1. 1
contact@papcl.com
Tel: 07766 050312
PEOPLE AND
PERFORMANCE
Executive coaching
Consulting services
Simon Spindler set up People and Performance Consulting in February
2002. Since then, he has worked with clients in many different sectors,
including retail banking, investment banking, hedge fund management,
logistics, commercial finance and speciality engineering. Drawing on
experience which includes successful careers with two established
international consultancies, client organisations have included new start-
ups, fast-growing SMEs, professional firms, established UK corporates and
major international businesses.
Coaching
Since being trained as an executive coach at Hay Group, Simon has worked with senior individuals
with a range of roles and backgrounds – including a hedge fund CEO, the Chief Counsel for an
international semiconductor business, a new Head of HR, a Finance Director and the UK CEO of a
major global motor finance company.
Consulting
Simon has worked with top teams and across organisations to improve team effectiveness, increase
engagement and develop a better focus on managing performance.
Some of Simon’s clients have provided their thoughts below.
Adam Ramsay is General Counsel of Smiths Detection, a division of
Smiths Group Plc (previous companies include Edwards Group,
MITIE, Babcock International and BG Group)
My expectations
I was not sure what to expect given that this was
my first encounter with executive coaching,
although I was self-aware enough to know there
was much to learn about myself and how to make
myself the best I could be.
Introduction to coaching
It was my CEO at the time in 2009 who suggested
coaching. I was new to the role and a first-time
executive team member. I grasped the
opportunity to be honest and was eager to find
out more.
How it worked out
Surprisingly, the most tangible benefit for me has
been a dramatic increase in my self-confidence.
Having clarity about my career aspirations is
liberating and motivating. Simon has been a
catalyst in my career successes, having held me in
front of the mirror and kept me to task over the
years, whilst also illustrating his point with
pertinent examples, behavioural and other
models or tools.
(contd.)

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contact@papcl.com
Tel: 07766 050312
Key benefits
The benefits for me have been the structured
thinking allowing me to unlock barriers to
personal improvement; stop worrying about
those things you cannot control and having
someone you respect and who knows you
outside of work hold your feet against the fire. It
has been like a journey taken together - one
which you assess and re-assess continually and
tweak as required.
Most memorable
Realising that I should lighten up a bit and just be
me – stop trying to project an image of what I
thought people wanted to see and experience.
That and letting go of worrying about things I
can’t control.
Amanda Cherry is Director of Organisational Development at Aspect
Capital and is a member of the company’s executive management
team
Simon was introduced to Aspect in 2003 when
we were in the early stages of looking to
enhance our people management systems. He
worked with us over an extended period, to:
 helpdefine ourcore values
 develop a competency framework and
associated personal development plans and
processes
 redesign our appraisal process
 deliver management training that was both
generic (delegation, giving feedback,
managing conflict, management styles, etc.)
and highly customised in its focus
 undertake Board and senior-level coaching
to help our top team operate cohesively,
including 360° Emotional Intelligence
feedback reports where relevant
Over his time working with us, Simon built on
his extensive experience to consistently deliver
work that was ideally tailored to and aligned
with our business, with the result that the
processes, styles, and his influence are still very
much in evidence today. Simon is versatile,
energetic, charismatic and hugely
knowledgeable, I would highly recommend
Simon to any business looking to develop their
people and processes.
My personal coaching experience with Simon
came about as a direct result of this consulting
work. Not having had any tangible HR experience
in other companies, it was very clear to us both
that in order for me to take the next steps in my
career I would need to gain a deeper
understanding of my own motivations, values and
style. My manager was also keen to help me
expand my role, and was supportive of the
concept of coaching.
During the course of our sessions, Simon helped
me to realise that I was capable of achieving
significantly more than I would have given myself
credit for, by challenging my assumptions,
building my confidence and “personal brand”,
helping me to identify what I was good at and,
importantly, giving me insight and greater focus
on the areas I needed to develop. I still have a lot
to learn in my field, but feel that I am able to use
a broader set of skills with confidence, and as a
result my credibility is materially improved, to the
extent that I have been promoted twice in the
last few years.

