Meet the team
Our people make CF. They are analytical, creative and impact-driven problem-solvers with multi-disciplinary skills. But most of all, they are passionate about healthcare and improving outcomes through meaningful work.
Hannah Farrar
Chief Executive
Hannah Farrar
Since 2013, she has steered the development of CF to the award-winning organisation it is today. Building a company dedicated to improving healthcare through the delivery of management consulting and data services and products.
In supporting our clients, Hannah has an exceptional track record of motivating people and organisations to deliver transformational change. She provides in-depth experience of strategy development and delivery, organisational development and change, financial and economic analysis, building capability and motivation, and navigating complex local and national politics. She provides leadership across the breadth of our client services.
Prior to founding CF, Hannah was an executive in the NHS and has also held positions in the Department of Health. Hannah delivered major programmes of strategic change, including ‘Healthcare for London’ a system strategy for health and care in the capital, which is renowned for having delivered considerable improvements in services such as stroke and trauma care.
Hannah is a member of the Kings Fund General Advisory Council, a non-executive director for Lantum and a visiting professor at Imperial College London. Hannah is a co-author of the book Healthcare for London: Reflections on Leadership, Lessons and Legacy. And has been recognised as one of the top 100 women in healthcare leadership.
Ben Richardson
Managing Partner
Ben Richardson
Over the last two decades Ben has worked across with health systems and life sciences companies on multiple continents. He has worked from national to local levels of health systems on strategy, transformation and development. He has worked in many areas including primary care, diabetes, cardiovascular, cancer, mental health as well as population health management more broadly.
Since 2014 he has supported the development of CF as an award-winning healthcare company operating in management consulting and data services and products.
Over the past two years Ben has led CF work to use data to support the UK’s response to Covid, vaccination of the country, recovery and addressing health inequalities.
Ben’s main focus now is supporting life sciences companies with the uptake of innovation in health systems and in enabling the use of data and digital to transform care and improve outcomes.
Prior to CF, Ben was a Senior Partner at McKinsey, where he served healthcare clients all over the world and led Integrated Care across Europe.
Ben is originally from Canada, and studied at both Princeton and Harvard. Outside of his work, he is an occasional cyclist, a consistent wine enthusiast, and a lover of travel and spending time on the water and in the outdoors.
Catherine Skilton
Managing Partner, Health Systems
Catherine Skilton
Catherine is Managing Partner at CF, leading the Health Systems business and support the continued development of CF as an award-winning healthcare management consulting and data services and products company.
Over the past 20 years, Catherine has supported health and care systems to transform through financial and operational improvement, operating model redesign, mergers, infrastructure investments, integrated care strategy and population health management. She has had a particular focus on the delivery of provider improvement, enabling organisations to use data and digital to improve care and drive sustainable digitally enabled change. She has also worked closely with major Technology and Data companies serving the NHS.
Catherine has worked at all levels of the health and care system in the UK, from national to local and with the NHS and private healthcare organisations. She has particularly worked with Trusts, Integrated Care Systems and NHS Regulators.
Prior to CF, Catherine was a Senior Partner at Deloitte, where she led the local Health Services business and supported NHS and private healthcare clients to transform their performance and operating models.
Catherine has a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Southampton and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.
Outside of work she lives with her husband and daughter in East Surrey and is a regular hiker, fantasy fiction enthusiast, and occasional artist to fulfil her creative side.
Jo Andrews
Partner & Chief Medical Officer
Jo Andrews
Jo has led clinical services at a regional level, necessitating broad stakeholder engagement, and major service reconfigurations across sites to achieve service sustainability and clinical standards.
At CF, Jo’s major areas of interest are clinical strategy development, pathway and transformation, and workforce planning. Engaging and developing clinical leaders is at the heart of his approach to each of these, and improving the lives of patients and staff in healthcare is what energises him at work.
Away from CF, Jo is a keen cook, enthusiastic member of his local amateur dramatic society and reluctant follower of Tottenham Hotspur. He lives in Sussex with his wife and adult sons, as well as an assortment of animals who regularly appear on conference calls.
Kevin Atkin
Partner
Kevin Atkin
A highly analytical, strategic thinker and change management leader with a drive to make real sustainable improvements in the organisations he supports. With over 20 years of organisational leadership experience, 15 of those within healthcare across the public and private sector. He has extensive experience of supporting organisations to change, including developing strategies, the redesign and reconfiguration of services and delivering operational change at local, regional and national levels. He is experienced in working across the healthcare landscape with leadership, clinical and operational teams alike.
