Expert Advice, Consultancy & Coaching
Our vision & values
WME acts as the Regional Employers Organisation for the West Midlands, reporting to the Certification Office in accordance with the provisions of the Trade Union and Labour relations (Consolidation) Act (1992).
Our Values
Influencing Change
Honesty
Excellence
Excellence
Ambition
Ambition
Respect
Trust
Introduction to Strategic Plan
Our vision is to advocate for people-centred organisations like our members, build a diverse and resilient public sector workforce and champion the West Midlands as a thriving place to live and work. Our 3 priorities for the next 5 years are to tackle regional priorities, investing in research and discussion to develop services which directly address the key areas of concern in the West Midlands workforce, to Deliver Strong Shared Services by extending our product book for more services in HR, Leadership, Coaching and Resourcing, and to put our members at the heart of our organisation, strengthening our offering by listening to our members and their priorities.
Our team
Rebecca Davis
Chief Executive
Rebecca provides leadership across the organisation and is responsible for the delivery of WME’s Strategic Plan 2020 to 2025.
Lesley Shore
Director of HR, Consultancy & Memberships
Lesley is experienced in working with councils on organisational and structural reviews and more.
Manny Sandhu
Director of Leadership, Organisational Development & Resourcing
Extensive experience in resourcing and is the lead for recruitment and talent development within WME.
Sharon Phillips
Assistant Director of Finance & Governance
WME Treasurer delivering sound and robust financial management and governance practices within WME
Abbey-Jane Law
Business & Corporate Services Team Leader
Managing and assisting with IT, providing executive support, collating and analysing data and facilitating virtual events and webinars.
Carrie Smith
Business & Corporate Services Manager
Managing the Corporate Centre for WME, our Event programme and our media and web presence.
Gurinder Boora
Finance Team Leader
Gurinder is highly experienced in managing financial processes and online systems with an extensive knowledge of WME processes.
Chrisie Snape
Business & Corporate Services Assistant
Chrisie joined the organisation in July 2020 as our Business and Corporate Services Assistant.
Monica Puri
Principal Consultant – HR
A qualified mediator and enthusiastic trainer, Monica is experienced in HR consultancy across our range of services.
Lorna Wells
Principal Consultant - HR
Lorna is one of WME’s Principal Consultants for HR and delivers a range of HR services to our members.
Sam Darby
Consultant – Coaching & Mentoring
Trained coach and supervision facilitator with experience in systems development and training.
Shanda Reid
Learning & Organisational Development Advisor
Shanda provides achievable professional advice, guidance and encouragement on WME services.
Chantelle Wooldridge
Principal Consultant - Resourcing
Delivering an excellent service so that both her customers and recruitment candidates feel fully supported throughout a campaign.
Dean Lathbury
Senior Resourcing Consultant
Delivering Resourcing solutions, specialist resourcing support and best practice expertise.
Nicola Warner
Resourcing Consultant
Resourcing Consultant and an effective trainer in Recruitment Systems, Selection Processes and Interview Skills.
Palli Sall
Resourcing Service Assistant
Delivering administrative support and excellent customer service to a wide client base.
Priya Saini
Resourcing Service Adviser
Supporting members’ resourcing needs with the Talentlink recruitment system and Executive Recruitment.
Cllr Wasim Ali
Sandwell MBC
Cllr Ali was appointed to the WME Management Board to represent the sub-region of the Black Country Authorities (Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton)
Cllr Roger Phillips
Herefordshire Council
Cllr Phillips has served on the WME Management Board for several years and represents the sub-region of Herefordshire, Shropshire & Telford.
Cllr Abi Brown
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Cllr Brown joined the WME Management Board in 2020 and represents the sub-region of Staffordshire & Stoke.
Cllr Tony Jefferson
Stratford-on-Avon District Council
Cllr Jefferson serves on the WME Management Board as the representative of the collective (18) District Councils.
Cllr Geoff Denaro
Bromsgrove District Council
Cllr Denaro has served on the WME Management Board for several years and represents the sub-region of Worcestershire.
Carl Pearson
Innovative leader, experienced coach, mentor and workshop leader, specializing in supporting leadership development, personal reflection and career transformation.
Gary Cookson
HR, OD and L&D professional with expertise leading functions and online training.
Judy Foster
HR and Equalities professional with expertise in investigation, employee engagement and organisational development.
Julia Hayward
Enthusiastic coach, trainer and supervisor, delivering bespoke WME interventions and leadership programes.
Louis Collins
Psychologist, Leadership coach and development consultant specialising in communication skills for critical workplace conversations.
Margot Worton
A creative, solution-focussed HR professional, supporting the development of leaders and managers and their teams.
Reuben Bergman
Innovative and award-winning HR & OD professional with a creative and solution-based approach to complex cases.
Susan Groves
Facilitating informative and engaging workshops, coaching and mentoring in all areas.
Steven Jackson
Enabling organisations or departments see and understand their services from the customer’s perspective.
Rita Symons
Rita is a former NHS CEO, who now runs a coaching and leadership development practice. She has extensive experience of working in public service including in partnership with Local Authorities, Police and Fire Services and the Third Sector.
