Our Team
Mark Katz
MANAGING DIRECTOR & FOUNDER
Mark is the co-owner and founder of Poisson Rouge. He has spent the last 30 years inspiring business leaders, team leaders and individual team members to achieve their full potential, to work out and visualise their business and life goals and to overcome the very real challenges and problems that may stand in the way of personal and group success.
Since forming Poisson Rouge in 1992 Mark has designed, led and supported over 5000 training and development cohorts working with over 30,000 delegates in over 20 countries.
As a leadership and performance coach he is in great demand amongst multiple populations including: • ‘C’ suite executives & global leaders, • young and emerging talent often in early phase / start-up businesses. • remedial interventions for both leaders and team members seeking to resolve performance and behavioural challenges. • team leaders and managers keen to establish a culture and track record of high performance and many others.
Mark is an accomplished presenter, emcee, host and facilitator and is often called upon to front large conferences, senior team meetings, training programmes and team building interventions. He is an engaging, straight talking and powerful presenter and has appeared on several TV programmes around people development and teams.
Mark is accredited to both use and train others in a broad selection of psychometric, emotional intelligence and motivational instruments
Mark is fluent in French, is a published Author and has a passion for rugby, wine and good food.
Connect with Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-katz-5684281
Mark Brooks
SENIOR ASSOCIATE - TRAINING, COACHING, PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT
Coming from a background in the education sector, Mark’s focus is on behavioural impact, self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
His approach addresses opportunities for development for individuals and for teams. The focal point is on ‘playing to your strengths’ - and this remains core to his training and developmental activities.
Mark spent 14 years in management and leadership positions in the hospitality industry before deciding upon a change of direction and qualifying as a teacher, concentrating mainly on adult education. After 6 years teaching, he stepped into the business world as the Senior Learning and Development Specialist for one of the leading psychometric assessment providers. It was here that his passion was realised for helping people discover the unknown and to reflect upon their strengths, acknowledge their limitations and modify behaviours to get the most out of others.
Mark regularly delivers leadership programmes across a wide array of industrial contexts, ranging from schools and housing associations, sporting institutions and everything through to international corporate institutions. Mark has also delivered keynote speeches at conferences around the world
Mark's areas of Expertise include: Leadership Development, High Performing Teams, Self-awareness, Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, Resilience and Growth Mindset, Conflict Management, Coaching Communications, Train the Trainer.
Mark's Qualifications & Accreditations: BA(hons) Business Management, PGCE Diploma in Teaching, Lifelong Learning QTLS Qualified Teacher Status Member of the Society for Education and Training (MSET), British Psychological Society Test User Certification Accredited practitioner of: Emergenetics, PDA, PPA, TEIQue, GIA, HPTI, NEO-PI R, DISC, EIQ-2 360º
Francesca Proudman
SENIOR ASSOCIATE - PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, COACHING
Francesca Proudman is a highly experienced international corporate trainer and certified coach presently based in the UK.
She graduated from university in London with a joint honours languages degree in 1993 and immediately began a 20 year journey working internationally in business training and coaching.
Francesca is a certified trainer of all Thomas International psychometric products, a Berlitz Cultural Trainer, as well as a practicing coach. She is also a Train-the-Trainer of business trainers and coaches intending to incorporate EI psychometrics into their programmes.
Her personal interests take her to the realms of neuroscience to better understand human capabilities in and out of the work environment and how to optimise the self.
Francesca travels extensively to provide training, talks and coaching around the world. Her focus is on leadership and human interaction and the power that lies in understanding and managing behaviour and emotions. She has worked with a plethora of clients in diverse sectors from law, medicine, pharmaceuticals and finance to the House of Lords and the United Nations.
Francesca has lived in Austria, Germany and Italy and speaks fluent German and working Italian. Francesca’s ability to adapt to cultures, languages and backgrounds has been one of the highlights of her career and what sets here apart from many others in her field.
She is a passionate, highly inspirational trainer and coach with a vast knowledge in her field. She has received consistently exceptional feedback from her esteemed clients and is driven to empower more and more people on their professional and personal journey.
Neil Griffiths
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
NEIL is a resourceful and creative live events manager with over 22 years’ successful track record. His experience includes but is not restricted to: - Event planning | event strategy | client relationship management | compering, emcee & event hosting | team building design & facilitation.
Neil is comfortable leading large event teams, managing both the delivery and fiscal management side of projects both nationally and internationally.
Neil's specialist expertise in teambuilding includes an understanding of psychological profiling processes including Myers-Briggs and Belbin.
As he says… “My passion lies in helping businesses to engage and develop relationships with staff and clients alike. I love being part of the development and delivery of high-impact, high-energy events with a demonstrable impact, whether that’s on team behaviours, brand awareness or other positive outcomes”.
Prior to his involvement with events Neil's career started in 1992 with a 4-year commission in the Royal Navy, training as a pilot with the Fleet Air Arm, gaining his ticket as a watch-keeper with the surface fleet; and spending 4 years as a divisional officer.
Complementary skills picked up along the way include his extensive leadership & man-management training in the Royal Navy, and 15 years’ stagecraft experience including principal operatic roles at the RSC as well as 12 years performing in an a cappella choral quartet.
Unusual Fact ......
Neil enjoys doing voluntary work offering live interpretation for English Heritage (his degree was in Medieval History…), so you may catch him at a castle on a summer weekend dressed as a 12th– 13th Century Knight, wearing over 8 stone of armour!
Stephen Ridley
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Steve Ridley is a member of the executive team of Poisson Rouge.
A full equity partner and Board member he joined Poisson Rouge after a long and distinguished career in the city as one of the Managing Directors of Capital Markets at Bank of America, Merrill Lynch.
Steve shares responsibility for overseeing the financial and operational efficiency of Poisson Rouge, guiding and advising on all aspects of fiscal control, investment and strategic development.
Using his considerable contacts Steve is instrumental in making important connections between organisations in the City and Poisson Rouge - facilitating early stage conversations around where and how Poisson Rouge might support their people development needs.
Outside of Poisson Rouge - Steve has several senior advisory / consultancy roles with city financial institutions, is a keen golfer, ardent cyclist, rugby fan and life-long Liverpool supporter.
Connect with Stephen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-ridley-a12302112/
Simon Conrich
SENIOR ASSOCIATE - TEAM BUILDING
Simon plays a lead role in the team building delivery side of Poisson Rouge's operations. He is a highly experienced event professional with over 15 years success in event management, project management, presenting, and emcee hosting (both live and virtually over Zoom or similar).
For 8 years Simon worked as a senior event manager for a leading team building company, helping to design, create and run many of their GPS Treasure Hunts. During this time Simon was responsible for creating treasure hunts in Madrid, Dubrovnik, Warsaw, Berlin and countless others throughout the UK and Ireland.
Simon has also created and run events farther afield in South East Asia (Singapore and Bangkok), South America (Columbia), the USA(New York), as well as Barbados and much of Europe.
Simon is a confident and competent presenter and has hosted many conferences and events of all shapes and sizes. He is comfortable in front of large groups of hundreds of people, has a quick wit and dry sense of humour and an impressive ability to energise and engage any group and get them up for the challenge.
Outside of events Simon has a degree in History from Leeds University (1994-1997), and is qualified as both a Cognitive Hypnotherapist and Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner (2005-06).
Simon is passionate about health and fitness and is both a keen cyclist and runner. He has also embraced a vegan lifestyle now for nearly 3 years.
Simon is married with 2 children and is family is very important to him.