Kevin thrives on working across whole systems and has recently been working with organisations within an ICS to balance community and mental health services to need, he has also supported at place level to implement PHM practical methodologies into PCNs and at a national level to support capacity evaluation of services at local, regional and national levels to support recovery.
Prior to joining CF Kevin worked in supply chain consultancy across Europe, and north and south America and in health consultancy for The Health Works, Finnamore, and GE Healthcare which have enabled him to work for many clients delivering operational change, people change and embedding the enabling technology. He has also worked as a Director in the NHS for 5 years at what is now a place and ICS region ultimately supporting a whole system reconfiguration.
Kevin is a keen cyclist, with the last year putting more miles on his bike than his car. Good for both his waistline and our commitment to being carbon neutral.
Phil Livingstone
Associate Partner
Phil Livingstone
Phil brings over 10 years of consulting experience working with NHS commissioners, providers and care systems. Phil has a particular interest in the development of Integrated Care Systems, working at place, provider collaborative and system-wide levels. He helps people connect population need with strategic priorities, care model design and collaborative working. He also supports work on population health management and organisational design. Phil also acted as a tutor on the NHS Leadership Academy, supported senior managers and clinical leads to develop their leadership capabilities.
Prior to CF Phil worked at KPMG in the UK advising NHS clients. He has a PhD in neuropharmacology and is a qualified management accountant.
Outside of work Phil enjoys running several times a week, getting through as many books as possible and travelling again now that the pandemic is receding.
Zahra Safarfashandi
Associate Partner
Zahra Safarfashandi
Prior to working at CF, Zahra was a core member of the Deloitte healthcare team working with regulators, providers and commissioners to deliver complex transformation programmes.
As a junior doctor with experience working in a clinical setting, designing and regulating healthcare apps and conducting pharmaceutical and clinical research, Zahra has developed a a good understanding of the multi-faceted challenges facing the NHS.
Her skills include strategy development, programme management and change management in addition to strong problem solving skills, communication skills and a broad knowledge of healthcare in the UK.
Christian Adams
Director, Health Systems
Christian Adams
Christian is a Director at CF, and part of the Health Systems consulting team. Christian has worked in and around the NHS for the past 20-years, including nearly a decade of experience in healthcare consulting. He brings a wealth of operational and financial expertise, having supported Trusts across the country – from productivity to elective pathway improvement and financial transformation.
He thrives on working collaboratively in teams, applying creative thinking to help clients solve longstanding and complex challenges. He has worked with Trusts across the NHS including Royal Free London, Barts Health, the London Ambulance Service, Oxleas and Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals.
Coming from a family of artists, he is passionate about the music of New Orleans and enjoys daily runs.
Leanne Schofield
Chief People Officer
Leanne Schofield
Leanne has a background in building and elevating HR and People functions in Financial Services and technology businesses in the UK and globally. Leanne loves leading all facets of the people agenda, but is most passionate about career development, reward and recognition and social responsibility.
In her spare time, Leanne enjoys embracing her love of all things French (notably the food and wine), spending time outdoors, watching football and doing yoga.
Kirsty McGuire
Corporate Operations Director
Kirsty McGuire
Kirsty is responsible for CF Corporate Operations, including overseeing governance for the company, the assistant function and facilities management. She works closely with the Chief Executive and Chairman to ensure that the strategy is being delivered effectively, with sound governance arrangements in place to achieve this.
Kirsty graduated from UCL where she attained a BSc in Human Sciences.
Kirsty has spent most of her career in the NHS, with roles ranging from clinical duties to private office roles. She joined CF permanently in 2017, after leading recruitment and development of the corporate team for the company on an interim basis during the period of rapid growth.
Feargus Murphy
Head of FP&A
Feargus Murphy
Bec Gray
Lead Data Scientist
Bec Gray
Bec is a Data Scientist, and a member of the CF Data Innovation team. She holds a PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and specialises in building accurate models that balance system complexity and explainability. She has worked on projects for NHSE’s Chief Data and Analytics Office, using statistical and machine learning methods to test hypothesis on current performance and trends in Covid-19 recovery, as well as on building CF’s internal data products. In her spare time, Bec loves creative hobbies like painting, baking and knitting.
