We are practitioners, not just consultants — people who have led, facilitated, navigated and evolved within complexity ourselves.
Our work is grounded in the belief that transformation begins in relationship. The moment a system feels itself differently, can act differently.
We bring together leadership facilitators, organisational strategists, psychologists, immersive designers, and creative catalysts. What unites us is a shared commitment to helping leaders, teams, and organisations operate as one living system — able to feel, think, and act together.
We don’t deliver training. We work alongside you to rewire the way your system thinks, relates, and leads — creating the conditions for change that takes root and endures.
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 the uncertainty, tension, and opportunity of complex systems. As the founder of Living Systems, Ian works with boards and senior teams to break through fragmentation, unlock collective intelligence, and shape cultures for lasting transformation.
His unique strength is dual fluency in business and human systems. With an MA from Oxford and an MSc in Complexity Science and Organisational Transformation — and as a trained Gestalt psychotherapist — Ian combines strategic precision with deep understanding of group dynamics, relational process, and the emotional realities of leadership.
Helen Franklin,
Leadership Development & Psychology
Relational strategist. Leadership coach. Presence catalyst.
Helen doesn’t just develop leaders — she helps them lead from their whole selves. With over 20 years’ experience as a coach, facilitator, and organisational consultant, she works at the relational heart of leadership: where presence, awareness, and connection shift what’s possible for a team or system.
A qualified Gestalt psychotherapist with a background in West End theatre, Helen brings a rare alchemy of psychological depth, embodied intelligence, and creative spark. She designs leadership experiences that are rigorous, human, and immediately practical — moving beyond models into real shifts in how people relate and decide together.
Elen Davies,
Team Development & Culture Change
Culture shaper. Team architect. Collaboration strategist.
Elen helps leadership teams turn potential into coherence — not just aligning on paper, but operating as one in practice. With over 15 years’ experience working with executive teams and leadership groups, she knows how to shift culture, strengthen collaboration, and accelerate performance without losing the human touch.
Trained in NTL, Gestalt, and somatic approaches, Elen combines depth and pragmatism, enabling teams to have the conversations they’ve been avoiding, build real trust, and change how they work together in the moments that matter most. As a founding force in Living Systems’ Collective Intelligence approach, she continues to shape immersive, high-impact experiences that leave lasting change.
Jenny Mackewn,
Whole Systems & Transformation
Systems change agent. Complexity translator. Regenerative leader.
Jenny doesn’t just think in systems — she works with them in motion. A leading voice in whole-system transformation, complexity theory, and Gestalt psychology, she has spent her career guiding organisations, communities, and networks through deep, sustained change.
As a psychotherapist, educator, and programme leader at Schumacher College, Jenny bridges theory and practice — translating the complex patterns of living systems into practical, human-centred strategies for resilience. Formerly programme lead for the MSc in Complexity and Transformative Leadership at Metanoia Institute, she brings intellectual rigour and relational acuity to every project, enabling groups to see the bigger picture and step into it.
Adam Kotz,
Immersive Learning
Storyteller. Immersive designer. Transformation catalyst.
Adam brings learning to life — literally. A seasoned actor with credits at the National Theatre, RSC, and on film, he weaves theatrical craft into transformative development experiences that go beyond theory. His immersive designs challenge leaders and teams to step into complexity, test assumptions, and find new ways of thinking and acting together.
His work invites emotional truth, courageous reflection, and insight that sticks — the kind that changes how people show up the next day. Whether in an immersive Starship Academy mission or a high-stakes simulation, Adam creates the space for leaders to feel, think, and act differently under real pressure.
Rob Thurner,
Digital Strategy Partner
Digital innovator. Strategy builder. Connector for transformation at scale.
Rob helps organisations meet the future with imagination, not fear. Founder of digital consultancy Burn The Sky, he brings a sharp, tech-enabled lens to leadership and organisational development, integrating emerging technology with systemic change.
With a client list that spans American Express, HSBC, PwC, O2, and global agency networks, Rob specialises in helping leadership teams turn digital trends into real business momentum. His contribution to Living Systems’ programmes ensures that leadership development isn’t just future-ready — it’s future-shaping.
Rosie Rycroft,
Operations & Client Delivery
Integrator. Organiser. Operational heartbeat.
Rosie is the steady hand behind every Living Systems journey. From first contact to final delivery, she ensures each programme runs with clarity, consistency, and care. With over 20 years’ experience in marketing and operations leadership, including senior roles at tech firms like Informix and Ascential, she keeps complex systems running smoothly.
Rosie’s strength is in the details — the invisible threads that hold an experience together and elevate it from effective to exceptional. She’s the one keeping the wheels turning, the dots connected, and clients fully supported throughout the transformation process.
Lana Rose,
Head Of Marketing
Brand storyteller. Strategic communicator. Connection architect.
Lana shapes the Living Systems voice — making sure our message cuts through noise and lands with real impact. With a background spanning brand strategy, digital marketing, and creative content, she blends analytical precision with human resonance.
Her work covers every channel, from web and social to campaigns and events, ensuring that the way we show up reflects the depth and distinctiveness of our work. A certified yoga teacher and psychotherapist-in-training, Lana brings insight into how people connect, decide, and act — ensuring our marketing doesn’t just inform, but inspires movement.
Read to start the conversation?
Our work begins in relationship — and it starts with a conversation. Let’s explore how our team can partner with yours to unlock Collective Intelligence and create transformation that lasts.