Dr Joanne Taylor, Co-Founder

Joanne is uniquely qualified and experienced in safety and quality culture, combining expertise in psychology, education, organisational culture and risk management. As co-founder and Managing Director of Culture Excellence, Joanne leads the strategic development of the programme, driving the continual evolution of its assessment framework to help organisations translate culture insights into meaningful action.

A qualified psychologist, educator and researcher, Joanne holds a PhD in Risk Management and Behaviour Change. Over the past 25 years, she has led multidisciplinary programmes across academia, government and industry, combining behavioural science with practical implementation to help organisations improve safety, quality and organisational performance.

Academia: Joanne has led University MSc modules in Organisational Culture, International Business, Research Methods (Survey Design), Food Safety and HACCP in both the UK and UAE. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, including award-winning research on organisational culture.

Government: Joanne has advised governments in the UK, Thailand, Brunei, Oman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Qatar, and has contributed to projects for the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO). She has led national programmes to strengthen safety and quality through culture and behaviour change.

Industry: Joanne has worked with organisations around the world as a trainer, auditor, researcher and culture specialist. She has led the development of a variety of innovative methodologies, assessment tools and improvement programmes that are now used in more than 120 countries worldwide.

Dave Shannon, Co-Founder

Dave has more than 30 years' experience leading large-scale business transformation, technology and strategic change programmes. Combining deep technical expertise with commercial and operational insight, he has helped organisations around the world deliver complex programmes and lasting organisational improvement.

After gaining a degree in International Business, he spent the first decade of his career with the global management consulting firm Accenture. Beginning in a technical IT role during the dot.com boom, he progressed into increasingly senior project and programme management roles, leading strategic change initiatives for organisations including Unilever, Sony, UBS, Shell, Sainsbury's and SABMiller. His work took him across the UK, USA, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and India, managing multicultural teams and delivering complex international programmes.

In 2009, Dave co-founded TSI in the UK before expanding the business to Dubai in 2010. Through TSI, he designed and managed large-scale public health and quality programmes for governments and worked with private sector organisations in more than 20 countries.

As co-founder of Culture Excellence, Dave combines his expertise in technology, strategic change and risk management to ensure the programme delivers practical value for organisations. He leads the continued development of the analytics platform while helping shape the methodology and its real-world application, enabling organisations to identify, understand and reduce organisational risk through culture.

Dr Jeremy Taylor, Culture Excellence Advisor & Founding Team Member

Jeremy is a practical education and behaviour change specialist with a degree in Sociology, a Master's in Education and a PhD in Behaviour Change. He began his career as a chef, rising to become Head Saucier at the prestigious Claridge's Hotel in London before moving into education, consultancy and international advisory roles. An exceptional trainer and mentor throughout his career, Jeremy has dedicated his working life to helping people develop the skills, confidence and behaviours needed to achieve lasting improvement.

Following his time in industry, Jeremy became a principal lecturer before working internationally as an auditor, consultant and government advisor. He was a key member of the UK Food Standards Agency team that developed Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB), bringing the practical perspective of chefs and ensuring the system was realistic, accessible and genuinely workable for hospitality businesses. Throughout his career, he has been recognised for translating academic theory into practical solutions that people can understand, embrace and apply in their everyday work.

As one of the founding members of the Culture Excellence team, his expertise in behaviour change, adult learning and practical implementation has influenced every stage of the methodology.

Professor Eunice Taylor, Culture Excellence Advisor & Founding Team Member

Eunice is an internationally recognised food safety management expert, with a degree in Food Science and a PhD specialising in Training and Education. Beginning her career in the food industry, she progressed through increasingly senior technical, academic and government leadership roles, combining scientific expertise with a lifelong passion for education and capacity building. Throughout her career, she has focused on helping organisations, professionals and governments build stronger food safety systems by developing both people and processes.

Eunice served as Professor of Food Safety at the University of Salford, where she led internationally recognised research and education programmes, before taking on senior government roles in Abu Dhabi, helping to establish food safety policy, strategy and capability from the ground up. She has directed major international programmes for governments, multinational organisations and United Nations projects, working across numerous countries to strengthen food safety management, professional competence and organisational capability.

As one of the founding members of the Culture Excellence team, Eunice has been instrumental in developing the scientific foundations of the programme, ensuring the programme remains evidence-based and focused on creating lasting organisational improvement.

