International Organisations including ILO, UNFCCC and WFP.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of Abbey Solutions International Ltd and ASI Philanthropy
As well as establishing Abbey Solutions John is also Trustee of an Indian charity, ASSIST India. He has been working in the not for profit sector since 1990.
Back in the 1980s whilst working as a photographer he organised and led a team on a 2,000 mile walk from London to Khartoum, called the Walk of Life.
The purpose was to raise money for the famine in Ethiopia. He gained support from Sir Bob Geldof, Dire Straits rock band, and numerous companies, including Novotel, Land Rover, British Airways, Hitachi, DHL, Patagonia. International Schools raised funds and even the Pope sent his blessing!
After spending some time in Africa, he returned to England. His experience of witnessing absolute poverty in Sudan made him realise he had to do more. John went back to university and studied for an MA in International Relations. He then went on to work in a number of fundraising and communication roles, before setting up his consultancy.
Today, he runs a truly global organisation with consultants across the world. John spends a lot of his time supporting major donors with their philanthropy strategies, helping them direct their funds to impactful programmes. He has a separate company focusing on philanthropy. ASI Philanthropy.
John has developed strong networks in government and the diplomatic community over the years, particularly with missions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Job Titles:
- Fundraising and Research Specialist
Job Titles:
- Fundraising Planning Specialist
- Member of the Institute of Fundraising
Martyn is a Member of the Institute of Fundraising and has held senior positions in a number of social welfare and animal welfare charities. He has sat on the Board/Management Committee of several organisations, most recently serving as a Trustee of a charity supporting education and well-being projects in India, Nepal and Malawi.
Job Titles:
- Strategist - Business Development - Senior Management
Neil has 30 years' experience of working in senior management positions in the public and charitable sectors, specialising in heritage, voluntary sector development and adult social care.
He spent 11 years working in local authority museums in London and Surrey. Moving on from museum work in the early 2000s, Neil worked for Surrey County Council where he led a local authority development team that supported voluntary and community sector groups with specialist funding advice on national lottery programmes, statutory and other sources of development funding.
He also sat on several grants bodies in Surrey distributing grants for early years partnership and environmental projects.
From 2007 Neil has worked in the charitable sector in senior management roles, working for three years as fundraising director for an educational e-learning charity, applying for development grants from charitable trusts and foundations, national lottery, and collaborating with corporate technological companies.
For the last decade Neil has worked in senior charity sector management roles in London, firstly as Director of the Southwark Pensioners Centre and more recently as Chief Executive of the Sudbury Neighbourhood Centre, two adult social care charities in London, provide vital support to vulnerable older adults particularly during the recent pandemic.
He also has experience of partnership working within the voluntary sector, having successfully led community partnerships to apply for contracts and development grants.
Nicola has 20 years' experience as a consultant and employee, and both donor and grantee, across a range of sectors. Nicola has a eye for detail particularly in relation to planning, monitoring, reporting and impact evaluation.
Her background is in high value fundraising and donor engagement, strategic development, programme and funding management, reporting and evaluation, mentoring and organisational reviews.
She has secured and managed multi-million, multi-year commitments from international trusts, foundations and government donors, and managed teams to exceed annual income targets.
Nicola has specialised in building effective and lasting working relationships, breaking down silos and barriers to ensure collaboration and maximum impact.
As a consultant, she has advised clients on strategy setting and fundraising in a number of countries, combining careful and accurate analysis and evaluation with reasoned and objective judgement.
Nicola previously worked as a strategic development consultant for a Netherlands-based foundation and for a European funding programme. She thrives on contact with a diverse range of partners, and works flexibly and proactively to support their initiatives. She is convinced that by working together, we can make the world a better place.
Nicola is APMG International AgilePM® Foundation qualified, has a BA (Hons) in French and Politics, and speaks fluent French.
Nuisha is a trust fundraising specialist with 11 years' experience. She has worked for large national charities including UK Youth and The Gurkha Welfare Trust, a regional disability charity, and an international development charity. She has attracted significant donations from institutional funders, European funders, trusts, and corporate foundations.
Job Titles:
- Communications and Project Management Specialist
Penny has extensive experience within the third sector at a senior level, having been Director of Communications & Fundraising for United Response, one of the country's largest non-profits. Head of Public Relations at Stonham Housing Association and Senior Press Officer at the London Borough of Greenwich. Penny was also Head of Publications at NCVO and Head of Partnerships at NCVO.
Peter has an exceptionally strong track record in delivering improved performance and cultural change. As a consultant operating at the strategic level, Peter has worked with clients nationally and internationally over the past 25 years including those within the Charitable Sector, Financial Services, Health Care Organisations, Education and Legal Services in both the Public and Private domains.
Peter is an acknowledged expert in coaching, leadership and business development, mediation, governance & service excellence.
Often reaching into his anthropological toolbox, Sune has 18 years' experience working at the nexus of communications and human rights-focused international development programming. Having held managerial positions at several leading third-sector organisations he is passionate about making communications and fundraising work to further human rights and social justice. Sune has experience collaborating with partners across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He is particularly well-versed in the Middle East and North Africa, having lived in Damascus, Beirut, and Ramallah, and having overseen complex development programmes across the region.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute
Tianne is a Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (CMgr FCMI) with extensive work history within client driven investment banks and not-for-profit organisations.
Job Titles:
- Trust Fundraising - Institutional Consultant
Wonu Owoade, a Nigerian national, grew up in the United Kingdom and now lives in the Netherlands.
Wonu has over a decade's experience in fundraising. Her interest in fundraising and the not for profit sector started in her youth where she volunteered for charities such as Oxfam, UNICEF UK and Christian Aid.
Since then she has built considerable experience working for a range of NGOs including Plan International UK, Christian Aid, Girl Effect and the More than Brides Alliance, a partnership between Oxfam Novib, Simavi, Population Council and Save the Children Netherlands.
She has worked with trusts, foundations and governmental donors based in the UK, Europe, the US and Asia. Through her career to date, she has learnt considerably about what makes donors tick and key principles around fundraising best practice.