Guy Cochrane
Senior Manager
Guy Cochrane
Libby Dixon
Senior Manager
Libby Dixon
Charlotte Osborne
Senior Manager
Charlotte Osborne
Asha Patel
Senior Manager
Asha Patel
Yemi Oviosu
Senior Manager
Yemi Oviosu
Yemi is a Senior Manager with a background in technology strategy, IT operating model and organisation design and technology implementation. His experience across Life Sciences and Healthcare includes developing value propositions for digital health technologies, evaluating the implementation of AI/ML technologies in NHS Trusts and developing workforce supply and demand modelling across the NHS.
Yemi enjoys keeping fit by playing and coaching football regularly.
Emma Wilde
Manager
Emma Wilde
Emma is a Manager at CF with interests in patient safety, digital transformation and innovative solutions to improve NHS service provision and productivity. She joined CF after training as a Pharmacist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London and has previous pharmacy experience across community, hospital and industry sectors. She completed her dissertation on the Portrayal of Pharmacists in UK newspapers in relation to patient safety where she explored many themes related to a safety culture, the media’s potential impact on patient interactions with healthcare and media responses to the digitilisation of medicine supply. At CF, Emma has undertaken work including the development of targeted, best-practice initiatives to support client ambitions as well as contributing to the writing of strategy board papers.
Example client projects
Supporting the development of targeted initiatives towards achieving an overall vision for a newly formed hospital Group and producing detailed workplans for effective programme delivery
Outlining and guiding the design approach of a clinical senate for a hospital Group
Contributing to Hospital Group strategy board documents outlining the vision, mission and priorities for the organisations and the development journey involved
Angharad Thomas
Manager
Angharad Thomas
Angharad is a Manager at CF with particular interests in the wider determinants of health and health inequalities. At Carnall Farrar, Angharad has analysed organisational structure and helped highlight opportunities for improvement and, more recently, supported the NHS response to COVID-19. She joined CF after graduating with a Bachelors in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge, where her studies allowed her to pursue her interest in the Anthropology of Medicine.
Lisi Hu
Manager
Lisi Hu
Lisi is a Manager at CF and is a surgeon by background, with experience across multiple systems, organisations and specialities in the NHS, ranging from primary care to acute trusts and specialist tertiary centres. During her clinical career, her passion for improving healthcare was seen in the numerous projects she led, which focused on improving safety, efficiency and outcomes for patients.
At CF, Lisi has worked on projects ranging from workforce strategy to developing a case for change, as well as offering ongoing clinical insight on many other projects.
Outside of work, Lisi enjoying bingeing on true crime documentaries and finding new places to eat. She is also on a mission to add a puppy to her life.
Jack Goodall
Manager
Jack Goodall
Jack is a Manager at CF with a focus on supporting the development and realisation of strategic plans, particularly in the context of system productivity. Prior to joining CF, Jack worked in a similar capacity at healthcare and life sciences consultancy Lexica where he specialised in healthcare planning and strategy. Jack has significant experience working with stakeholders across the NHS to develop their priorities, improve operational efficiency and support decision making on capital investment.
Notable projects include cost-saving and efficiency programmes on both the provider and commissioner side which contributed towards addressing financial shortfalls and ensuring in-house capability to sustain efforts; support to a major strategic programme focused on increasing the spread and adoption of innovation to design a selection process and engage with localities to develop an innovation operating model; and helping to shape the development of a national tool to support operational flow at a system level.
Jacqueline Roberts
Manager
Jacqueline Roberts
Jacqueline is a Manager at CF, where she leads projects to assess the cost-effectiveness and impacts of new healthcare policies, interventions, and therapies. She has extensive experience in delivering partnership-driven research through effective collaboration with government bodies, research institutes, and community organisations. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the University of Queensland’s Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, where she has contributed to significant reforms in the Australian healthcare sector.
Tom Brogden
Senior Consultant
Tom Brogden
Tom is a Senior Consultant who joined CF following his studies where he developed a passion for tackling health inequalities within the health system. Since joining CF, he has worked on a review of children, young people, maternity and neonatal services across North Central London and has been involved in the marketing corporate function. Outside of work, Tom enjoys cooking, socialising with friends and playing rugby on a Saturday.
Florence Schanschieff
Senior Consultant
Florence Schanschieff
Florence is a Senior Consultant who joined CF after completing her master’s in Public Health at Imperial College. Here, she was able to explore her interests in health systems and health inequalities particularly in the context of helping to deliver positive change for people’s health and healthcare. Since joining CF, Florence has worked on a range of projects including working with NHSE’s Chief Data and Analytics Office and providing support to CF’s work in Life Sciences. Outside of work, Florence enjoys travelling, considers herself a bit of a foodie and is also delighted to captain the CF netball team.
