We are on a mission to help young people get a better start in their professional life.

Breandan Ward is a former Executive Director of Morgan Stanley New York and worked in the financial services industry for over 15 years. Most recently, he served as the Global Head of Margin Financing and Risk Support. Breandan subsequently left the banking sector to establish a leadership coaching and well-being practice and also teaches as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at NYU on the topics of leadership and disability.

Steve Wayman is a seasoned professional with over 40 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. For more than a decade he was the CEO of Wood Group Kenny — a 3,000 employee global consultancy. Steve recently led the strategic acquisition and integration of Amec Foster Wheeler with Wood Group to create a multi-billion dollar conglomerate “Wood”, operating in 60+ countries. He is an alumnus of Imperial College London.

Javad Golzari is the managing director of First Step Consulting and responsible for the day-to-day execution of most projects. Over the last 5 years, he delivered above 40 major consultancy projects and trained more than 300 volunteers. Javad received a Master of Science in Management and Strategy from the London School of Economics and studied entrepreneurship at the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.

Patrick Cheong-See is a seasoned management consultant with over a decade working across the industry. He brings a wide breadth of knowledge and experience, having delivered projects from within Fortune 500 consultancies (Accenture), strategy consulting (Prophet), and creative agency networks (Ogilvy Consulting). Patrick is now actively supporting First Step Consulting whilst developing his own consulting venture.

Christopher Kerr has worked in the legal industry since 2011 at two national law firms. He also holds consultancy roles in the health and fitness industry, and supports numerous nonprofits in the capacity of a pro bono management consultant and trustee. Christopher initially joined our team to work on a strategy consulting project four years ago and decided to stay with us to share his expertise with First Step Consulting.

Gaia Franzetti is an engineer who has specialised in applying fundamental concepts to model physiological systems. She has a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano and is currently finishing her PhD in Mechanical Engineering at University College London under a prestigious BHF grant. She speaks English, Italian, French and Spanish. Gaia takes an active role in managing our consulting projects.

Sebastian Greulich is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Verse Technologies. Sebastian is a former Vice President of J.P. Morgan, where he was specialising in fixed income structuring and successfully served a wide range of clients. A graduate of the University of St. Gallen, Sebastian has recently joined our team and brings a spectrum of skills and experience to support First Step Consulting. He speaks English, Spanish and German.

Yasmin Ibrahim works closely with our team to develop the communications strategy of First Step Consulting and actively provides creative input to refine our business identity. Yasmin has completed her MSt in English at the University of Oxford, specialising in late medieval scripts and palaeography. Previously she studied English Language and Literature at King’s College London and graduated with First Class Honours.

An experienced CFA charterholder, Christoph Greulich worked at Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas in London and Paris and, more recently, as part of the equity research team at Berenberg Bank UK that covers listed European mid-cap companies from various sectors. Christoph holds a Master of Science in Finance from the University of Mannheim and speaks English, French and German.

Sean Gumbrell began his career in the insurance industry and recently joined our team to facilitate the growth of First Step Consulting. Sean works closely with the company’s leadership team and performs a broad variety of tasks. Most specifically, his support is instrumental in identifying opportunities to expand our partnership network and in cultivating trusting relationships with clients.

Andrea Pinza is a journalist with experience in the editorial business. She works with our team to help improve and execute the communications efforts of First Step Consulting and to build positive relationships with media. Andrea is also an Editorial Operations Associate at Condé Nast International, overseeing syndication, collaboration and communication among leading brands, such as Vogue, GQ and Glamour. She speaks English, Spanish and French.

Guy Levy helps our team promote First Step Consulting in an effective way. After completing his undergraduate studies with First Class Honours, he is currently pursuing a Master of Philosophy in Economics and Social History at the University of Cambridge. He previously had the chance to gain experience at Goldman Sachs and Lloyds Banking Group and co-led the apprenticeship scheme of an established political think tank.