Team

Likes boats and bikes.

Arden spent 12 years working with private equity businesses helping them build best-in-class executive teams, manage company restructures, accelerate growth and prepare management buyout deals. Arden’s dad (also called Arden) is a psychiatrist, which opened his eyes to acute mental health care from a young age. After witnessing a close friend being sectioned first-hand, he founded Thalamos to improve the process and outcome for those in crisis.

Eternally average boulderer, 100% chance of beard stroking on video calls.

Ross has spent a career fixing problems. Before Thalamos he was resolving cases as an Investigator for the Financial Ombudsman Service – balancing perspectives to get things resolved. Ross is known for his keen eye for detail and the ability to deliver ideas from inception through to completion. Ross’ desire to do something with purpose led him to co-found Thalamos with Arden.

Scottish-Ethiopian moonlighting as a jazz/blues singer.

Before Thalamos Rachel was a Programme Manager at the Health Foundation managing a collaborative network of analytical teams across the UK using linked datasets to address key issues facing health and care services. Rachel joined Thalamos as the mission to improve patient outcomes resonates personally and professionally – from experience with the mental health system to advocating to end the stigma surrounding mental health.

Steve has extensive personal experiences of mental illness, including periods of depression, suicide attempts, and hospitalisation. He has a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder and Complex PTSD – the result of psychological abuse in his early years through to adulthood.

Appointed as a Vice Chair for the Independent Mental Health Act Review led by Sir Simon Wesley, supporting the chair in making recommendations to the government. Steve chaired the Service User and Carer Group, and co-chaired the Black African Caribbean Working Group. In 2019 Steve was recognised in the Queens Birthday Honours List and appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Mental Health.

With Thalamos, Steve supports the team to ensure we maintain a patient centric approach to development.

Scottish living in London (and won’t shut up about it).

After studying history at university, Elspeth started working in the charity sector creating digital learning products. Working within a charity sparked her interest in social causes. Elspeth joined the Client Team at Thalamos as she wanted to be involved in an organisation with people’s best interests at the centre of its mission and with a real world impact.

Infatuated with old Land Rovers, unsubstantiated coffee-snob.

Iain has extensive experience in the implementation of health technology into clinical practice and championing digital transformation projects. Iain has helped to influence the national Digital Clinical Safety Strategy through his roles as Medical Software and Clinical Safety Advisor for the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Digital Special Interest Group Executive and as a elected member of the Faculty of Clinical Informatics.

Most likely to be found book in hand, educating anyone who will listen on the key takeaways. All book recommendations appreciated.

Natasha spent the last decade selling into NHS hospitals in different care areas, across the UK, but has a real passion for everything mental health. She is excited to be working with Thalamos to even the playing field between physical and mental health care.

Coffee roasting ski bum.

Mackensie started out working with charities and social enterprises to help them overcome their challenges. Seeing the potential for technology to solve problems and drive social impact, he quickly became interested in building digital products that put people first. This led him to join Thalamos as a Product Manager, where he is responsible for doing just that. On the side, you’ll find him running laps around Victoria Park or scoping out which mountains to visit next.

Closet Eastenders fan.

Dominique supports Thalamos on the business side of working in healthcare. Dominique has an impressive career spanning every part of the senior living sector. She is currently a Non-Executive Director at Trinity Homecare, a live-in and visiting care provider and London & Quadrant Group, one of the UK’s leading housing charities and developers. Dominique has previously held executive posts with Pacific Investments, The Good Care Group, and until recently chaired The Homecare Association. In addition to all of this, Dominique has also found the time to bring up her two children.

Retro-tech collector, thinks computer and electronics design was much more interesting in the 1980s.

Throughout his career James has worked on bringing technology and patient care together. He helped to pioneer the role of Chief Clinical Information Officer in mental health NHS trusts after being appointed at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS FT in 2013. He continues to work as a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, bringing together the legal and clinical aspects of mental health work. His wide experience in implementing and managing technology in health settings, in addition to his extensive clinical experience provides invaluable insight and a 360 degree view of mental healthcare.

Hopes to one day have a bakery as a side business.

Sancha is an experienced product and graphic designer. Driven by helping people and the eagerness to do something meaningful, she takes pride in being an avid problem solver and a creative thinker. As a Product and Marketing Designer for Thalamos, her goals include helping more people achieve their objectives and giving them a great user experience whilst doing it. She joined Thalamos to put her skills to use in a business with an ethical purpose, that aims to improve the outcomes of those with mental health issues which aligns with who Sancha is as a person and as a professional.

