Meet The Team
Nawal Arshad
Nitya Krishnamoorthy
Nitya Krishnamoorthy
Founder and Director
Nawal is the founder of LOF and has over 20 years of experience in developing business strategies and plans, as well as delivering complex business transformation and strategic change programs to a high standard within blue-chip organizations. She has received several national awards and recognitions for her work, w
Founder and Director
Nawal is the founder of LOF and has over 20 years of experience in developing business strategies and plans, as well as delivering complex business transformation and strategic change programs to a high standard within blue-chip organizations. She has received several national awards and recognitions for her work, which has made a significant impact not only in the corporate world but also in local communities, particularly in promoting gender equality, equity, and inclusion. Nawal holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management and an MSc in Virtual Environments from UCL in the UK.
Nitya Krishnamoorthy
Nitya Krishnamoorthy
Nitya Krishnamoorthy
Director
Nitya comes to LOF with twenty years of business and leadership experience. She began her career in New York City, creating software for top law firms and finance companies – this was well before Data Science and Computer Forensics were buzzwords.
After moving to London and getting her MBA, Nitya stepped into management consult
Director
Nitya comes to LOF with twenty years of business and leadership experience. She began her career in New York City, creating software for top law firms and finance companies – this was well before Data Science and Computer Forensics were buzzwords.
After moving to London and getting her MBA, Nitya stepped into management consultancy, where as a “Big Four” consultant, she led transformation programmes with cross-functional and globally distributed teams.
She holds an MBA from the Cranfield School of Management and an MSc in Computer Science from Columbia University
Meet The Advisors
Miguel Gowland
Managing Partner- WALK -Spain
In the last 15 years, Miguel has worked with global corporations from all industries across the globe, successfully executing a large number of transformation and leadership development projects, leading a diverse team of consultants.
Miguel is a Leadership Development expert who has deployed leadership programs in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and brings that experience to transformation projects.
Miguel graduated from the Technological Institute of Buenos Aires with a degree in industrial engineering. He was awarded a scholarship to Cranfield School of Management in the UK, where he completed his MBA in 2008. He also has an Advanced Management Program (AMP) from Wharton School of Management and ESADE.
Rukhsana Arif
Senior Legal Counsel-Tensar-UK
A legally trained professional with expertise in GDPR, governance, and risk management, Rukhsana brings a strategic and pragmatic approach to helping businesses (including start-ups) navigate legal and regulatory challenges. She is committed to supporting the creation of safe, compliant, and well-structured environments. Rukhsana is excited to contribute her knowledge to LOF, an organisation focused on educational opportunities for young people. She is looking forward to adding value through sound legal insight and oversight, and enabling long-term growth while upholding accountability and trust.
Tom Hayton
Managing Director-The Gap Network-Australia
Tom is a seasoned entrepreneur and executive leader with 20years of experience in technology, media, and education. With deep expertise in APAC markets, he has lived and worked in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China ,managing regional teams.
He holds degrees from Warwick University (Philosophy), Cranfield School of Management (MBA – Odgers Prize Winner), and SOAS, University of London (Global Diplomacy), along with a Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching from Henley Business School.
Kerry Phillips-Bland
Managing Director-Financial Services
Kerry Phillips-Bland has over 30 years’ experience working in Financial Services in the UK leading Technology and Change Delivery projects & programme across a variety of infrastructure, application, process, banking products and regulatory topics. She holds a degree in English Literature and Language & a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Liverpool, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Complex Project Management from Middlesex University.
Kerry has a keen interest in advancing diversity and has personally seen the benefits of working in diverse teams – they reach their outcomes more effectively and efficiently. To recognise her impact in driving gender equity, Kerry was included in the Northern Power Women’s Awards List, 2025. Having benefited from the support of mentors during her career, Kerry is a vocal advocate for mentorship as a way of encouragement and unlocking potential. Kerry is excited to be an advisor for Leaders of our Future and to support nurturing the capability of our future leaders.
Haitham Essam
VP- Union Coop-UAE
Haitham Essam is the Vice President of E-commerce at Union Coop, where he is leading the transformation of the business unit for the Dubai-based retailer. Before joining Union Coop, he was the Managing Director of MAF Egypt and Lebanon, successfully leading the company's transformation and turnaround efforts. Before his role at MAF, he served as the General Manager of Careem Egypt, a subsidiary of Uber, and prior to this, he was also the Regional Director for Agoda in the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian Ocean. In 2013, Haitham founded Targemli, a leading language services company in the Middle East and currently serves as a non-executive board member. He has 25 years of experience in startups and leading turnarounds and transformations across several sectors, including ride-hailing, Hospitality, Telecoms and Retail.
Finally, Haitham holds an MBA from Cranfield University and a BSc in Computer Science from the American University in Cairo.
Andrew Pieterse
Certified Professional Coach-ComposMentis-UK
After an early career in IT and Telecoms for FTSE 100 firms, Andrew shifted his skills to management consultancy and specialised in strategic change management. He eventually realised that business models simply don’t succeed without the right people and this helped him decide to co-found a headhunting firm in 2011. Now he focuses on professional and personal development through coaching and loves seeing people thrive through change.
Much of his time is also spent studying part-time at the University of Exeter, where he is training to become a psychoanalytic psychotherapist. Andrew holds a BSc (Psychology & Oceanography) from the University of Cape Town, an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, and an MSc in Executive Coaching from Henley Business School.
Yemi Jackson
Founder & CEO, Engage Transform | Advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Leadership
Yemi Jackson is a visionary leader and the Founder & CEO of Engage Transform, a talent acquisition and development company dedicated to increasing the representation of women and Global Majority (often referred to as Ethnic Minority in the West) talent in senior positions, including the board level. With a deep expertise spanning over 20 years in Finance, IT, and executive leadership, Yemi’s mission is to foster inclusive work environments that drive innovation and growth through diverse leadership in Technology, Marketing, and Finance.
Prior to founding Engage Transform, Yemi held senior executive roles in Finance and IT, where she witnessed the need for a more diverse and engaged workplace. Her passion for promoting inclusion led her to create Engage Transform, addressing the critical need to elevate underrepresented talent in leadership roles.
A highly qualified professional, Yemi is a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA) and completed her MBA at Warwick Business School in 2018, where her final dissertation focused on implementing effective diversity strategies in the workplace.
Beyond Engage Transform, Yemi founded Building Inclusive Boards (BIB), a pioneering talent incubator and accelerator program designed to equip underrepresented groups with the skills and opportunities to secure board positions. In addition, Yemi actively serves as a member of the Be The Business Advisory Board, contributes to the IOD Glass Ceiling Group Committee, and is a member of the International Women’s Forum, where she advocates for gender and racial equity.