Shakil Butt
Shakil Butt (FCIPD, FCCA) is a values driven, accomplished, award winning HR and OD professional with over 30 years of experience including leading an award-winning global HR team in a multi faith, multi ethnic and multi-cultural environment.
Toyin Higg
Toyin is an experienced board level leader able to offer support in relation to leadership governance, safeguarding, partnership working and supporting individuals and organisations making successful transitions from the public sector.
Deborah Smith
Deborah is a well-regarded consultant with a wealth of experience in her field. She established Promodo twenty years ago and has led and delivered many high-profile pieces of work. Deborah brings a broad range of skills and a good dose of pragmatism to all her work.
Elizabeth Lisle
Creative, outcome focused and pragmatic in organisational development and change initiatives with a focus on cultural shift, facilitation, behavioural change and leadership development.
Ged Fitzgerald
Ged has extensive experience of public sector leadership. His 35 year local government career featured 17 years as a Chief Executive in 4 major councils, equipping him for a wide range of senior support roles for employers including interim management, performance reviews, investigations, recruitment support, organisational reviews and much more
Louise Wagstaff
A values-driven senior HR professional with experience in the public, not-for-profit and private sector. FCIPD qualified with more than 25 years’ experience in HR and Transformation roles, Louise is passionate about developing people and organisations to deliver great public services and create engaging workplaces. Louise has 16 years’ experience in the public and not-for-profit sector having worked as a Director in both the Fire and Rescue Service and Housing sector. She has significant experience of complex employee relations cases, is skilled in dealing with difficult issues and has a tactful, diplomatic style that creates highly effective working relationships.
Anne Birch
Anne has over 35 years experience as a public sector senior leader. She is an accredited coach/ coach supervisor working with executive leaders and their teams across a wide range of public sector organisations. She specialises in working with women leaders to address the barriers to success, both personal and organisational.
Elaine Elkington
Elaine Elkington established her own consultancy business in March 2013 following a highly successful tenure as Strategic Director in the UK's largest local authority. Had responsibility for high-profile public services within a variety of complex and diverse urban areas and earned a reputation for achieving excellent service outcomes in a time of constrained resources. Since that time she has utilised those experiences in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors and developed a reputation for excellence in organisational development, leadership and staff and member engagement. She is an accomplished Executive Recruitment technical assessor and has assisted many organisations to achieve great leadership teams.
Abbey-Jane Law
Business & Corporate Services Team Leader
Managing and assisting with IT, providing executive support, collating and analysing data and facilitating virtual events and webinars.
Carrie Smith
Business & Corporate Services Manager
Managing the Corporate Centre for WME, our Event programme and our media and web presence.
Gurinder Boora
Finance Team Leader
Gurinder is highly experienced in managing financial processes and online systems with an extensive knowledge of WME processes.
Chrisie Snape
Business & Corporate Services Assistant
Chrisie joined the organisation in July 2020 as our Business and Corporate Services Assistant.
Monica Puri
Principal Consultant – HR
A qualified mediator and enthusiastic trainer, Monica is experienced in HR consultancy across our range of services.
Lorna Wells
Principal Consultant - HR
Lorna is one of WME’s Principal Consultants for HR and delivers a range of HR services to our members.
Abbey-Jane Law
Business & Corporate Services Team Leader
Managing and assisting with IT, providing executive support, collating and analysing data and facilitating virtual events and webinars.
Carrie Smith
Business & Corporate Services Manager
Managing the Corporate Centre for WME, our Event programme and our media and web presence.
Gurinder Boora
Finance Team Leader
Gurinder is highly experienced in managing financial processes and online systems with an extensive knowledge of WME processes.
Chrisie Snape
Business & Corporate Services Assistant
Chrisie joined the organisation in July 2020 as our Business and Corporate Services Assistant.
Sam Darby
Consultant – Coaching & Mentoring
Trained coach and supervision facilitator with experience in systems development and training.
Shanda Reid
Learning & Organisational Development Advisor
Shanda provides achievable professional advice, guidance and encouragement on WME services.
Rebecca Davis
Chief Executive
Rebecca provides leadership across the organisation and is responsible for the delivery of WME’s Strategic Plan 2020 to 2025.
Lesley Shore
Director of HR, Consultancy & Memberships
Lesley is experienced in working with councils on organisational and structural reviews and more.
Manny Sandhu
Director of Leadership, Organisational Development & Resourcing
Extensive experience in resourcing and is the lead for recruitment and talent development within WME.
Sharon Phillips
Assistant Director of Finance & Governance
WME Treasurer delivering sound and robust financial management and governance practices within WME
Chantelle Wooldridge
Principal Consultant - Resourcing
Delivering an excellent service so that both her customers and recruitment candidates feel fully supported throughout a campaign.
Dean Lathbury
Senior Resourcing Consultant
Delivering Resourcing solutions, specialist resourcing support and best practice expertise.
Nicola Warner
Resourcing Consultant
Resourcing Consultant and an effective trainer in Recruitment Systems, Selection Processes and Interview Skills.
