Our team and expert associates

We work in close partnership with a trusted network of associates and freelancers who share our values and bring complementary expertise and skill, engaging with us to deliver high-quality, bespoke solutions that meet the needs of our clients.

Lucy Solomon, Managing director of Develerate

Lucy Solomon

Managing Director

Lucy is a leadership, management and coaching development specialist who designs and delivers high-quality programmes for organisations across the South-West and nationally. She is known for calm, confident facilitation and delivery that is clear, practical and easy to apply — using clean language, real workplace examples, and a supportive style that brings out the best in groups.

Her work supports leaders at all levels, with a particular focus on new and developing managers (including those promoted without formal management training). She helps people build confidence, capability and consistent leadership behaviours, improving team culture, performance and communication. Her delivery is grounded in lived organisational experience and focuses on helping learners turn insight into action immediately.

Lucy specialises in delivering the ILM Level 5 Certificate in Effective Coaching And Mentoring, supporting aspiring and in-role coaches to develop confident, practical coaching skills. Her work focuses on improving everyday leadership conversations, building internal coaching capability, and helping organisations embed a strong coaching culture. As an ILM-Qualified Coaching Supervisor, Lucy brings a strong emphasis on reflective practice, ethical coaching, and professional standards, supporting coaches to grow their capability and confidence in real workplace settings.

Lucy is particularly skilled at working with mixed ability groups and creating inclusive learning environments where people feel supported with their development.

Nikki Hll

Nikki Hill

Expert Associate

Nikki is an executive coach and leadership development partner who supports senior leaders to lead well through complexity, pace and change. She brings experience from FTSE 100 and privately owned organisations across luxury fashion, food retail, telecommunications and financial services, giving her a strong understanding of high-pressure, multi-stakeholder environments.

Nikki works mainly with Heads and Directors, helping them build clarity, confidence and leadership impact, so change is handled well, teams stay engaged, and performance is sustained. Her style is practical, calm and thoughtful, creating space for honest reflection, fresh perspective and meaningful action.

She combines commercial insight with strong academic grounding (University of Cambridge; MSc Organisational Behaviour) and is an ICF-accredited coach and certified Lumina Spark practitioner. Nikki works with clients as a trusted thinking partner, offering both support and challenge, and focusing on progress and future sustainability for individuals and their organisations.

Janine McDonnell

Janine McDonnell

Expert Associate

Janine is an executive coach, coach supervisor, and conflict specialist with over ten years’ experience and thousands of hours of coaching and mentoring practice. She is a Senior Practitioner accredited with EMCC (EIA) and holds EMCC Supervision accreditation (ESIA).

Alongside her coaching work, Janine is a registered workplace, civil and commercial mediator with the Civil Mediation Council and a Restorative Justice Practitioner. She supports individuals and teams to understand conflict, rebuild trust, and create healthier working relationships.

Janine brings nearly 25 years’ senior leadership experience from complex public-sector environments including the Prison Service, Home Office and NHS. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and works with organisations to develop confident, capable leaders and managers. She combines warmth, challenge and a touch of humour to create space for honest reflection, practical growth and sustainable change.

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