MEET RISK SOLUTIONS
Since opening for business in 1997, Risk Solutions has established a reputation as a provider of high quality, insightful management consultancy with a focus on supporting the public sector, both in central government and national agencies, as well as working for local government, private organisations and the voluntary sector.
Originally a business within AEA Technology plc, we have been employee-owned since 2006. Since 2018 the company has operated as team of six equal partners, all of whom are directors and equal shareholders in the company.
Beyond our own team, we operate by drawing together teams from a wide range of associates and partners – many of whom we have worked with for many years.
We are committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050, and although our impact is small we believe every little bit helps. You are welcome to read our Carbon Reduction Plan and Environmental Policy for more information.
Read more about our history and milestone projects >>
Our Staff...
- Jonathan Hyde
Jonathan worked in a variety of engineering, consulting and sales roles prior to joining Risk Solutions. He is a very able analytical modeller, using object-oriented programming to create data analysis applications and agent-based models. He has particular expertise handling and linking large and diverse datasets, and using visualisation tools to interpret complex data. He has a strong track record in engaging with stakeholders to capture requirements and gather data to support evaluations and modelling using semi structured and structured interviews, online surveys, focus groups and workshops. Jonathan lives in Derby with a dentist and a big motorbike – both of which he loves and is married to, but only one legally so. He spends some Saturdays clearing up other people’s gardens, but ...Read more... - Helen Wilkinson
Helen has worked for a wide range of public sector clients including Defra, BEIS, HSE and DfT, often at senior levels of policy development, including reporting directly to ministers. Her work has supported formulation of policy, development of management systems and all aspects of evaluation and review. Perhaps her most influential work has been in the areas of animal disease management, and water abstraction policy reform. Helen is a member of the Executive Group of CECAN – the Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus (of Water, Food, Energy and Environment). In this role she was a co-author to the Annex on Complexity in the 2019 revision of the UK Treasury ‘Magenta Book’. She represents Risk Solutions at the Parliamentary ...Read more... - Chris Rees
Chris has worked at a strategic level in the government, environment, energy and transport sectors. He uses qualitative and quantitative techniques to analyse and interpret different types of data and is our most experienced practitioner of holistic risk assessment and decision modelling methods. He brings his expertise to bear on appraisal and evaluation, including value for money studies and cost-benefit analysis. He has deep experience in helping organisations implement efficient and effective risk management systems. Chris is a member of CECAN ( the Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus (of Water, Food, Energy and Environment) and an expert at using participative techniques to develop models of complex systems. Chris lives in Bath and if he was not working ...Read more... - Paul Brand
Paul specialises in complex assignments requiring the combination of technical understanding with the ability to bring together diverse stakeholder groups. He has experience presenting and liaising with senior policy makers, including reporting at Ministerial level. An engineer by training, he has an extensive background in risk management as well as strong IT and data analysis skills. He has in-depth experience in the transport, environmental, power, water and third sectors, with some activity in healthcare and local government. Paul took nine years out from Risk Solutions to manage organisational development (OD) and change for an international charity, including five years based in their HQ in Singapore, working on worldwide changes to their governance, finance, HR and pensions. He has studied organisational development with ...Read more... - Eleanor Baker
Eleanor enjoys the satisfaction of delivering results and advice that are of direct value to clients, and working closely with them to ensure that projects genuinely achieve this. Her experience is primarily in the transport and environmental sectors, where she is quick to grasp the constraints under which organisations operate, so her approach and recommendations are realistic and relevant to the issues. With a numerical background she combines a highly analytical approach with excellent communication skills. Eleanor is a capable designer and developer of databases, spreadsheet tools and models, including agent-based modelling systems. She has extensive experience of data elicitation techniques and is a practised interviewer, drawing out stakeholder views and pulling together any emerging consensus. Eleanor lives near Bristol. She has ...Read more... - Michelle Boath
BSc (Hons) Chemical Engineering, Master of Business Administration (MBA) (Distinction), Manchester Business School, Winner of Halifax Prize 2001 for Executive MBA Programme We are sad to announce that our friend and colleague Michelle Boath passed away on 21 April 2021. Michelle was an integral part of the Risk Solutions’ team, joining the company in 1999 after an earlier career as a process engineer in the nuclear industry. After gaining her MBA and making a short diversion into the work of investment banking, she returned to Risk Solutions in 2002, becoming finance director in 2017. We knew her both as a friend and business partner for 10 or, in some cases, 20 years. Michelle’s contribution to Risk Solutions was enormous, bringing not only ...Read more...
Timeline
2022
We model the risk of the avian flu epidemic for Defra
2021
SaviRPM is launched and railway clients use this powerful decision support tool for timetable option appraisal, modelling effects of social distancing on service performance, and tackling other ways to improve service performance.
2020
HM Treasury publish the Magenta Book Supplementary Guide on Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation, co-authored by risk solutions as members of a CECAN team
Risk Solutions and the Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus (CECAN) has produced supplementary guidance for the 2020 revision of the Magenta Book, published on 1st April. The Magenta Book, published by HM Treasury, is the key UK Government resource on evaluation, setting out central government guidance on how to evaluate policies, projects and programmes.
with risk solutions support, DfT publish policy proposals for the future of Longer Semi-trailers, alongside our latest annual report on the trial
2019
Building on research work funded by RSSB, we are retained by Great Western Railway and Network Rail to use our innovative agent-based Rail Performance Model, to help test new timetables to be issued in December 2019.
2018
Risk Solutions begins work with climate resilience experts from WSP, ADAS and UCL to help the Climate Change Committee understand how climate change risks interact to affect outcomes to the economy, the environment and the wellbeing of individuals.
2017
Risk Solutions is retained to continue evaluation of a trial of a new type of HGV trailer (the Longer Semi-trailer) a position we have held since 2012.
2016
We are appointed by BEIS to evaluate their 5-year Heat Networks Investment Project.
We deliver the first Impact Assessment of a major policy reform in the UK using an agent-based model of options for reform of the licensing regime for water abstraction.
2014
We deliver the SRM to Highways England; a comprehensive model of safety risks on the strategic road network. Highways England staff use the model to support safety risk decisions without having to seek external help from consultants.
2013
We provide safety assurance of summer events in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
2012
We are appointed as the independent evaluators for DfT’s 10-year trial of Longer Semi-trailers – their most extensive data collection and engagement project.
2010
We are commissioned to develop a traffic flow simulator and virtual reality model of the UK’s first managed (Smart) motorway scheme – the model is used to train SMART motorway operators.
We develop the model, still used by the HSE, to estimate the aggregate costs to the UK economy of fatalities and injuries at work and work-related ill health.
2009
The National Audit Office appoints us to quality review its value for money reports.
2007
International Power commission us to develop and implement an operational risk management framework (OPERA) across its global organisation.
We use Exodis to help support Defra’s decision-making during the 2007 outbreak of FMD.
2005
We use our unique disease spread simulation and decision support tool, Exodis, to model avian influenza for Defra.
2003
We develop security of energy supply models for the Department of Trade and Industry and Ofgem using Bayesian Belief Nets (dependency models).
2002
Risk Solutions provides independent assurance of the risk management arrangements for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Celebration Weekend.
We carry out a highly participative modelling exercise involving Defra officials, farmer and rural business representatives, the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor and No 10, which results in changes to disease risk management legislation. The approach generates unprecedented levels of buy-in to the changes in what had been a highly controversial and contested area.
2001
Remember the sheep brains that turned out to be cow? Defra commission Risk Solutions to find out what happened.
We design UNESCO’s first risk management framework.
1999
We provide independent assurance of the risk management for the Millennium Eve.
1998