3. 3
contact@papcl.com
Tel: 07766 050312
Ian Watson
is CEO North America for Bibby Financial Services (previous roles include CEO Asia
Pacific for BFS and Commercial Director for GMAC Commercial Finance)
I first worked with Simon as a director of a U.K. board struggling to come together as a collegiate and
effective group. Simon quickly won the trust of the whole team, and from there used various
methods and activities that were fun and interesting. The performance of the team improved
significantly as a result.
After taking up a new position as CEO of an
overseas business, I sought out Simon to provide
me with some personal coaching and support as I
adapted into a new role. Despite the challenges
of time zones, Simon and I established a regular
interaction using a mix of media such as WebEx,
Skype and physical meetings when I was visiting
the U.K. Simon’s support extended not only to
my personal development, but also in discussing
corporate challenges on managing a multi-
country region facing extensive geographical and
cultural challenges. Simon’s own overseas
experience
was really helpful to me as was the corporate
insight he was able to add.
I have now worked with Simon in the U.K., during
my time in Asia and now whilst I am undertaking
a new CEO role in North America. I trust and
value his support, his constructive feedback and
his advice. He continues to challenge me and
works to help me improve my performance and
how I develop my team.
James Walker
is Managing Partner at Solaise Capital Management (and formerly held senior
positions with Skillcapital, Aspect Capital and 3i)
Simon had done some great board facilitation work for us at my previous company, which helped
identify the need for coaching for all of the senior team. We used a number of different coaches, but
I was lucky enough to work with Simon.
How it worked out
We met around 10 times over a six-month
period. The initial sessions established a great
framework for the process. There were a few
psychological profiles used, but more critically
we spent time establishing what I needed most
help with and understanding the senior
management group dynamic.
Thereafter the sessions were remarkably
practical. I had previously had some coaching at
3i plc which had been delivered by someone with
a deep background in psychology. I had found
their approach stimulating and intellectually
interesting, but it was sometimes hard to
translate into concrete changes to the way I
performed in my day to day role. With Simon the
process felt far more practical. He
(contd.)

4. 4
contact@papcl.com
Tel: 07766 050312
has a strong commercial background of his own
and great common sense. As a result, while we
did refer to some of my psychology, most of the
time we were able to discuss practical ways
forward on live business issues.
Key benefits & further work
By the end of the process, I think I had
developed a number of skills that were very
useful at the time and remain applicable today.
In particular, Simon helped me become more
direct in dealing with difficult interactions with
colleagues and (I think) made me a better
listener.
Since starting Solaise I have used Simon to
provide coaching for three of the senior team
here. I have also used him (perhaps slightly off
base) for sales training for myself and one of the
other partners. I have to say that experience was
revelatory for me in terms of my meeting style in
a sales environment. I now try to engage much
more in a two-way dialogue with a prospective
client, rather than simply ram my presentation
down their throat!
Overall I have become a big fan of both the
benefits of coaching generally and of Simon’s
approach specifically. I have willingly endorsed
him to contemporaries at other organisations and
continue to see him as my own first port of call.
John Petitt
was CEO of Housing Solutions Limited (and formerly its Finance Director,
as well as previously holding other senior finance roles in a number of
commercial businesses)
Simon has worked with me personally and with
Housing Solutions for around seven years in
both a coaching and consulting capacity.
Coaching
This was personal, one-to-one coaching
throughout that period, holding “my feet to the
flames” on progressing both my personal and
corporate objectives through positive and
supportive challenge, wise counsel and advice
and by acting as an objective sounding board for
new ideas and initiatives. Being the CEO can be
a lonely role in that there is not necessarily an
individual with whom you can share issues and
concerns. Simon was outstanding at providing
an objective viewpoint to these when I raised
them.
Consultancy
Simon carried out a number of assignments
including:
1) Facilitating sessions with myself and my
executive team to challenge ourselves on
the organisational culture and values and
more effective ways of working as a
leadership group
2) Working with the organisation’s second
tier of senior managers to enable them to
be more effective by redefining their role
and their relationship with the Executive
Team, including the use of 360 degree
appraisals
3) Facilitating a workshop with Board
members. This was a sensitive issue in that
we were collapsing the group structure
from three entities down to one, resulting
in a need to reduce the number of board
members by half. Simon was very mindful
of sensibilities and helped to steer the
board members to an agreed process
solution.
(Contd.)

5. 5
contact@papcl.com
Tel: 07766 050312
Whether coaching me one-to-one or facilitating various exercises within the organisation, I have
always found Simon to be supportive, positive and challenging. He was outstanding at enabling me as
a CEO to be more effective and self-aware, and always achieved positive results when working with
board members, directors and senior managers.
Penny Lee is a senior international organisational development specialist
(her roles have included a global OD leadership position with a major
international pharmaceuticals company, head of OD with a key
government agency and acting as OD expert in a large private utility
business)
I have worked with Simon on a number of key projects over the last 20 years in different businesses.
He has an impactful, pragmatic style, and is particularly effective working with senior teams and
individuals. He is a strategic thinker, and considers all parts of the system. His calmdemeanour and
insightful use of questions means that he quickly forms effective relationships. He challenges people
and holds up the mirror, helping them discover how they can develop and acts as a catalyst for
change helping to shift thinking and behaviour.
If you wish to discuss your needs for executive coaching, top team development ororganisational
consulting services, you can contact Simon Spindleron simon.spindler@papcl.com or call him on
07766 050312.