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I believe the challenges we’ll face in the coming decades will force us to question everything we know about how we live, work and define success. The only way to tackle them is to develop leaders who can design and shape regenerative systems that support human and planetary flourishing.
I’ve spent the past fifteen years working with organisations tackling complex problems and build novel solutions in environments of high uncertainty and rapid change. I’ve had the privilege to support transformative initiatives from UNICEF’s global peacebuilding curriculum, to USAID’s Syrian crisis response in Lebanon, and redesigning reporting on health at Being Patient.
In 2018, I founded the leadership development practice at T-minus as Chief Learning Officer. We supported hundreds of leaders to develop the skillset and mindset needed to thrive and unlock the ‘collective genius’ of their organisations, and create cultures that support resilience, innovation and learning.
At Solas, we are committed to developing leaders who will build a regenerative future for all and are determined to live that change in how we work. We partner with an amazing community of experts with experience in coaching, leadership and organisational development, sustainability and systems thinking to make this happen.
Who We Are
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My path to regenerative leadership began through the dissonance I experienced in my own role as a leader between conventional models of leadership and what I sensed was truly needed.
I spent a decade in leadership roles across some of the most complex and conflict-affected regions of the Middle East. As Regional Director for the Levant at the British Council, I led large, multicultural teams and a multi-million-pound programme portfolio, collaborating with governments, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector on peacebuilding, education, and community development. It was here that I first learned about systems thinking— in trying to understand the complex ecosystem of issues related to helping refugees access education or building trust between divided communities. I also learned the need for leadership that holds both structure and softness, clarity and care.
That tension led me into deep personal inquiry and eventually to Internal Family Systems (IFS), where through my own personal healing journey, I saw that I needed to hold complexity and polarity in myself before I could tackle complex problems in the world. My personal work transformed how I showed up in the world - with my team, stakeholders and family.
Today, I work with leaders and teams navigating complexity, conflict and change. My work blends coaching, IFS, somatics, trauma-informed practice, and emergent facilitation to support deep cultural transformation—within individuals and the systems they shape. I’ve coached senior leaders and teams across sectors, including JP Morgan, the UK Government, and the UN. I’m an EMCC Senior Practitioner Coach, certified Mediator, and IFS Practitioner, with a strong grounding in community-based development and collaborative leadership.
I believe, the transformation we need won’t come through intellect alone—it requires embodied experience, calling on all our human faculties. At Solas, I see our work as both sanctuary and catalyst—a space where the inner and outer work of regeneration are honoured equally. Solas exists to support leaders and organisations in cultivating the courage, capacity, and connectedness needed to shape a more life-affirming future.
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Carla empowers leaders, teams, and organizations to realize their full potential and positively impact the world. Through a blend of coaching, team dynamics exploration, and culture change consulting, Carla specializes in uncovering hidden systems and delivering candid insights with humour and warmth.
She has worked across multiple industries and sectors as a leadership development consultant for over 15 years. Carla has led large-scale engagements as well as customised deep dive retreats. Previous clients have included AstraZeneca, BOSCH, Google, IKEA, Nike, Médecins Sans Frontières, UNDP, UNFAO and The Gates Foundation.
She has taught at IMD and INSEAD Business Schools, where she co-directed the executive development programmes ‘One Planet Leaders’. She has a Master's in Management Learning and Leadership, is an ICF certified Coach and trained in Enneagram, INSIGHTS and Luminar Spark.
In 2022 she was elected as an Independent (free from party politics) Town Councillor and enjoys working with her local community to make the town an equitable and inclusive place to live. Her approach to change is influenced by her time as Buddhist teacher, the work of Fred Kofman in bringing consciousness to leaders and to business, and the embodied systemic work of Jenny McKewn.
Carla has lived in Switzerland and Spain and traveled extensively, but has returned to her home in the South-West of England, where she now lives with her husband and two children and enjoys walking in the Somerset Hills and connecting to nature.
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Achim thrives at the intersection of sustainability, strategy, and implementation, bringing an integrative mindset honed in diverse roles over 25 years. His path began in youth group facilitation and evolved into a career in senior management within the life sciences field, providing a solid foundation for handling complex challenges, which now informs his coaching and consulting work across various sectors.
He has strategically guided leaders, teams and organizations such as Roche, Novartis, Bayer, BASF, FAO, Accenture, ABB, Stellantis, Knorr-Bremse, Porsche and Facebook. His expertise extends to enhancing organizational behaviors, navigating intricate multi-lemma decision-making processes, consulting on ethical M&A and investment due diligence, as well as developing purpose-based growth strategies.
Passionate about scaling business solutions for positive impacts, Achim uses his extensive experience to foster growth and resilience in the startup ecosystem and multinationals alike. He partners with visionary leaders to navigate the unique challenges of organizations, ensuring ethical and sustainable success through various growth and adaptation phases.
With a deeply caring curiosity, Achim delves into the souls of organizations and the individuals within them. He helps clients to face themselves and their barriers for change with compassion and kind challenge.
Beyond his professional commitments, Achim co-leads the Leading Sustainable Organisations Programme at Henley Business School, is involved in a Systemic Coaching & Change Programme at University of Cologne, contributes to research on sustainability and intrapreneurship at Fundação Dom Cabral and is part of the band of pirates of Lumiar School. His commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is fueled by his hopes and fears for the future his two sons are facing. He finds grounding and inspiration in trail running, open water sports, and live music.
He is trained in Holistic Counselling, Systemic Coaching & Change Management and has a Post Graduate Degree in Organisational Behaviour & Strategy and Diploma in Business Management.