Our Team
At Living Systems, we’re not just experts, we’re practitioners with lived experience of leading, facilitating, and evolving within complexity.
We are a collective of organisational strategists, leadership facilitators, psychologists, coaches, and immersive designers, brought together by a shared belief: that the future belongs to those who can think systemically, lead relationally, and adapt collectively.
Blending strategic rigour with creative insight and relational depth, we design catalytic development journeys that activate the intelligence of people, teams, and the systems they shape.
We don’t deliver training. We cultivate transformation.
Ian Byrne,
Founder & CEO
Complexity thinker. Leadership pioneer. Human systems expert.
Ian doesn’t just help organisations change, he helps them evolve. With decades of senior-level transformation experience and deep psychological insight, he guides leaders through complexity, uncertainty, and meaningful change. As the founder of Living Systems, Ian works with boards and senior teams to spark strategic shifts, unlock Collective Intelligence, and shape cultures for lasting transformation and impact.
What sets Ian apart is his dual fluency in business and human systems. He holds an MA from Oxford and an MSc in Complexity Science and Organisational Transformation. He’s also a trained Gestalt psychotherapist, bringing a profound understanding of group dynamics, relational process, and the emotional landscape of leadership. Ian doesn’t offer easy answers, he asks better questions, working with leaders to see whole systems, surface what’s unspoken, and sparking shifts that ripple far beyond the room.
Helen Franklin,
Leadership Development & Psychology
Relational strategist. Leadership coach. Presence catalyst.
Helen doesn’t just develop leaders, she helps them become more fully themselves. With over 20 years of experience as a coach, facilitator, and organisational consultant, she works at the relational heart of leadership: where presence, awareness, and connection become catalysts for meaningful change.
A qualified Gestalt psychotherapist with a background in acting on the West End, Helen brings a rare alchemy of psychological depth, embodied intelligence, and creative spark. Holding a Diploma in Organisational Change and a Master’s in Gestalt Psychotherapy, she designs development experiences that are as rigorous as they are human. Helen knows leadership shifts not through models alone, but when people feel seen, connected, and alive to what’s possible. Her superpower? Helping leaders tune into themselves and each other, building the trust, presence, and courage that teams can feel.
Elen Davies,
Team Development & Culture Change
Culture Shaper. Team Whisperer. Collaboration Architect.
Elen helps teams click, not just on paper, but in real life. With over 15 years of experience working with executive teams and leadership groups, she knows what it takes to shift culture, spark collaboration, and boost performance without losing the human touch.
Trained in NTL, Gestalt, and somatic approaches, Elen brings a rare blend of depth and practicality. Whether she’s unlocking feedback cultures or untangling cross-functional complexity, her strategies are grounded, results-driven, and always people-first.
A founding force in Living Systems’ Collective Intelligence approach, she helped shape its philosophy from the ground up, and continues to bring it to life through transformative immersive experiences. She’s the one you want in the room when things get complex, helping teams find clarity, connection, and momentum.
Jenny Mackewn,
Whole Systems & Transformation
Systems change agent. Complexity translator. Regenerative leader.
transformation, complexity theory, and Gestalt psychology, she’s spent her career helping organisations and communities navigate deep, lasting change. With one foot in academia and the other firmly in the real world, Jenny brings both rigour and heart to every conversation.
As a psychotherapist and programme leader at Schumacher College, she’s all about translating the beautiful, tangled principles of living systems into practical, human-centred approaches to resilience. She previously led the MSc in Complexity and Transformative Leadership at Metanoia Institute (part of Middlesex University), and continues to shape the conversation on what meaningful transformation really looks like. Whether she’s guiding a roomful of leaders or holding space for systems to shift, Jenny helps people see the bigger picture, and step into it.
Adam Kotz,
Immersive Learning
Storyteller. Shape-Shifter. Immersive Guide.
Adam brings learning to life, literally. A seasoned actor credits that include the National Theatre, RSC, Cheek By Jowl and the West End, Adam weaves theatrical craft into transformative development experiences that move far beyond theory in his work with Living Systems.
You might’ve seen him on screen in The Last King of Scotland, Nightwatching, Touching Evil or Torn. But it’s in the training room where his true magic unfolds, using immersive storytelling and dynamic roleplay to help leaders and teams step into complexity, challenge assumptions, shift perspectives, and unlock real human insight. Adam invites emotional truth, courageous reflection, and the kind of aha moments that actually stick.
Offstage, he’s also a passionate musician, switching between guitar, banjo, and mandolin.. When Adam’s in the room, learning comes alive, and transformation feels like a story you want to step into.
Rob Thurner,
Digital Strategy Partner
Digital innovator. Strategy builder. Connector of ideas and execution.
Rob helps organisations meet the future, not with fear, but with imagination. A strategist, digital innovator, and founder of consultancy Burn The Sky, he brings a bold experimentation and tech-savvy thinking to the world of leadership and organisational development.
With a client portfolio spanning American Express, GSK, HSBC, John Lewis, O2, PwC , and global agency networks like Dentsu, WPP and Omnicom, Rob partners with leadership teams ready to move beyond buzzwords and into brave action.
His magic lies in fusing strategy, mindset, and emerging technology to unlock momentum, supercharging Living Systems programmes with new energy, fresh perspective, and the right dose of digital experimentation. In a world of accelerating change, Rob helps organisations shift gear, strategically, systemically, and at speed.
Rosie Rycroft,
Operations & Client Delivery
Integrator. Organiser. Powerhouse behind the scenes.
Rosie is the steady hand behind every Living Systems journey. From the first point of contact to the final moment of delivery, she ensures each programme runs with clarity, consistency, and care.
With over 20 years’ experience in marketing and operations leadership, including roles at tech heavyweights like Informix and Ascential, Rosie knows how to keep complex systems running without a hitch. She knows how to hold the whole system, anticipate what’s needed, and keep everything (and everyone) moving with ease.
Rosie’s strength lies in the details, those subtle, often invisible moments that turn a good experience into a transformational one. She’s the operational heartbeat of our work, keeping the wheels turning, the dots connected, and our clients feeling fully supported every step of the way.
Lana Rose,
Head Of Marketing
Brand Storyteller. Marketing Alchemist. Creative in the wings.
Lana doesn’t just market, she connects. As the architect of Living Systems’ brand presence, she blends strategic clarity with creative depth to craft messaging that cuts through noise and builds real connection.
From websites to social feeds, emails to ad campaigns, Lana has the whole digital sphere covered. She’s a master of multi-channel magic, combining data-driven thinking with heart-led storytelling to craft narratives that evoke something real.
A certified yoga teacher and psychotherapist-in-training, Lana brings a unique kind of depth to her work, infusing every strategy with creativity, psychology, and a deep sense of community. The result? Marketing that doesn’t just sell, but resonates.
She’s the one making sure our voice is clear, our message is human, and our impact runs deeper than just clicks.
Read to start the conversation?
If you’re navigating complexity, driving change, or shaping the future of your organisation, we’d love to explore it with you. Get in touch to discover how we can work together to unlock Collective Intelligence and create lasting impact.