David Willis David Willis is the Managing Director of cmt.training and has spent almost 30 years helping leaders, teams and organisations communicate in ways that create genuine, lasting change. Working across the public and private sectors, he partners with organisations to develop confident leaders, strengthen communication and create cultures where people connect, influence and perform at their best. David designs and delivers bespoke leadership and communication programmes that go beyond developing skills. His coaching helps people communicate with greater clarity, authenticity and impact, enabling them to build trust, lead through change and inspire confidence in others. Whether working with senior leadership teams, developing executive presence or preparing individuals for high-stakes conversations and presentations, David combines insight, challenge and practical application to create learning that lasts. Over the past three decades, David has worked with thousands of professionals, from emerging leaders to executive teams, across government, global organisations and leading UK businesses. As the driving force behind cmt.training, he has shaped a philosophy built on a simple belief: the most powerful communication isn't performed—it's authentic. His work continues to influence the way organisations develop leaders, build confidence and create communication that lasts.
Edda Sharpe is an executive communication coach who helps leaders communicate with authenticity, confidence and presence. Working with senior professionals across the public and private sectors, she supports individuals to build influence, strengthen relationships and communicate with impact when it matters most.
Edda delivers executive coaching and communication programmes that develop authentic leadership presence, strengthen executive communication and build lasting confidence. Her coaching goes beyond technique, helping clients understand the behaviours, beliefs and habits that shape the way they communicate. Combining thoughtful challenge with genuine support, she creates a safe environment where leaders can develop greater self-awareness and make meaningful, lasting changes in how they lead and communicate.
Alongside her executive coaching, Edda has built an accomplished career as a voice coach across theatre, film and television, working with leading performers and productions. She is also an author and speaker whose work explores the connection between communication, behaviour and personal performance. This unique combination of creative expertise, behavioural insight and coaching experience enables her to help leaders communicate in ways that are authentic, influential and true to who they are.
Hugh O'Shea is a Director of cmt.training who helps leaders and teams communicate with confidence, authenticity and impact. For more than 12 years, he has designed and delivered bespoke leadership and communication programmes that enable senior professionals to communicate clearly, build trust and perform at their best in high-pressure environments.
Hugh delivers communication and leadership programmes that combine practical insight with real-time coaching. Known for his ability to respond in the moment, he adapts his approach to the needs of the individual and the group, helping clients strengthen executive presence, develop vocal authority and communicate with greater confidence in the conversations that matter most. His supportive and engaging style enables people to develop skills that feel natural, authentic and lasting.
Hugh began his career as a professional actor, performing with the National Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe before completing an MA in Voice Studies at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Alongside his work with business clients, he continues to coach actors working across theatre, film and television. This unique combination of performance, voice and coaching expertise enables Hugh to help leaders communicate with authenticity, credibility and lasting impact.
Caroline Croughan is an Executive Coach and Leadership Development Specialist with more than 25 years' experience helping leaders and teams perform at their very best. Working across a wide range of organisations, she supports leaders to develop the confidence, self-awareness and communication skills needed to lead effectively, build strong relationships and create lasting positive change.
Caroline delivers executive coaching and leadership development programmes that help individuals strengthen their leadership impact, navigate change and bring out the very best in those around them. Her coaching combines thoughtful challenge with genuine support, enabling leaders to better understand their strengths, communicate with clarity and build practical strategies that improve both individual and team performance. Known for her warm, insightful approach, Caroline creates an environment where people feel empowered to reflect, grow and lead with authenticity.
Before becoming an executive coach, Caroline held senior leadership roles, giving her first-hand experience of the opportunities and challenges leaders face every day. This commercial and leadership experience, combined with her expertise in coaching and leadership development, enables her to help individuals and teams create meaningful, sustainable improvements for themselves, their organisations and the people they lead.
Richard Ryder
Richard Ryder is a highly experienced voice, communication and presentation coach with more than 25 years' experience helping professionals communicate with authority, clarity and impact. Working with leaders across the public and private sectors, he enables individuals to develop the confidence, vocal presence and executive communication skills needed to perform at their best in high-stakes situations.
Richard delivers communication and presentation programmes that strengthen vocal authority, sharpen messaging and help leaders communicate with confidence and credibility. His perceptive, practical coaching helps clients refine not only what they say, but how they say it, enabling them to present ideas clearly, influence others effectively and lead conversations with greater impact.
Richard developed his expertise within the voice departments of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre before building a successful career coaching leaders, professionals and performers. He is the co-developer of The ACCENT Kit, a digital resource for learning and practising English accents created in collaboration with Edda Sharpe, and is also a qualified NLP Practitioner. This unique combination of voice expertise, coaching and behavioural understanding enables Richard to help clients communicate with authority while remaining authentic to their own style.
