About us
ABOUT US
At the heart of our work is respect for the users of public services and the staff who work in them, and a belief in the importance of unlocking their contributions to positive change.
Who we are
IMPOWER holds a profound belief in the innate value of public services; a better public sector is the cornerstone of a better society. We exist because public services can be – and should be – improved. For us, improving public services is fundamentally about improving the lives of citizens.
We were founded in 2000 by a local authority Chief Executive and are staffed by people from both the public and private sectors. Everyone who works for us is deeply committed to enhancing the pivotal role that public services play in our communities and society.
We start with the recognition that the problems we want to tackle are complex problems. By this we mean that the challenges are not easily contained, and necessitate working with diverse populations with conflicting agendas. To address these challenges, we have developed a unique capability in working with complexity. We have consistently demonstrated that performance can be improved – but more importantly, that this improved performance can be sustained, citizens’ lives made noticeably better and public services left more resilient to manage future challenges.
Named a Sunday Times Best Place to Work 2026, IMPOWER is proud to be recognised for the culture we’ve built – shaped by our people and focused on delivering meaningful impact.
This recognition reflects an environment where individuals feel supported to grow, contribute and take pride in their work – enabling us to deliver lasting, positive change for our clients and the communities they serve.
Our senior leadership team
Sean Hanson
Chief Executive Officer
Jeremy Cooper
Executive Director
Jon Ainger
Executive Director
Mark Lloyd CBE
Executive Director
Ben Evans
Managing Director of Health
Deborah Crossan
Managing Director of Children, Families, Education and Adults
James Swaffield
Managing Director of Growth and Innovation
Perry Dowell
Chief Financial Officer
Ebony Hughes
Managing Director of Corporate Strategy and Transformation
Laura Welsh
Chief People Officer
Chris Maxsted
Chief of Staff
Paul Henry
Chief Information Officer
IMPOWER’s Commitment to Carbon Reduction
IMPOWER has joined the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign, pledging to halve our greenhouse gas emissions before 2030 and achieve net zero emissions before 2050. Our action plan includes publishing a carbon emissions baseline; introducing interventions across our business to reduce emissions; and enhancing carbon literacy within the company. Whilst designing interventions to reduce emissions, we are committed to deploying carbon offsetting options. Please download our commitment here.
IMPOWER in partnership
with the Council for
Disabled Children.
We are committed to improving the experiences and outcomes for children, young people, and their families.
Talk to one of our team to see how
we can help [email protected]
MCA Consulting Excellence
As a member of the Management Consultancies Association (MCA), IMPOWER is committed to the highest standards of consulting excellence.
Our 2026 Consulting Excellence Declaration shows how this is embedded in practice – from investing in professional development, including growing ChMC accreditation, to taking a data-led approach to inclusion and wellbeing.
These commitments strengthen our capability, support our people, and ensure we deliver meaningful, measurable impact.
Join our team
Do you have a passion for improving public services? We are growing fast, and looking for people who have the energy and motivation to tackle some of our clients’ most difficult challenges. We offer a genuine opportunity to contribute to improving lives, while enjoying the friendliness and support of a close-knit team. If this sounds exciting, we’d love to hear from you!
Life at IMPOWER
What does working at IMPOWER involve? Check out our ‘day in the life’ blogposts from colleagues across the business, find out how they describe our company culture, and read about what we offer.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We are committed to ensuring that our culture prioritises diversity, equity and inclusion; this is the right thing to do. It will also ensure our client work is more creative, more insightful and of higher quality.
WE ARE HONOURED TO BE INCLUDED ON THE FINANCIAL TIMES AND STATISTA UK’S LEADING MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS AWARD LIST