The Right Blend of Global and Local
Our global team consists only of experienced local practitioners in the field, all of whom have previously worked in multinational environments. With 4 regional offices and over 50 consultants, trainers and support personnel across the world, An Even Better Place To Work Limited offers global delivery capability blended with the flexibility and sensitivity to adapt our solutions and training delivery to meet local needs and expectations.
The Executive Team
CEO & Chairman
Shay is an inspirational, entertaining speaker with a powerful business message. He is a leading authority on leadership and culture issues and he has developed a unique blend of magic, humour and common sense in his keynote presentations.
He is the founder of McConnon International Ltd, an international Consultancy group that specialises in creating winning relationships in the workplace.
He is the creator of “An Even Better Place to WorkTM”. This is the world’s first on-line, self-service culture enhancing solution which is currently being used by TNT, BAE Systems, Siemens, NHS, Astra Zeneca and others. This puts Shay at the leading edge of the Future of Work thinking.
Shay is a regular speaker at conferences, a Fellow of the Professional Speakers Association awarded speaker of the year by Vistage, the world’s largest organisation for CEOs and top speaker by the Academy for Chief Executives.
He is the author of 17 books on personal development. His latest, Resolving Conflict, has been published in nine different languages.
www.shaymcconnon.com Email: shay@mcconnonint.com
Owner & Founder, CEO, Chairman
CEO & Chairman
Shay is an inspirational, entertaining speaker with a powerful business message. He is a leading authority on leadership and culture issues and he has developed a unique blend of magic, humour and common sense in his keynote presentations.
He is the founder of McConnon International Ltd, an international Consultancy group that specialises in creating winning relationships in the workplace.
He is the creator of “An Even Better Place to WorkTM”. This is the world’s first on-line, self-service culture enhancing solution which is currently being used by TNT, BAE Systems, Siemens, NHS, Astra Zeneca and others. This puts Shay at the leading edge of the Future of Work thinking.
Shay is a regular speaker at conferences, a Fellow of the Professional Speakers Association awarded speaker of the year by Vistage, the world’s largest organisation for CEOs and top speaker by the Academy for Chief Executives.
He is the author of 17 books on personal development. His latest, Resolving Conflict, has been published in nine different languages.
www.shaymcconnon.com Email: shay@mcconnonint.com
Regional Director, U.S. & Canada
Drawing on his years of experience in the global IT field, Shea has become a passionate promoter of combining a people-centric business culture with shrewd project management practices to improve organizational performance. Focus is made on helping organizations achieve higher levels of Employee Engagement, increased Job Satisfaction and better Workplace Relationships.
Having worked in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia and other global locations, Shea increasingly realized that individuals who feel valued while working within structured principles, lead to teams that are motivated, innovative and highly productive.
Shea grew up, was educated and started his career in Northern Ireland before moving to South Florida in the mid 1990s.
Email: shea@mcconnonint.com
Regional Director, U.S. & Canada
Regional Director, U.S. & Canada
Drawing on his years of experience in the global IT field, Shea has become a passionate promoter of combining a people-centric business culture with shrewd project management practices to improve organizational performance. Focus is made on helping organizations achieve higher levels of Employee Engagement, increased Job Satisfaction and better Workplace Relationships.
Having worked in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia and other global locations, Shea increasingly realized that individuals who feel valued while working within structured principles, lead to teams that are motivated, innovative and highly productive.
Shea grew up, was educated and started his career in Northern Ireland before moving to South Florida in the mid 1990s.
Email: shea@mcconnonint.com
Regional Director, South Africa
Iain has over 30 years’ experience in business development, strategic planning and business change management. In addition he is experienced in the development, measurement and management of both sales and employee engagement and performance that results in increased effectiveness and efficiency in the generation of business revenue.
Born in Scotland and raised in Zimbabwe, he came to South Africa in 1978, where his entrepreneurial spirit drew him to creating and developing new ideas and businesses through a structured and people orientated strategic management process that ensures financially effective and measurable results.
Iain has worked with many companies in South Africa, as well as in East and sub Saharan Africa in developing strategy, delivering key note and workshop presentations on leadership, sales management and Searching FOR Customers™, a programme designed on the discovery and understanding of the mechanisms, motivations and sentiments of the players that complete the cycle of Finding, Obtaining and Retaining customers.