Victoria Woodward is a voice and communication coach who helps professionals communicate with confidence, authenticity and impact. Working with individuals and teams across the public and private sectors, she enables people to develop a stronger vocal presence, build meaningful audience connection and bring their message to life.
Victoria delivers communication and presentation programmes that strengthen vocal confidence, expressive delivery and executive presence. Her coaching helps clients communicate with greater clarity, warmth and authority while remaining authentic to their own style. Known for her engaging and supportive approach, Victoria creates learning experiences where participants quickly build practical skills and the confidence to apply them in real professional situations.
Victoria trained as an actor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama before completing an MA in Voice Studies at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Alongside a successful career in theatre, film, television and radio, she has taught at many of London's leading drama schools and coached actors at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Bridge Theatre and the National Theatre. This exceptional combination of performance and voice expertise enables Victoria to help professionals communicate with confidence, authenticity and genuine connection.
Nick Trumble is a Voice and Communication Coach who helps professionals communicate with greater confidence, authenticity and impact. Working with individuals and teams across the public and private sectors, he supports people to develop stronger communication skills, build executive presence and perform with confidence in demanding professional environments.
Nick delivers communication and presentation programmes that combine practical coaching with thoughtful reflection, enabling participants to recognise their strengths, overcome unhelpful habits and develop lasting confidence. His supportive and engaging approach helps people not only improve how they communicate, but also understand how they learn, respond to feedback and continue developing long after the programme has ended.
Nick holds a Master's Degree in Voice Studies from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and has more than 12 years' experience delivering tailored voice and communication programmes across sectors including politics, law, healthcare, finance, the Civil Service, professional services, advertising and the arts. Originally trained as an actor, he has also worked extensively as a voice coach in theatre, television and film. This unique combination of performance, coaching and behavioural insight enables Nick to help professionals build confidence, embrace feedback and develop communication that feels natural, authentic and effective.
Danièle is an experienced voice and communication coach who helps professionals communicate with confidence, authenticity and impact. Working with individuals and teams across the public and private sectors, she supports people to strengthen their personal presence, communicate with greater clarity and build the confidence to perform at their best in a wide range of professional situations.
Danièle delivers communication and personal impact programmes that develop vocal confidence, expressive communication and executive presence. Known for her warm, responsive coaching style, she adapts her approach to the needs of the individual and the group, creating engaging learning experiences where participants develop practical skills, build confidence and discover a communication style that feels natural and authentic.
Danièle holds an MA in Voice from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her career began as a professional actor before moving into voice coaching, where she has worked with organisations including the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and English National Opera, as well as major film and television productions. This exceptional breadth of performance and coaching experience enables her to help professionals communicate with confidence, credibility and lasting impact.
Louise is an Executive Coach and Leadership Development Specialist who works with organisations to develop confident leaders, high-performing teams and positive workplace cultures. Working internationally across the public and private sectors, she helps leaders strengthen relationships, build trust and lead with clarity in complex and changing environments.
Louise designs and delivers bespoke leadership development programmes, facilitates senior leadership teams and provides executive coaching that enables individuals and teams to perform at their very best. Her coaching combines thoughtful challenge with practical support, helping leaders strengthen their communication, develop productive working relationships and create lasting behavioural change. Known for creating engaging learning experiences, Louise enables people to turn insight into meaningful action that benefits both individuals and organisations.
Working across sectors including financial services, housing, manufacturing, luxury retail, oil and gas, the arts, AI and technology, Louise brings a breadth of experience to every programme she delivers. Her ability to work across diverse organisations and leadership teams enables her to support leaders in building stronger relationships, creating high-performing teams and delivering lasting results.
Gordon is an international trainer and performance coach with more than 40 years' experience helping professionals build stronger client relationships, negotiate effectively and achieve outstanding commercial results. Working with organisations across a wide range of sectors, he enables individuals and teams to communicate with confidence, influence with credibility and perform at their best in competitive business environments.
Gordon designs and delivers engaging programmes in sales, negotiation, customer relationship management and influencing. Combining practical techniques with real-world experience, he helps participants strengthen their communication, build lasting relationships and develop the confidence to handle challenging conversations and negotiations successfully. Known for his energetic, down-to-earth style, Gordon creates highly interactive learning experiences that equip people with skills they can apply immediately.
Before moving into training and coaching, Gordon held senior leadership roles in the retail sector, including General Manager and Head of Training for a major food business. He is a certified NLP Practitioner, an experienced international conference speaker and, earlier in his career, performed as a stand-up comedian. This unique blend of commercial leadership, communication expertise and audience engagement enables Gordon to help people influence others, build trust and achieve lasting success.
Mpilo May-Richards is a facilitator who helps individuals and teams build confidence, strengthen communication and create meaningful connections through learning and dialogue. Working across the UK and South Africa, he brings an international perspective to his work, creating engaging environments where people feel able to reflect, contribute and grow.