Bertrand Emond, Culture Excellence Community Manager

Bertrand is an accomplished food industry leader, long-distance runner and cyclist whose energy and enthusiasm are reflected in every aspect of his work. He works with food businesses of all sizes across the global food supply chain, helping organisations strengthen their technical capability, develop their people and improve business performance. He holds a Master's degree in Food Science and Technology and an MBA, and brings more than 30 years of practical industry experience.

With extensive experience in food safety culture, Bertrand is a member of the food safety culture working groups for both the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP).

As Culture Excellence's lead partner at Campden BRI, Bertrand has played a key role in the programme's growth and international reach. He manages the Culture Excellence programme at Campden BRI, working closely with organisations around the world to help them measure, understand and strengthen their food safety culture through practical, evidence-based improvement.

Basem Azzam, Culture Excellence Manager, MENA

Basem is a devoted family man who is happily outnumbered by his four daughters. A quality management specialist with extensive experience across the MENA region, he leads large-scale programmes that bring together government, industry and regulatory stakeholders to implement international best practice standards and strengthen quality and safety across multiple sectors.

Known for his collaborative leadership and practical approach, Basem is skilled at building strong partnerships and managing complex programmes that deliver lasting organisational improvement.

As Culture Excellence's Regional Programme Manager for the MENA region, Basem works closely with government and industry clients to deliver successful programmes.

Martin Clemmensen, Director of Software Development

Martin is a tech aficionado who has been hammering away at keyboards since the days of the Amiga 500. Following an impressive career developing software and digital platforms for organisations including Motorola and Spotify, Martin went on to become CTO at Zenbu before founding his own software development company.

Combining deep technical expertise with a practical, user-focused approach, Martin specialises in designing secure, scalable systems that transform complex data into intuitive tools and insights. He is passionate about building technology that is both powerful behind the scenes and simple for clients to use.

Martin leads the development and continual enhancement of the Culture Excellence data platform, ensuring it remains secure, reliable and innovative while helping organisations turn survey data into meaningful insights and practical action.

Wendee Hill, Technical & Business Operations Manager

Before joining the Culture Excellence team to manage technical and business operations, Wendee was Executive Assistant to the Vice President of a multinational pharmaceutical company. She has more than 25 years of administrative experience across the UK and Dubai, including 19 years supporting senior executives. Having worked in organisations ranging from family-owned businesses to global multinationals, she brings exceptional organisational skills, attention to detail and a wealth of operational experience.

Wendee plays a vital role in the day-to-day delivery of the Culture Excellence programme, managing technical and business operations while ensuring projects run smoothly and clients receive a consistently high level of support.

Claire Harris, Communications & Platform Specialist

With a wealth of experience in marketing, communications and client engagement, Claire is passionate about helping organisations get the most from the Culture Excellence programme. She holds a degree in Marketing and Communications (UniSA) and a Digital Marketing accreditation (RMIT), and has spent more than 12 years working with global clients across a wide range of industries.

Claire specialises in translating complex information into clear, engaging communications. She leads client webinars and platform sessions, helping organisations understand their results and confidently use the platform to drive meaningful improvement.

Mehak Randhawa, Project Manager

Mehak brings a background in education, programme coordination and business support, having worked across India, Singapore and the UAE.

As Project Manager for Culture Excellence, Mehak works closely with clients throughout every stage of their programme, coordinating successful project delivery from planning to completion. Her proactive approach, attention to detail and commitment to client success help ensure every programme runs smoothly and delivers the best possible experience.

Clariza Gecale, Project Administrator

Clariza is a Project Administrator for Culture Excellence, based in Dubai. With experience in computing, documentation and administration, she supports the delivery of the Culture Excellence programme through a wide range of project and administrative activities, helping the team ensure every programme runs smoothly for clients around the world.

Originally from the Philippines, Clariza enjoys travelling and spending time with her family and friends.

Ringaile Bulatovic, Special Projects

Ringaile is a global citizen who speaks five languages fluently and has lived and worked in eight countries. Her experience spans multinational corporations and government organisations, giving her a broad international perspective.

With a Master's degree in International Studies, she specialises in national culture and its impact on organisational culture. Ringaile contributes to client webinars and special projects, helping organisations engage with the Culture Excellence programme.

Dr Kevin Kane

Special Projects

Kevin is a management expert with an MSc in organisation development and a PhD in risk management. He works as a senior lecturer for the University of Salford and advises multiple organisations and governments.

Dr Katherine Rostron

Special Projects

Katherine has an MPhil in risk management (HACCP) and a PhD in organisational culture. She works as a lecturer for the University of Salford and conducts research on culture, with a focus on social enterprise.