Email: iain@mcconnonint.com
Regional Director, South Africa
Regional Director, South Africa
Iain has over 30 years’ experience in business development, strategic planning and business change management. In addition he is experienced in the development, measurement and management of both sales and employee engagement and performance that results in increased effectiveness and efficiency in the generation of business revenue.
Born in Scotland and raised in Zimbabwe, he came to South Africa in 1978, where his entrepreneurial spirit drew him to creating and developing new ideas and businesses through a structured and people orientated strategic management process that ensures financially effective and measurable results.
Iain has worked with many companies in South Africa, as well as in East and sub Saharan Africa in developing strategy, delivering key note and workshop presentations on leadership, sales management and Searching FOR Customers™, a programme designed on the discovery and understanding of the mechanisms, motivations and sentiments of the players that complete the cycle of Finding, Obtaining and Retaining customers.
Email: iain@mcconnonint.com
Regional Director Nigeria, West Africa
Dr Akin Oparison holds An M.Sc. and a Doctorate degree in Business Policy and Organizational Development from the University of Wales, Cardiff.
For over seven years Akin was the HR Vice President for Royal Dutch Shell’s Downstream Business in Africa, a member of the Executive Management Team for Shell Oil Products Africa and a member of the Shell Downstream Global HR Leadership team based in Johannesburg – South Africa.
He has over 25 years of management and leadership experience in blue chip multinational companies. He was a Management Consultant with Price Waterhouse where he worked on a wide range of assignments including Organizational Development and Change management interventions, Executive Resourcing, Performance and Talent Management in private sector organizations ranging from Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies, financial services organization and banks, and pharmaceutical companies, as well as public sector client organizations. He also held senior executive HR positions in Sterling Winthrop, British American Tobacco. He has worked in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Russia and South Africa and has conducted training programs in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Akin is also a Senior Fellow at the Lagos Business School, an FT ranked Business School.
Regional Director Nigeria & West Africa
Regional Director Nigeria, West Africa
Dr Akin Oparison holds An M.Sc. and a Doctorate degree in Business Policy and Organizational Development from the University of Wales, Cardiff.
For over seven years Akin was the HR Vice President for Royal Dutch Shell’s Downstream Business in Africa, a member of the Executive Management Team for Shell Oil Products Africa and a member of the Shell Downstream Global HR Leadership team based in Johannesburg – South Africa.
He has over 25 years of management and leadership experience in blue chip multinational companies. He was a Management Consultant with Price Waterhouse where he worked on a wide range of assignments including Organizational Development and Change management interventions, Executive Resourcing, Performance and Talent Management in private sector organizations ranging from Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies, financial services organization and banks, and pharmaceutical companies, as well as public sector client organizations. He also held senior executive HR positions in Sterling Winthrop, British American Tobacco. He has worked in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Russia and South Africa and has conducted training programs in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Akin is also a Senior Fellow at the Lagos Business School, an FT ranked Business School.
Regional Director UK
Simon has 38 years’ experience spanning international SMEs and blue-chip organisations in a range of sectors. Working in 42 export countries with all shapes and sizes of public and private companies. He has demonstrated an ability to drive growth, expansion, and success within the organisations he has worked with.
This is accomplished through an aptitude for identifying key business needs, before formulating effective strategies and an aligned marketing approach that enable these to be met.
He also spent 5 years working from Belgium, where he focused on growing sales through distribution into Holland, Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe in the construction and manufacturing sectors. Very much an international business culture specialist. He has been running a consultancy company based out of the UK for the best part of 20 years. Business coaching accreditation and NLP providing the essential tool kit to all that he does.
He is adept at achieving company-wide stakeholder buy-in to drive these strategies by articulating business plans to executive boards and building and developing sustainable business pipelines. Always insisting on a hands-on approach to overcoming the barriers to growth and transformation, facilitating improved and sustainable sales, profit and revenues, with particular expertise in reducing exposure and risk in international trading and expansion.
Throughout his career, he’s been appointed in an employee, interim and consultancy capacities to help companies across numerous sectors and nations to overcome their business sales challenges.