Neel Desai
Senior Consultant
Neel Desai
Neel is a Senior Consultant at CF who regularly utilises his pharmacist experience to support clients across the health systems and life sciences arms of CF. Neel has extensive knowledge of data, and is well versed in stakeholder engagement, project management and strategy development for the public and private sectors respectively. Neel holds a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical drug product development and a Master’s in Pharmacy, both from University College London (UCL). Neel continues to be a UK registered pharmacist.
Matt Brown
Consultant
Matt Brown
Matt is a Consultant who joined CF after finishing his Masters degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Cambridge. He is passionate about tackling health inequalities and developing innovative solutions to improve NHS service provision and productivity. During his time at CF, Matt has worked with NHSEI and HEE to develop a national workforce supply and demand model, as well as supporting NHSX and the Scottish Chief Scientific Office to scope out opportunities for using routinely collected data within clinical trials. Outside of work, you will more than likely find Matt in the gym or watching sport.
Elise Kearsey
Consultant
Elise Kearsey
Elise is a Consultant who joined CF after completing a degree in Biomedical Sciences at The University of Edinburgh.
Here, she was able to explore her interest in health inequalities and improving access to medicines particularly in the context of marginalised groups.
Since joining CF she has worked across both regional and national level, including a redesign of a Trust wide Operational Pressures Escalation Levels framework and a comprehensive review of a transfer of services.
Outside of work Elise enjoys playing for the CF netball team, cooking new recipes and trying out food spots across London.
India Triay Palazuelo
Consultant
India Triay Palazuelo
India is a Consultant who joined CF after a degree in Neuroscience from the University of Oxford and a masters in International Health Management from Imperial College London. She is passionate about improving access to healthcare and reducing health inequalities. Since joining CF, she has worked on projects including the development of NHSE’s operational flow tool and the creation of an elective orthopaedic care unit in North West London. In her spare time, India enjoys travelling and spending time with friends.
Rachel Ibbott
Consultant
Rachel Ibbott
Rachel joined CF as an Analyst after completing a Master’s degree in Population Health Sciences. Here she was able to explore interests in health inequalities and social epidemiology, alongside developing quantitative skills in health data analysis. Since joining CF, she has contributed to a nationwide digital elective recovery programme, working alongside NHS colleagues to support project management and operational delivery. Outside of work, she plays the violin in a local orchestra, and enjoys cycling at the weekend – particularly the coffee stops!
Alisa Kamynina
Consultant
Alisa Kamynina
Alisa is a Consultant at CF, with a PhD in cardiovascular research and over a decade of expertise in life sciences. Before moving into consultancy, Alisa spent more than ten years in academia, conducting research on cardiovascular disease, hypertension, heart failure, and metabolic conditions such as obesity and diabetes. This background gives her a strong foundation in translating complex data and insights into practical solutions for healthcare challenges. Now in her consultancy role, Alisa focuses on supporting healthcare systems and life sciences organisations with evidence-based strategies. She has a particular interest in integrating research and data-driven approaches to improve patient outcomes and advance innovative therapies and care delivery.
Outside of work, Alisa enjoys rock climbing, taekwondo, and learning how to sail.
Sarah Sharer
Data Scientist
Sarah Sharer
Sarah, a Data Scientist at CF, is driven by a passion for data-driven insights. With a background in mathematics and currently pursuing a master’s degree in health data science at University College London (UCL), she brings a strong foundation in quantitative analysis. Since joining CF, she has worked on projects across health systems and life sciences, using statistical methods and mathematical models on a variety of NHS datasets. Additionally, she has contributed to developing CF’s internal data products. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys cooking, spending time with friends, and exploring new cycling routes.
Jack Rowlandson
Consultant
Jack Rowlandson
Jack Rowlandson, a Consultant at CF, graduated in Biological Sciences and has a background in Healthcare Technology. This experience has ignited his passion for the healthcare industry and fostered a strong focus on patient care. At CF, Jack has contributed to a review of children, young people, and maternity services across North Central London, and has conducted detailed analytical evaluations of services in both Newcastle and Devon.
Beyond work, Jack enjoys cooking, socialising with friends, and keeping fit through playing various sports, including rugby, football and athletics.
