We have designed and delivered hundreds of our unique training events and bespoke facilitations, in person and online, for a wide range of business, academia and other sector clients based on an understanding of the key role of perception, behavioural change and the mechanism of mind.
“Company of Mind” was set up in 2010, following long established professional careers. Dr. Adrian West presents our programmes. Sophie Brown is our Designer and Facilitator, their biographies appear below.
Dr. Adrian West
Associate
Dr. Adrian West co-founded the large-scale virtual reality research group at The University of Manchester. He held UK and EU research grants, leading both Technology and Psychology contributions, and appointments as an expert reviewer in technology for the European Commission. He went on to lead a team of engineers at a U.S. Venture capital funded technology company, subsequently bought by IBM in 2008. Adrian held the position of Research Director for The Edward de Bono Foundation which specialised in thinking as a practical skill and has inspired over 200 cross-discipline innovation teams in academia and industry. His research interest in perception and thinking developed into Company of Mind, which facilitates thinking skills for corporations, Government bodies, and Universities. He is routinely voted best Lecturer by technology students, and by business leaders when he presents on innovation and thinking skills. Adrian’s most unusual job has been Chauffeur to, someone he would regard, as the world’s most impressive conflict resolution expert.
“Adrian has all-round enthusiasm and prodigious intellectual capability. We know him as the personal development guru whose attention to detail, fanatical interest in ideas and their development make him a wonderful facilitator”.
University of Liverpool Graduate School
Sophie Brown
Associate
Sophie Brown co-founded Company of Mind in 2010, and held the position of Creative Director at The Edward de Bono Foundation UK. She studied Fine Art at Edinburgh University and Art College, and developed an art and design practice, before moving to larger (three-dimensional) canvases following an award to study Landscape Architecture at The University of Manchester. She designed environments, facilitating community involvement, providing landscape planning input and running construction contracts across the UK North West for over 20 years. Sophie co-designs and facilitates Company of Mind programmes, develops graphics and techniques for the Canvas of the Mind in the thinking and facilitation arena and is our photographer. She is also a contributing co-author of “Business Model You” (ranked #1 in business start up books by The Independent) and “Business Models for Teams”.
“The idea generation methods and bespoke tools we had from Sophie were instrumental in helping us to immediately embark on developing lots of research ideas. The online format and facilitation was excellent, keeping us focused – what a truly excellent and incredibly enjoyable experience this has been.”
Laura Salisbury, Royal College of Art, 10 day online UK-wide Researcher Event
Track Record
We bring the following credibility to our offerings.
Skills credibility
Research and Creative Directors of The Edward de Bono Foundation UK (thinking skills). Doctoral Skills Team staff at a Russell Group University; Application to real-world academic staff, Commercial consultancy, including BBC engineering and creative teams, Medical research, inter-university grant application and departmental strategic planning.
Academic credibility
Research, including co-founding a research group at The University of Manchester; Principal Investigator on UK, and EU Computer Science and Psychology EU Framework projects; EU expert panel reviewer; PhD supervision and external examiner; routinely ranked top Lecturer in a department of some 70 academic staff.
Commercial credibility
Engineering team lead at U.S. Venture Capital funded technology spin-off, sold to IBM. Contract management, public engagement, facilitation, consultancy, innovation and design for international businesses and industry including Nuclear, Aviation, Polymers, Healthcare and Public Broadcasting.
Reactions
Here are some examples of what our clients say about us:
“What marvellous people you are! Without your intellectual, professional and material contributions I think the programme might have foundered.”
Roy Madron
Co-ordinator
UK-wide
Members Council Event
“That was amazing – what a marvellous duo! It was like watching an opera. It was the crystallisation of facilitation from my point of view!”
Dr. Jim Boran
Researcher Development Manager Prize Doctoral Research Programme Delivered online over 6 months, The University of Manchester
“Hi Adrian, Sophie, Thank you so much. You brought a much needed new perspective backed by solid experience and cut through barriers. I very much enjoyed watching everyone engage, see folks thaw out and get excited..I think the intro you both gave was also perfect, this is very
exciting.”
Gavin van Lelyveld
Engineering Team Lead
BBC Location & Analytics Software Engineering Team, Cardiff