“My approach is very much modelled on my sports coaching experience and credentials, which have a huge relevance in the business world – especially where effective communication high performance and teamwork are essential ingredients to sustainable results. This is why I am inspired to get involved with ‘An Even Better Place to Work’ with Shay McConnon”.
Regional Director UK
Regional Director UK
Simon has 38 years’ experience spanning international SMEs and blue-chip organisations in a range of sectors. Working in 42 export countries with all shapes and sizes of public and private companies. He has demonstrated an ability to drive growth, expansion, and success within the organisations he has worked with.
This is accomplished through an aptitude for identifying key business needs, before formulating effective strategies and an aligned marketing approach that enable these to be met.
He also spent 5 years working from Belgium, where he focused on growing sales through distribution into Holland, Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe in the construction and manufacturing sectors. Very much an international business culture specialist. He has been running a consultancy company based out of the UK for the best part of 20 years. Business coaching accreditation and NLP providing the essential tool kit to all that he does.
He is adept at achieving company-wide stakeholder buy-in to drive these strategies by articulating business plans to executive boards and building and developing sustainable business pipelines. Always insisting on a hands-on approach to overcoming the barriers to growth and transformation, facilitating improved and sustainable sales, profit and revenues, with particular expertise in reducing exposure and risk in international trading and expansion.
Throughout his career, he’s been appointed in an employee, interim and consultancy capacities to help companies across numerous sectors and nations to overcome their business sales challenges.
“My approach is very much modelled on my sports coaching experience and credentials, which have a huge relevance in the business world – especially where effective communication high performance and teamwork are essential ingredients to sustainable results. This is why I am inspired to get involved with ‘An Even Better Place to Work’ with Shay McConnon”.
Regional Director Europe
Missak is a passionate corporate culture architect, designs and implements people engagement agendas and employment value propositions to achieve sustainable performance excellence. Missak uses his authentic facilitation skills to empower leaders and employees to help themselves navigate current and future challenges.
Having experienced the complexities of business reality, he is well aware of the challenges of business growth and complex change. Missak has designed and managed major company-wide change programs after having held international corporate and line positions with companies such as American Express, FilmNet/Canal+ and Orange/France Telecom.
Missak has lived in seven countries, conducting projects in over 30 and facilitating over 1800 executives of over 60 nationalities while mastering 5 languages. In addition to his deep understanding of multi-cultural environments, he brings a global experience of over 25 years in operations, customer services, HR and leadership development at senior level and a formal education in consulting and coaching focused on transformational change to deliver strategic goals. (Insead/HEC Paris).
Regional Director Europe
Regional Director Europe
Missak is a passionate corporate culture architect, designs and implements people engagement agendas and employment value propositions to achieve sustainable performance excellence. Missak uses his authentic facilitation skills to empower leaders and employees to help themselves navigate current and future challenges.
Having experienced the complexities of business reality, he is well aware of the challenges of business growth and complex change. Missak has designed and managed major company-wide change programs after having held international corporate and line positions with companies such as American Express, FilmNet/Canal+ and Orange/France Telecom.
Missak has lived in seven countries, conducting projects in over 30 and facilitating over 1800 executives of over 60 nationalities while mastering 5 languages. In addition to his deep understanding of multi-cultural environments, he brings a global experience of over 25 years in operations, customer services, HR and leadership development at senior level and a formal education in consulting and coaching focused on transformational change to deliver strategic goals. (Insead/HEC Paris).
Advisory Board
Advisory Board
Mike Johnson, Chairman and Founder of the FutureWork Forum, is a leading commentator, consultant and writer on the Future of Work, Talent Management, Organizational Dynamics, Corporate Social Responsibility and How to Work as an independent or entrepreneur.
The author of 14 books on business, his new book, “The WorldWide Workplace – Solving the Global Talent Equation”, is published in June 2014 by Palgrave Macmillan in London and New York. He is currently working on a new book project “Why Serious Games are Good for Business” to be published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2015.
As a communications professional he has worked with a wide variety of major corporations including Exxon Mobil, Shell, Phillips, IBM Europe, ITT, Price Waterhouse, Orange, Alcatel, Belgacom, DHL, Federal Express, Alstom, Telfonica, the Economist Intelligence Unit, UBS, Zurich Financial, the World Economic Forum, the International Red Cross and the United Nations amongst many others.
