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Ally Merchant HR Consultancy Ltd
With in-house, executive level experience of technology start-ups and scale-ups across the UK, I work with Founders and CEOs to guide them through how to craft a valuable culture strategy. From that first key hire through to the 'not to be under-estimated' step of taking your company to a +50 headcount can be daunting and so I help guide companies both strategically and operationally through those stages ensuring they retain that ability to rapidly innovate and bounce back from failures.
Before setting up as a HR Consultancy, I spent almost 10 years in the corporate world managing major HR and People functions for global giants such as Centrica and Marks and Spencer before moving to help start-ups do all the People ‘stuff’ needed to set them up in the right way for success. Now, with over 7 years’ experience working at an executive-level with start-ups and scaling companies across a range of sectors including Finance, Space, Media, Philanthropy, Technology and Not-for-Profit, I have the know-how to help companies move from that first important people hire through to a scale-up making it's mark on the world.
My experience with Founders from various sectors has enabled me to get up to speed quickly with what’s going on and what’s important to the people creating the businesses. My experience with Space Forge, an advanced materials company using space-derived crystal seeds to grow ultra-high quality semiconductor substrates on Earth, is pivotal for my ability to strategically advise, challenge and support ambitious technology companies just setting up. Having worked with the Founders to grow the company from a record-breaking $10.2 million seed-round through to their Series A in 2024 and managed the people strategy to enable a headcount growth to 80 employees across the UK and the USA, I have the employment law knowledge, cultural change experience and strategic thinking to support fast-growth technology companies.
An associate member of the CIPD and qualified to Level 7 with an Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management, I enjoy setting businesses up for success through their people. I also have key experience with start-ups in the Finance sector having worked at a senior level with Rostella, an Insurance company using innovative pricing technology based in Cardiff. I joined Rostella pre-trade and worked closely with the Directors to create the right cultural strategy for sustainable growth within an FCA-regulated environment.