Our Executive team

Learn more about the people who lead and guide our organisation. Our Executives, along with every member at WithYou, work collaboratively to make positive change in people's lives.

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Simon Phillips

Chief Executive

In his role as Chief Executive, Simon leads the organisation's strategic direction, drawing from over 25 years of experience in developing support services for people most in need.

Simon joined as CEO in January 2024, following 18 years at Macmillan Cancer Support, where he held various Executive and Board level roles. During his time at Macmillan, he held multiple roles including executive accountability for services and partnerships, strategy and performance, fundraising, innovation, technology, and people. Simon brings a wealth of experience, with over 25 years of leading the development of support services for people facing challenges such as cancer, parenting deaf children, and mental health.

Simon's leadership style emphasises a focus on the people we are here to support, and the importance of listening to and empowering our people to drive continuous improvement.

Alexandra Borghesi

Executive Director, Governance and Corporate Services Company Secretary and DPO

Alexandra is responsible for the organisation’s corporate and legal governance, as well as information governance and risk management. She is the Executive Lead for Health and Safety.

After an early career in the United Nations, Alexandra found her vocation in corporate governance and has been a Company Secretary for over 15 years, working in regulated environments across many industries from banking to retail, healthcare, travel, childcare, automotive and the charity sector.

Alexandra has held secretaryships in a number of Board committees such as Audit and Risk, Investment and Finance, and Grant-Giving Community Fund. Holding certifications from the Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland, Alexandra also possesses an MBA in Business Leadership and Management. She is also an ISO 17024-accredited EU GDPR Practitioner.

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Grace Marguerie

Executive Director of People and Inclusion

Grace is responsible for the organisation's people strategy, encompassing HR, resourcing, learning and development, and inclusion.

Over the last 20 years, Grace has held various senior HR roles within the realms of Health, Social Care, and Housing. Her expertise has been honed through diverse experiences, and in the last five years, she played a crucial role at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), contributing to the advancement of healthcare standards.

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Stephen McCulloch

Executive Director of Marketing and Communications

Stephen is responsible for leading the strategic marketing, communications and policy teams across the organisation.

Stephen brings practical experience to his role, having previously led communications teams in the public sector. His journey includes roles in NHS organisations, a public sector consultancy, and at Ofwat, the water regulator for England and Wales. Stephen is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).

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Kate Blazey

Executive Medical Director - Interim

Serving as the Executive Medical Director on an interim basis, Kate oversees clinical leadership within the organisation. WithYou has services that provide a range of healthcare interventions and a clinical staff team made up of nurses, doctors, pharmacists, psychologists, healthcare assistants and pharmacy technicians. Kate leads the team ensuring this is delivered to a high standard.

Kate's journey in healthcare leadership began as a consultant psychiatrist in an NHS Drug and Alcohol service, where she dedicated five years to patient care. Her transition to WithYou in 2015 began as Medical Lead in a local service, evolving into the role of Associate Medical Director. Kate's expertise now extends to heading clinical governance as the Medical Director. In addition, she serves as the Responsible Officer and a Caldicott Guardian for the charity. She is driven by a desire to ensure our clients receive good quality, safe and effective treatment.

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Nicola Cook

Executive Director of Operations

Nicola is responsible for overseeing and leading the organisation’s Operations team, with a primary focus on significantly improving the charity's service delivery performance. Nicola provides leadership to our services in England and Scotland.

Nicola joined WithYou in 2024 from The Royal British Legion, where she was responsible for specialist welfare services supporting veterans and those serving in the Armed Forces, and their families, in the UK and overseas. Nicola started her career in politics working in Washington and Westminster. She has since spent the last 25 years working across a range of NHS and charity organisations in senior leadership roles including Macmillan Cancer Support and United Response.

Nicola’s leadership is characterised by an absolute commitment to putting the client at the very heart of what she does, ensuring their voice is heard in terms of service provision and development.

Oliver Seeley

Executive Director of Finance and Technology

Leading our Finance and Technology directorate, Oliver oversees the organisation’s financial position and our technology, finance, data and change support system.

With an MSc in NGO Leadership, Oliver is an accomplished finance professional with a strong background in finance transformation and change management across various industries, including Accenture and British Red Cross.

Outside of work, Oliver enjoys spending time with his two young daughters, training for triathlons and watching Chelsea FC with his dad and brothers.

Looking for our Board of Trustees?

Check out our Board of Trustees' profiles, who work closely with our Executives.

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