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Dr Dave Smith

Deborah Smith

Deborah is a well-regarded consultant with a wealth of experience in her field.

She established Promodo twenty five years ago and has led and delivered many high-profile pieces of work. Deborah brings an incredibly broad range of skills and a good dose of pragmatism to everything she does.  She has built a reputation as a trusted advisor, with a strong track record of delivery. Deborah has excellent personal networks across government, business, media, opinion formers and with think tanks.

Her particular 'expertise' is in:

  • Local Government strategy and policy
  • Corporate affairs & strategic communications
  • Regional networks and place shaping
  • Citizen consultation and engagement
  • Brand, reputation and influencing
  • Crisis and issues management

deborah@promodo.uk

Deborah Lewin

Dr Dave Smith

In March 2023 I was appointed as Managing Director Commissioner as part of the Government intervention in Thurrock Council. I am working with the elected members, officers and partners to address the improvement and recovery of the Council.

Until the end of June 2022 I was the chief executive of South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. I led the executive team implementing the policies and priorities of the Mayor, the Combined Authority and the Local Enterprise Partnership in addressing the needs of the region’s economy.

I have held senior executive positions within Local Government for the past twenty years and I have been a Chief Executive in Local Government for 15 years. During that period I have made a substantial contribution both to the Local Authorities I have worked for and more widely at a regional and national level in a number of key strategic public sector policy areas. I can particularly add value in thought leadership, change modelling and implementation; reputation and influencing; economic development; devolution and new forms of public service delivery.

Skills, knowledge and leadership

  • Strategic thinker with highly developed analytical skills
  • Powerful, authentic and compelling communicator
  • Effective implementer and evaluator
  • Highly developed strategic and operational understanding of Local Government and associated relationships with Central Government, Health and Private Sector partners
  • Excellent negotiation and mediation skills within local government and between local government, central government, public and private sectors
  • Extensive experience of policy development, tactical and strategic implementation
  • Broad and detailed experience of leading change, addressing multiple objectives bringing about operational, cultural and behaviour change
  • Substantial leadership experience in Devolution agenda, integration of services, and alternative forms of service delivery
  • Subject expertise in corporate leadership; strategic finance; policy and performance; corporate affairs and communications,;ICT, intelligence and smarter cities; elections; economic development and regeneration; health and social care

 

  dave@promodo.uk

 

 

Steve Peel

Steve is a successful business professional with over 35 years of experience in Business Services, Information Technology, and Communications. He has worked for leading global consultancies and technology companies, including IBM, BT, and EY, and has been an independent consultant since 2015, focusing on civic and civil transformation, as well as innovation programs. Steve has been involved in supporting the design and implementation of 5G services across the UK as a member of the UK5G Connected Places Working Party and authored a new specification for 5G-related services for BSI on behalf of DCMS.

Skills, knowledge, and leadership

  • Built successful businesses within BT, IBM, EY, and a couple of SMEs—each delivering significant new revenue or market presence.
  • Secured and delivered high-value organisational and cultural transformation and change programmes across the Public Sector.
  • Held strategic leadership roles driving innovation, client success, and commercial growth.
  • Has been embedded within client teams to co-create and deliver transformative outcomes.
  • Recognised thought leader and public speaker on: Smart Cities, digital infrastructure, triple-bottom-line business cases, digital government, AI, IoT, and Open Data.
  • Known for a consultative, relationship-first approach to business development. Highly adaptable, collaborative, and delivery-focused across diverse roles and sectors.

 

  steve@promodo.uk