Mpilo designs and delivers workshops that encourage collaboration, open conversation and personal development. Known for his warm, thoughtful and grounded facilitation style, he helps participants develop greater self-awareness, communicate with confidence and build practical skills they can apply in both their professional and personal lives. His ability to create safe, inclusive learning environments enables people to explore new ideas, challenge their thinking and learn from one another.
Awarded a prestigious Chevening Scholarship, Mpilo completed an MA in Film & Television Producing at the MetFilm School. He is also Creative Director of the Ruben Richards Foundation in South Africa, where he leads programmes centred on dialogue, leadership and personal growth. Alongside his facilitation work, his background in theatre, music and storytelling enables him to help people connect with ideas, with one another and with their own authentic voice.
Sarah-Jayne is an Executive and Communication Coach who helps leaders communicate with confidence, authority and authenticity when the stakes are high. Working internationally with senior professionals and teams, she enables individuals to think clearly under pressure, communicate with conviction and build greater impact in their day-to-day leadership.
Sarah-Jayne delivers executive coaching and communication programmes that strengthen leadership presence, executive communication and audience engagement. Her perceptive, supportive coaching helps clients develop practical techniques that enable them to perform with confidence in presentations, high-stakes conversations and moments of challenge. Known for creating a positive and encouraging learning environment, she helps individuals develop communication skills that feel natural, credible and sustainable.
Sarah-Jayne began her career as a professional actor, performing at the National Theatre, in London's West End and in major film productions before moving into coaching and facilitation. Alongside her work with business clients, she continues to coach actors working across theatre, film and television. This combination of performance expertise and executive coaching enables Sarah-Jayne to help leaders communicate with confidence, composure and authenticity when it matters most.
Claudette Forbes is an experienced leadership coach and mentor who works with professionals and teams to strengthen confidence, communication, and personal impact. With more than 25 years’ leadership experience in the public sector, including senior roles within the Greater London Authority and the London Mayor’s Office, she brings deep expertise in communication, strategy, and organisational development.
Claudette works with individuals and groups to help them build confidence, develop stronger professional presence, and communicate effectively in complex organisational environments. Her supportive and insightful approach helps clients recognise their strengths and develop practical strategies that enable them to grow, collaborate effectively, and achieve meaningful change.
Before moving into coaching, Claudette held senior leadership roles within large government departments, where she led major regeneration initiatives and worked closely with diverse communities and stakeholders. Alongside her professional work, she is also an accomplished singer, saxophonist, and ceramicist, reflecting the creativity and balance she brings to both life and work.
Phillip is an actor with more than 30 years’ experience across theatre, television, film, commercials and voiceovers. His stage credits include Dirty Linen at the Arts Theatre, The Merry Widow at the London Coliseum and playing Peter in No Sex Please, We’re British at the Jarla Theatre in Stockholm.
Alongside his acting career, Phillip has built extensive experience in the corporate world, working in sales, recruitment and training. For the past 15 years he has specialised in roleplay for a wide range of commercial organisations, using performance to support leadership, communication and behavioural development. He also shares this expertise with the next generation of actors, delivering “Introduction to Roleplay” workshops at drama schools.
Phillip brings a unique blend of stagecraft and business insight, making him a versatile and engaging coach and facilitator.
Cate is an actor and coach who works with leaders in the political and business worlds, both in the UK and internationally. She specialises in using her expertise as a role-player in challenging scenarios to help individuals develop stronger skills and behaviours under pressure.
With a strong background in performance and coaching, Cate supports clients in enhancing their communication, leadership behaviours and ability to engage audiences with clarity and confidence. She is also in demand as a presenter, regularly hosting award ceremonies, live events, and appearing in corporate videos and training films.
Cate’s unique blend of stagecraft and facilitation enables her to create dynamic, realistic learning environments, helping clients to refine their presence and achieve authentic impact in high-stakes situations.
Tracy Livingstone is the Operations Manager at cmt.training and plays a central role in ensuring every client experience runs smoothly from first enquiry to programme delivery. Working closely with clients, associates and the wider CMT team, she oversees the day-to-day operation of the business, ensuring every detail is managed with professionalism, care and efficiency.
As the first point of contact for many clients, Tracy is committed to building trusted relationships and delivering exceptional service. Whether coordinating complex programmes, supporting facilitators or ensuring projects are delivered seamlessly, she brings warmth, organisation and a calm, solutions-focused approach to everything she does. Her attention to detail and commitment to quality help create the high standards for which cmt.training is known.
An accredited NLP Practitioner and qualified interpersonal mediator, Tracy combines exceptional organisational expertise with a deep understanding of communication and relationships. Alongside her work at cmt.training, she volunteers her skills to support vulnerable families within her local community, reflecting her belief in the positive difference that empathy, communication and practical support can make to people's lives.