He worked at Management Centre Europe in Brussels from 1972 to 1978 as director of corporate affairs, after which he was an editor of “Vision” magazine – the multi-language monthly business magazine published in English, German, Italian, French and Spanish editions – and worked out of Brussels, Paris, Dublin and London. From 1985 until 2004 he was editor-in-chief of the “International Management Development Review”.
Other books include “Winning the People Wars” and “Talent Magnet”, both for the Financial Times, and “The New Rules of Engagement” and “The Independent Consultant’s Survival Guide” for the CIPD. His recent book; “Starting up on Your Own: How to Succeed as an Independent Consultant or Freelance” has just been republished by the Financial Times in its third edition.
He founded the FutureWork Forum in 2006 and it has developed into a leading global think-tank on future-of-work issues. There are now 30 Partners and Associates of the FutureWork Forum around the globe.
Advisory Board
Advisory Board
Mike Johnson, Chairman and Founder of the FutureWork Forum, is a leading commentator, consultant and writer on the Future of Work, Talent Management, Organizational Dynamics, Corporate Social Responsibility and How to Work as an independent or entrepreneur.
The author of 14 books on business, his new book, “The WorldWide Workplace – Solving the Global Talent Equation”, is published in June 2014 by Palgrave Macmillan in London and New York. He is currently working on a new book project “Why Serious Games are Good for Business” to be published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2015.
As a communications professional he has worked with a wide variety of major corporations including Exxon Mobil, Shell, Phillips, IBM Europe, ITT, Price Waterhouse, Orange, Alcatel, Belgacom, DHL, Federal Express, Alstom, Telfonica, the Economist Intelligence Unit, UBS, Zurich Financial, the World Economic Forum, the International Red Cross and the United Nations amongst many others.
He worked at Management Centre Europe in Brussels from 1972 to 1978 as director of corporate affairs, after which he was an editor of “Vision” magazine – the multi-language monthly business magazine published in English, German, Italian, French and Spanish editions – and worked out of Brussels, Paris, Dublin and London. From 1985 until 2004 he was editor-in-chief of the “International Management Development Review”.
Other books include “Winning the People Wars” and “Talent Magnet”, both for the Financial Times, and “The New Rules of Engagement” and “The Independent Consultant’s Survival Guide” for the CIPD. His recent book; “Starting up on Your Own: How to Succeed as an Independent Consultant or Freelance” has just been republished by the Financial Times in its third edition.
He founded the FutureWork Forum in 2006 and it has developed into a leading global think-tank on future-of-work issues. There are now 30 Partners and Associates of the FutureWork Forum around the globe.
Advisory Board
Matthias Moelleney is owner of the consulting company peopleXpert gmbh in Uster, Switzerland, and the former Head of Human Resources Management and Member of the Executive Board at Swissair, Centerpulse and Unaxis.
Matthias Moelleney (1960) started his career in human resources at Lufthansa in 1982, where he held a variety of management posts. Starting in June, 1998, he served on the Executive Board of Swissair for four years. In this role, he had to manage all the people issues after the Swissair bankruptcy.
After leaving Swissair, Matthias Moelleney joined Centerpulse Ltd., a Medical Device Company, where from 2002 to 2003 he served on the Executive Board as global Head of HR. In the course of an unfriendly takeover by a competitor, he had to leave this company and joined Unaxis, a High-tech Company, where he served in the same function from 2003 to 2005.
Further to his training in business economics, he participated in advanced strategic management studies from the INSEAD business school at Fontainebleau (F). He gives lectures at national and international universities, and is the author of several published works on the subject of personnel management. Matthias Moelleney is a German and Swiss citizen, married and the father of two children (born 1985 and 1987).
Advisory Board
Advisory Board
Matthias Moelleney is owner of the consulting company peopleXpert gmbh in Uster, Switzerland, and the former Head of Human Resources Management and Member of the Executive Board at Swissair, Centerpulse and Unaxis.
Matthias Moelleney (1960) started his career in human resources at Lufthansa in 1982, where he held a variety of management posts. Starting in June, 1998, he served on the Executive Board of Swissair for four years. In this role, he had to manage all the people issues after the Swissair bankruptcy.
