Our People

Andrew graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA (Hons) in Management Studies in 1992 and is currently a partner at Freston Road Ventures, which invests in consumer brands that challenge the status quo. He chairs a number of the investments, including Purplebricks, and advises and works with others such as Five Guys.

Andrew previously served as Chair of Carphone Warehouse Ltd and was formerly Group CEO of Carphone Warehouse Group PLC before its merger, which he led with Dixons Group plc. Andrew has an extensive background in leadership and governance and brings a wealth of strategic knowledge and corporate governance expertise.

Edward Wray co-founded Betfair in 1999 and was its first Chief Executive. He set up the business in Australia, and became Chairman in 2006. Betfair floated on the London Stock Exchange in October 2010, valued at £1.4bn.

Edward stepped down from his role as Chairman of Betfair in 2012, and currently holds Directorships at LMAX Limited (the world's leading exchange for FX), and Prodigy Finance. He is also Chair of the Coach Core Foundation.

Helen Hopper trained in management consultancy with Accenture, and in occupational psychology with SHL, before co-founding leadership consulting firm h3 in 2010, where she is a Partner. h3’s mission is to stimulate growth through learning and Helen pursues this with individuals, teams and organisations as a coach and facilitator. She specialises in developing senior teams across the public, private and third sectors. Helen has degrees in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Oxford University), and in Psychology (The Open University). She is an active supporter of mental health charities, most recently as COO of The Listening Place, and Trustee at The Mix. Helen is co-author of  The Secret Life of Boards: The Art and Psychology of Board Relationships.

James Scroggs is an entrepreneurial leader who wears many hats at the intersection of business and society, commerce and culture. A former VP at MTV, his board experience began in 2006 with nine years on the council for the Institute of Contemporary Art. At the same time, he became a founding patron and, since 2013, Chair of Trustees for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). Since 2010 he has been a trustee of YouthNet, which became The Mix. Today, he is also founder of New Working Class (Life Skills provider), co-founder of Humanness (human-first business transformation), chair of One Question (advisory network), and visiting lecturer at the University of Roehampton.  

Dr Jean O'Hara FRCPsych grew up in Hong Kong. She came to London to study medicine, and qualified as a doctor in 1983, and as a psychiatrist in 1988. Her work focussed on mental health and inequalities for people from marginalised communities especially those with intellectual disabilities, autism and BAME backgrounds.  Jean was clinical director at South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (2008-2017) where she led an innovative service model bringing together forensic, autism, ADHD and intellectual disability community and inpatient services across South East London.

Jean has held national leadership roles in the Royal Society of Medicine, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and at NHS England where she was National Clinical Director before retiring to set up her executive coaching and consultancy business. She remains an honorary consultant at the Maudsley, Visiting Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, Trustee at the British Institute for Learning Disabilities, and an ambassador for Savvitas Global, supporting and encouraging women in entrepreneurial and leadership roles.

Michael Lister is a Children and Families Social Worker working within London. As a care leaver, Michael has championed systemic improvements to better address the needs of vulnerable children and families. Michael is passionate about addressing the root causes of mental health challenges to create lasting change in communities. Michael is also the Chair of the Youth Advisory Board for The Mix.

Peter Fonagy, PhD, FMedSci, FBA, FAcSS, OBE, Professor of Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Developmental Science and Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at UCL; Executive Clinical Director, Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme, UCLPartners; Chief Executive of The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, and Senior Clinical Advisor on Children’s Mental Health, NHS England.

His clinical and research interests centre on issues of early attachment relationships, social cognition, borderline personality disorder and violence. A major focus of his contribution has been an innovative research-based psychodynamic therapeutic approach, mentalization-based treatment, which was developed in collaboration with a number of clinical sites in the UK and USA. He has published over 630 scientific papers, 280 chapters, and authored or co-authored 21 books.

He is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Academy of Social Sciences. He has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the British Psychological Society, the International Society for the Study of Personality Disorder and in 2015 was the first UK recipient of the British Academy Wiley Prize for Outstanding Achievements in Psychology.

Simon Weaver is a partner at KPMG UK. Simon is a chartered accountant and has been auditing and advising a broad range of listed companies for the last 13 years.

Vik is the Director of Education at Bristol City Council. He is a highly experienced and passionate leader in children’s services, having transformed and led high-performing services in local government and education.

Vik has held significant roles in the public sector, including Director of Children’s Services in the London Borough of Newham, Director of Education in Dorset Council and senior roles in Westminster City Council. Prior to this, he was a member of the executive team at one of the largest academy trusts in the country, Lift Schools, for five years and has held several advisory roles with academy trusts and charities. Vik has successfully established impactful place-based partnerships, bringing together political leaders, schools, and the NHS to drive positive change in communities.

Amelia is a mental health researcher and actor who brings creativity and a people-centred approach to transforming support for young people. She runs a platform that sparks open conversations about mental health in education and corporate settings. She is also a passionate advocate for people with long-term health conditions and volunteers for Shout. Outside of work, Amelia is inspired by storytelling in all its forms, on stage, on screen, and in the ideas that shape her research.

Grace is a Politics and International Relations student at UCL. She’s particularly interested in how mental health services can better reflect the realities of young people from different backgrounds. She has worked with a range of charities and hopes to become a researcher. Outside of this, she spends her time birding, making nature-inspired art, and looking after her houseplants.

Henry is a Deaflympican (DLY) and a former decorated Australian Captain for the Deaf Swimming Team having represented Australia on three occasions. He achieved his dream of attending Loughborough University to represent the UK in future competitions. Outside the pool, he is a huge social advocate representing a few charities for many causes.

I am passionate about ensuring young people feel listened to and supported. As a Year 13 student, health and wellbeing are areas I care deeply about, and I hope to pursue a career in medicine in the future. Being able to help others and make a positive difference in their lives strongly motivates me. In my free time, I enjoy dancing, listening to music and shopping!

Zara is a newborn care specialist and perinatal consultant, supporting families through some of life's most vulnerable moments all around the world. A Durham University graduate, she is passionate about maternal and infant mental health in particular. Outside of running her business, she is drawn to anything restorative - whether that's time outdoors, a good film, getting lost in a book, or finding community with the people around her.