Our clients
Public companies around the world, as well as governments, private companies and not-for-profit organisations
Our company
We deliver bite-size live and digital experiences with a proven, scalable methodology
- Proven ability to deliver to employee groups in excess of 10,000 people
Our products
A team of behaviour change specialists, expert designers and experienced coaches
- 200+ full time employees
- Hundreds of coaches in over 40 countries
Octavius Black CBE
Co-Founder and Executive Chair
Octavius Black CBE is the Executive Chair at MindGym, which he co-founded in 2000. An entrepreneur, philanthropist, best-selling author and former business columnist, Octavius was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in King Charles III’s 2023 New Year Honours for his services to entrepreneurship, business, life sciences, and community. Octavius has co-authored MindGym’s four books and has written for The Times, Financial Times, and The Sunday Telegraph. Prior to founding MindGym, Octavius was a director of the organisational communications consultancy Smythe Dorward Lambert and prior to that he was an analyst at Booz Allen Hamilton. Octavius read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at The Queen’s College, Oxford University.
Christoffer Ellehuus
Chief Executive Officer
Christoffer Ellehuus is the CEO at MindGym, joining the company in January 2024.
He has spent his entire career helping organisations realise the potential of their people, teams, and cultures by combining research, data, and technology in innovative solutions.
Prior to joining MindGym, Christoffer was President at Korn Ferry Digital, and before that, he was the CEO of ESI - a leading provider of project management and leadership development solutions (acquired by Korn Ferry in 2019).
Earlier in his career, Christoffer spent more than 15 years with the research and advisory firm CEB (later acquired by Gartner). During his tenure with CEB, he served as a Global Sales Leader, Global Head of Product Development, Managing Director of CEB’s EMEA business, and Practice Leader of the HR Advisory subscription business.
Christoffer began his career as an economist for the Danish government in various roles related to EU trade and economic integration.
Sebastian Bailey, PhD
Co-Founder, President and Executive Director
Dr. Sebastian Bailey is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of MindGym. Sebastian has led the development of MindGym’s products since its inception, from the portfolio of 90-minute Workouts to the latest digital eWorkouts. He conducted the definitive academic research on how to maximise the transfer of learning, which underpins MindGym’s proposition, and co-authored the four MindGym books. Sebastian gained a PhD from Bristol University with a thesis entitled ‘Maximising transfer: How learning translates into action in organisations’.
Emily Fyffe
Chief Financial Officer
Sally Tilleray
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Sally Tilleray is the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director on the MindGym Board. Sally joined the Board in July 2018 and is Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. From 1999 to 2003, Sally held the role of CFO Europe for Predictive Inc., an IT network consulting business which undertook an IPO on Nasdaq in 2000. Sally then served as Group Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Huntsworth plc, the international public relations and healthcare communications group, from 2004 to 2014. Sally is an experienced marketing services agency executive and became Non-Executive Chairman of digital agency UNRLVD during 2020. In 2019, she became a Non-Executive Director of NAHL plc, the AIM-listed consumer legal focused marketing and services business, in 2021 she became a Non-Executive Director of AIM-listed Skillcast plc, the leading supplier of corporate compliance eLearning in the UK and in 2023 she became the Senior Independent Non-Executive of Fadel plc the AIM – listed brand compliance, rights management and royalty billing software provider. She is also the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director of Nominet. Committee membership: Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee.
Sir Trevor Phillips OBE ARCS FIC
Independent Non-Executive Director
Sir Trevor Phillips is Independent Non-Executive Director on the MindGym Board. Trevor joined the Board in October 2020 and is Chair of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee.
In 2022, Trevor received a knighthood for his services to equality and human rights in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.
Trevor is the co-founder of the data analytics consultancy Webber Phillips, and occupies the position of Chairman at Green Park Interim and Executive Ltd. He is the Chairman of the global freedom of expression campaign charity Index on Censorship, a Senior Fellow at the Policy Exchange think tank and a Vice-President of the Royal Television Society. He is a Times columnist and a regular presenter for Sky News. He was the President of the John Lewis Partnership Council until 2018 and founding chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Committee membership: Chair of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee and member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
David Nelson
Non-Executive Director
David Nelson is Non-Executive Director on the MindGym Board. David is an advisor to the controlling shareholders, and therefore not regarded as independent. David qualified as a chartered accountant in 1987 and has been a partner of Dixon Wilson since 1990, serving as Senior Partner from 2008 to 2018. David is a Non-Executive Director of a number of family-owned companies. He is an advisor to UK-based families and their businesses, advising on financial and tax matters in the UK and overseas. He is also a trustee of a number of UK trusts. David is a Non-Executive Director on the board of Daily Mail and General Trust plc (LSE: DMGT).
Committee membership: Member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Remuneration and Nomination Committee.