After leaving Swissair, Matthias Moelleney joined Centerpulse Ltd., a Medical Device Company, where from 2002 to 2003 he served on the Executive Board as global Head of HR. In the course of an unfriendly takeover by a competitor, he had to leave this company and joined Unaxis, a High-tech Company, where he served in the same function from 2003 to 2005.
Further to his training in business economics, he participated in advanced strategic management studies from the INSEAD business school at Fontainebleau (F). He gives lectures at national and international universities, and is the author of several published works on the subject of personnel management. Matthias Moelleney is a German and Swiss citizen, married and the father of two children (born 1985 and 1987).
Advisory Board
Mr. Göran HULTIN, Chairman and CEO, Caden Corporation S.A. has extensive international experience in labour markets and employment. His current work covers labour policy, employment market development, workforce planning and development, industrial relations and labour migration in Europe, China, Vietnam, Mongolia and the Middle East.
Previously Mr. Hultin was Assistant Director General of the ILO and Executive Director of the Employment Sector and was globally responsible for advising Member Countries on employment policies and implementing programmes for job creation, HR strategies and skill development. Before joining the ILO he held several marketing and sales executive positions with Honeywell Inc. with global responsibilities.
Over the past nine years he has advised ManpowerGroup on government relations. He is partner in The Future Work Forum, vice chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Migration, chair of the European Policy Centre’s Task Force on the Single European Labour Market, and member of the China Association for Employment Promotion Expert Committee, member of the Alliance Group to The Hague Process. Some previous assignments include membership in European Commission’s Expert Group on New Skills for New Jobs and chairing the European Policy Centre’s Task Force on Labour Migration.
Mr. Hultin’s education includes a M.Sc. Chem. Eng. from Finland; International Executive Programme INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France; Advanced Management, Marketing Programme Strathclyde University Scotland.
Advisory Board
Advisory Board
Mr. Göran HULTIN, Chairman and CEO, Caden Corporation S.A. has extensive international experience in labour markets and employment. His current work covers labour policy, employment market development, workforce planning and development, industrial relations and labour migration in Europe, China, Vietnam, Mongolia and the Middle East.
Previously Mr. Hultin was Assistant Director General of the ILO and Executive Director of the Employment Sector and was globally responsible for advising Member Countries on employment policies and implementing programmes for job creation, HR strategies and skill development. Before joining the ILO he held several marketing and sales executive positions with Honeywell Inc. with global responsibilities.
Over the past nine years he has advised ManpowerGroup on government relations. He is partner in The Future Work Forum, vice chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Migration, chair of the European Policy Centre’s Task Force on the Single European Labour Market, and member of the China Association for Employment Promotion Expert Committee, member of the Alliance Group to The Hague Process. Some previous assignments include membership in European Commission’s Expert Group on New Skills for New Jobs and chairing the European Policy Centre’s Task Force on Labour Migration.
Mr. Hultin’s education includes a M.Sc. Chem. Eng. from Finland; International Executive Programme INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France; Advanced Management, Marketing Programme Strathclyde University Scotland.
Advisory Board
Mike Taylor has over 30 years hands-on IT experience , designing and developing systems for a wide variety of clients, including banks, lawyers, retailers and local government.
Whilst still in his 20’s he started his own successful software company which pioneered new ways of dealing with credit and customer relations management. He grew the company over a period of 8 years and eventually sold to one of top companies in this sector.
Mike took over the development of the BP2W (An Even Better Place to Work) business tool in 2007. His deep understanding of a wide range of technical platforms combined with his inherent knowledge of business challenges has ensured the continued growth of the product and has transformed it into what we have today.
Advisory Board
Advisory Board
Mike Taylor has over 30 years hands-on IT experience , designing and developing systems for a wide variety of clients, including banks, lawyers, retailers and local government.
Whilst still in his 20’s he started his own successful software company which pioneered new ways of dealing with credit and customer relations management. He grew the company over a period of 8 years and eventually sold to one of top companies in this sector.
Mike took over the development of the BP2W (An Even Better Place to Work) business tool in 2007. His deep understanding of a wide range of technical platforms combined with his inherent knowledge of business challenges has ensured the continued growth of the product and has transformed it into what we have today.
“Putting your people at the heart of our work to create tangible and enduring business impact.”