Northerner living in London.

Not only is he a football fanatic, Stuart also holds a MSc in software engineering. He enjoys learning new front and back-end technologies specialising in JavaScript. Before joining Thalamos in 2021, Stuart gained experience in several industries including E-commerce, travel and finance but ultimately felt healthcare was the most rewarding. When he’s not coding you’ll find him at the playground with his son.

Carl’s career in technology has seen him involved in the early stages of Skype, the development of Microsoft and the conceiving, launching and scaling of new products for Twilio. More recently he was Head of Product, Software & Productivity for Zoopla. Carl’s most recent venture is Co-Founder and CEO of Sustained, an app that helps people make more environmentally-friendly food choices.

Carl brings this wealth of technical and product experience to the Thalamos Advisory Board to assist in navigating the applied technical challenges that exist in software creation.

Ex-professional handball player.

Mette studied at the University of Oslo whilst competing as a professional handball player. After finishing her Master’s degree in Media Science, Mette retired her athletic career and moved to London to start a job in content marketing. Her interest in helping people, and a desire to do something meaningful, led Mette to Thalamos. Mette’s sports career hasn’t completely left her, she is known for trying to turn everything into a competition.

Closet flower arranger.

Dr Debbie Martin is Director of the Bournemouth University, South West England Approved Mental Health Professional’s/BIA course, and an independent trainer. Debbie provides training for many local authorities and trusts, and for s12 approved doctors and approved clinicians. She also provides specialist supervision for Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs). Debbie is co-author of Mental Health Law in England and Wales, 4th Ed (2020), and The Mental Capacity Act 2015, A Guide for Practice, 3rd Ed (2015).

Debbie is a registered social worker and supports Thalamos with advice on best practice as well as guidance on the legislative evolution of its application.

If you spend time with Sophie, you have a 90% chance she will write a story about you.

Sophie graduated from Sydney University with a degree in Digital Cultures and English literature as well as a Master’s in Creative Writing. She moved over to London from Australia in the summer and is now acclimatising to the cold. Sophie joined Thalamos in 2022 as Programme Officer to assist the team to ensure value is delivered to our clients. She is passionate about allowing everyone to access healthcare in order to create equality and can see Thalamos’ real-world impact in the mental health sector.

World’s most under appreciated taxi driver (for his 13 year olds twins).

Paul advises Thalamos on attracting investors and scaling up the business. Paul is well versed in this area spending 50% of his time on scale-up businesses across various sectors including health, financial services, law and cleaning. He is also an experienced chairman of private equity and public market companies with a track record of creating and realising value for shareholders.

Featured on Tomorrow’s World as a teenage science geek.

Sarah specialises in providing part-time Chief Financial Officer (CFO) services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly focusing on those with a positive social purpose. Having completed her accountancy training in practice, she has worked with a wide variety of companies and not-for-profit organisations over the years, including several VC-backed (venture capital) tech start-ups. In a former life, Sarah was an academic; her PhD is in Psychology, so she feels a particular affinity with Thalamos’ mission and values.

Used to rapidly expanding enterprises: Bought 6 sheep to keep down his grass and ended up with 250!

Chris is the Chairman of Cambridge Sleep Sciences the creators of SleepHub®, an electronic bedside sleep device designed to aid falling asleep and improve sleep quality. He is also Executive Chairman of Verso Biosense (formerly VivoPlex) which specialises in fertility and women’s health. Chris is a medically trained doctor and grew and sold one of the UK’s leading medical software companies, serving GPs. His particular interest in mental healthcare software saw him join Thalamos as the first member of the advisory board.

Armchair philosopher, occasional poet, keen but untalented artist.

James graduated with a first class degree in Psychology and a master’s in Philosophy, before working for many years within the executive search industry focussing on the venture capital and private equity sector. James joined Thalamos in 2020 as Commercial Lead to advise on, and manage, the business development function. James is also a volunteer counsellor for a bereavement and mental health charity.

Hadley is an Investment Manager at Ascension, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on backing the next generation of tech and impact founders. She leads on investments made from the Conduit EIS Impact Fund (a joint venture between Ascension and Conduit Connect), which invests in companies in the health, climate/sustainability, economic opportunity, and education sectors. She has a background in investment banking (UBS in New York), founded her own workplace wellbeing company, and most recently worked in social investment at CAF Venturesome, where she provided debt financing to social enterprises and charities.

Hadley originates from the USA but moved to London in 2014. An avid sports fan, she can be found on the tennis court or cheering on her favourite American and UK “football” and basketball teams in her spare time.