Project Team

Delivery Team

Chris Walker

Chris is our main SBA facilitator and mentor, as well as tutor on a number of NWBA modules. He is highly experienced in business and organisational development providing consultancy services for a multitude of well-known companies such as ExxonMobil, Unilever, Red Bul, Speedo, M&S, Burtons, Boots, NHS, BP, Shell and Shell International, International Stock Exchange, CIPD,  Reebok Max Planck Institute, Body Shop, Citibank, Price Waterhouse-Coopers, Deloitte Touche, Accenture, Schlumberger, SC Johnson, Proctor & Gamble

Chris’ skill set bridges the gap between business and academia. He knows how to run businesses, micro and multi-national, how to teach business to the largest company in the World – ExxonMobil and to teach/lecture in world class Universities. Chris has first- hand experience of setting-up and running successful global businesses and working at the highest levels as a consultant, lecturer, workshop leader, facilitator and executive coach, for world leading companies and Universities around the world.

Lesley Rider

Lesley has been consulting and lecturing, around the world, on Strategy, Project and Programme Management practices and techniques. She was based in South Africa for over 30 years but has now returned to her place of birth.

Her experience includes: providing training and coaching / mentoring services; facilitating strategy and planning workshops; consulting on strategy, programme and project management; leadership, talent management and assessment of competence.  She has worked with a wide range of project, organisation and industry types including: global corporates such as Barclays Bank, Sasol, Sandvik and Anglo American Group; social entrepreneurs; donors such as GTZ, European Union Aid, Millennium Challenge Corporation (USAid); government departments in South Africa, UK, Kenya and in conjunction with donors in countries such as Mongolia, Burkina Faso, Lesotho, Mozambique; projects of all sizes up to US$500 million.

Over the last 20+ years she has been active in the development of local and international standards and practises for Project Management.

Kay Smith

Kay has been a tutor for 10 years, before that working in the NHS for 25 years, mainly in procurement management. Her last post was as Consortium Director for North Wales Trusts. During this job, she also completed two secondments to the Welsh Assembly Government. She is a Fellow of her professional institute, the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and has represented Wales on their Global Congress. She is also a tutor and assessor on their professional qualification programme.

Kay has a "portfolio career", involving a variety of different work apart from that of the North Wales Business Academy. She works for Bangor University as a Specialist Mentor in Disability Services, as a Research Assistant in the School of Health Sciences and Advisor on Bangor University's Clinical Psychology Doctorate. Around this, she works on a self-employed basis mainly teaching and assessing but with some coaching, mentoring and a little consultancy/advisory work.  Previously she has worked in the Law School and Management Centre.

Steffan Thomas

Dr Steffan Thomas completed a PhD in Business Management in 2015. His research addressed the marketing, distribution and monetisation of digital music. He now lectures at Bangor University’s School of Music and Media on a range of modules addressing issues within the creative industries. Prior to joining the University, Steffan had worked for an independent record label as well as within the radio and television industry. Steffan delivers Social Media Marketing modules for the North Wales Business Academy.

Einir Young

Einir has extensive experience of collaborating with business and institutions who are disillusioned with a ‘one size fits all’ approach. She relishes the challenge of finding effective solutions to complex ‘sustainability’ issues, focusing on generating prosperity through respecting people and living within the resource boundaries of the planet. Einir is the Director of Sustainability at Bangor University and with The Sustainability Lab team and works with NWBA to encourage businesses to understand and adopt best practice in line with the Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015).