Palli Sall
Resourcing Service Assistant
Delivering administrative support and excellent customer service to a wide client base.
Priya Saini
Resourcing Service Adviser
Supporting members’ resourcing needs with the Talentlink recruitment system and Executive Recruitment.
Cllr Wasim Ali
Sandwell MBC
Cllr Ali was appointed to the WME Management Board to represent the sub-region of the Black Country Authorities (Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton)
Cllr Roger Phillips
Herefordshire Council
Cllr Phillips has served on the WME Management Board for several years and represents the sub-region of Herefordshire, Shropshire & Telford.
Cllr Abi Brown
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Cllr Brown joined the WME Management Board in 2020 and represents the sub-region of Staffordshire & Stoke.
Cllr Tony Jefferson
Stratford-on-Avon District Council
Cllr Jefferson serves on the WME Management Board as the representative of the collective (18) District Councils.
Cllr Geoff Denaro
Bromsgrove District Council
Cllr Denaro has served on the WME Management Board for several years and represents the sub-region of Worcestershire.
Carl Pearson
Innovative leader, experienced coach, mentor and workshop leader, specializing in supporting leadership development, personal reflection and career transformation.
Gary Cookson
HR, OD and L&D professional with expertise leading functions and online training.
Judy Foster
HR and Equalities professional with expertise in investigation, employee engagement and organisational development.
Julia Hayward
Enthusiastic coach, trainer and supervisor, delivering bespoke WME interventions and leadership programes.
Louis Collins
Psychologist, Leadership coach and development consultant specialising in communication skills for critical workplace conversations.
Margot Worton
A creative, solution-focussed HR professional, supporting the development of leaders and managers and their teams.
Reuben Bergman
Innovative and award-winning HR & OD professional with a creative and solution-based approach to complex cases.
Susan Groves
Facilitating informative and engaging workshops, coaching and mentoring in all areas.
Steven Jackson
Enabling organisations or departments see and understand their services from the customer’s perspective.
Rita Symons
Rita is a former NHS CEO, who now runs a coaching and leadership development practice. She has extensive experience of working in public service including in partnership with Local Authorities, Police and Fire Services and the Third Sector.
Shakil Butt
Shakil Butt (FCIPD, FCCA) is a values driven, accomplished, award winning HR and OD professional with over 30 years of experience including leading an award-winning global HR team in a multi faith, multi ethnic and multi-cultural environment.
Toyin Higg
Toyin is an experienced board level leader able to offer support in relation to leadership governance, safeguarding, partnership working and supporting individuals and organisations making successful transitions from the public sector.
Deborah Smith
Deborah is a well-regarded consultant with a wealth of experience in her field. She established Promodo twenty years ago and has led and delivered many high-profile pieces of work. Deborah brings a broad range of skills and a good dose of pragmatism to all her work.
Elizabeth Lisle
Creative, outcome focused and pragmatic in organisational development and change initiatives with a focus on cultural shift, facilitation, behavioural change and leadership development.
Ged Fitzgerald
Ged has extensive experience of public sector leadership. His 35 year local government career featured 17 years as a Chief Executive in 4 major councils, equipping him for a wide range of senior support roles for employers including interim management, performance reviews, investigations, recruitment support, organisational reviews and much more
Louise Wagstaff
A values-driven senior HR professional with experience in the public, not-for-profit and private sector. FCIPD qualified with more than 25 years’ experience in HR and Transformation roles, Louise is passionate about developing people and organisations to deliver great public services and create engaging workplaces. Louise has 16 years’ experience in the public and not-for-profit sector having worked as a Director in both the Fire and Rescue Service and Housing sector. She has significant experience of complex employee relations cases, is skilled in dealing with difficult issues and has a tactful, diplomatic style that creates highly effective working relationships.
Anne Birch
Anne has over 35 years experience as a public sector senior leader. She is an accredited coach/ coach supervisor working with executive leaders and their teams across a wide range of public sector organisations. She specialises in working with women leaders to address the barriers to success, both personal and organisational.
Elaine Elkington
Elaine Elkington established her own consultancy business in March 2013 following a highly successful tenure as Strategic Director in the UK's largest local authority. Had responsibility for high-profile public services within a variety of complex and diverse urban areas and earned a reputation for achieving excellent service outcomes in a time of constrained resources. Since that time she has utilised those experiences in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors and developed a reputation for excellence in organisational development, leadership and staff and member engagement. She is an accomplished Executive Recruitment technical assessor and has assisted many organisations to achieve great leadership teams.
Polly Sharma
A highly motivated MCIPD qualified Learning and Development (LD) professional with HR and Inclusion and Diversity experience as a senior manager with the ability to communicate and influence at all levels and contribute significantly to business performance. Offering a proven track record in project and change management to deliver high standards in both L & D and HR with an assurance on return on investment as well as awareness and experience of the need for efficiency, cost-effectiveness, customer care and knowledge of the market place in the current climate and a full understanding of the organisations that I have worked for. Also experienced in delivering soft skills training such a coaching skills, safeguarding adults and children training and supervision skills.
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