Jonathan Wise
Senior Analyst
Jonathan Wise
Jonathan comes from a clinical background, having attended Imperial College School of Medicine, completing his Foundation Training in hospital, then working in a COVID vaccination centre before joining CF as an analyst in 2023. His work so far has involved supporting the roll-out of an FDP elective recovery tool to a hospital trust, and he has also been part of a team working with ICBs across an NHS region to support development of their 3-5 year strategy. Outside of work, Jonathan enjoys hiking, cycling and spending time with friends.
Beena Mistry
Senior Analyst
Beena Mistry
Beena is a Senior Analyst at CF with a PhD from University College London that focused on the molecular interactions of multiple different drug-targetable proteins in Alzheimer’s disease, sponsored by the Medical Research Council (MRC). Prior to her PhD, Beena completed a Masters of Science in Neuroscience which focused on using small molecules to treat neonatal hypoxia-ischemia. Since joining CF, she has conducted qualitative and quantitative data analysis to identify barriers to health impacts, including comparative analysis of countries in the Global South vs. the Global North. Outside of work, she enjoys travelling, hiking and spending time with friends.
Sophie Lee
Analyst
Sophie Lee
Sophie joined CF after completing her master’s degree in Population Health at University College London and bachelor’s degree in Global Health and Social Medicine and King’s College London. She is passionate about improving access to healthcare and addressing health inequalities across society.
At CF, Sophie has worked on the transition and delivery of the NHS Federated Data Platform and more recently supported the case for collaboration amongst acute trusts in the South West Region.
Outside of work, Sophie enjoys travelling, taking dance classes, and exploring new coffee shops around London.
Maddie Housden
Analyst
Maddie Housden
Maddie is an Analyst who joined CF after graduating from the University of Exeter with a degree in Natural Sciences. Maddie has a background in data science and analysis and is experienced working with large and complex datasets. At CF, Maddie conducted the analysis which quantified the healthcare resource utilisation of patients with a rare disease by linking national cohort registry data with NHS datasets to support a NICE approval. She also has experience building statistical models to analyse the impact of policy implementation on patient pathways.
Katherine Weighill
Project Coordinator
Katherine Weighill
Katherine joined CF in October 2021 as a Project Coordinator. Prior to joining CF she worked at The Behavioural Insights Team providing project management support to the research team. Since joining CF Katherine has supported a variety of project outputs including a case for change, a workforce plan and an implementation plan. Outside of work Katherine enjoys listening to true crime podcasts, borrowing as many dogs as time allows and going to museums to sit in the cafe and eat cake.
Oleh Morshna
Project Coordinator
Oleh Morshna
Oleh is a Project Coordinator with a CAPM certification by PMI. Outside of work Oleh enjoys jogging, going to museums and spending time with friends.
Antonia Alley
Head of CEO Office
Antonia Alley
Antonia Alley joined CF from NHS England where she spent four years supporting the Chief Nursing Officer to develop professional strategy and policy across regulation, workforce, and women’s health as well as coordinating the nursing response to the pandemic.
Before the NHS, Antonia worked in research and law. She also studied Philosophy BA at Durham University, Mental Health Ethics and Law MSc at King’s College London and currently completing a diploma in Health Policy at Imperial College.
Outside of work, Antonia enjoys travelling, yoga, and cooking Sunday roasts for friends and family.
Olu Akinwunmi‑Ladega
Finance Manager
Olu Akinwunmi‑Ladega
As a qualified Chartered Accountant, Olu brings extensive experience from both the public and private sectors. Olu specialises in delivering strategic financial insights and ensuring optimal budgetary control within the healthcare sector, leveraging his deep understanding of financial dynamics to drive efficiency and innovation.
Beyond his professional endeavours, Olu is passionate about football and boxing. He also enjoys spending weekend afternoons fishing in the River Thames.
Caroline Pitt
Communications Manager
Caroline Pitt
Victoria Cody
Lead Executive Assistant
Victoria Cody
Victoria is a Senior EA at CF with over 10 years experience in administration and managing c level executives.
Victoria is passionate about driving change in the healthcare system through supporting the leadership and project teams. She has worked on many projects from NHS, Life Sciences to International such as Qatar, ABPI, and the Isle of Wight.
Outside of work, Victoria is a mum of Luca and likes to explore UK destinations together, especially those with wildlife.
Laura Barkley-Woodruff
Senior Executive Assistant
Laura Barkley-Woodruff
Away from CF, Laura runs a small business growing and arranging flowers and looks after a badly behaved dog.
