Rooted in the UK and supported by the wider AKG Group, the team works in close partnership with commissioners, employers, partners and local delivery teams to ensure we meet the needs of jobseekers, learners and communities across the country.
Meet the team
With experience spanning employment, education, health, justice, and community development, our leaders bring both strategic insight and practical understanding to the work we do.
Driving purpose, delivering impact.
They guide the organisation with a focus on quality, collaboration, and measurable outcomes, ensuring that our services are responsive, inclusive, and built around the people who use them.
Leadership team
Ayden Sims is CEO and Country Leader of AKG UK, overseeing the organisation’s development, strategy, and impact. With over a decade of experience in the employability and welfare-to-work sector, Ayden began in frontline roles supporting unemployed disabled people and veterans before moving into strategic leadership. He joined AKG from Maximus UK, as Contract Director he played a key role in securing and delivering the Restart Scheme across South and East London, and South and West Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. A former RAF pilot, medically discharged in 2007, Ayden draws on personal experience to champion inclusive employment. He is a Fellow and Board Member of the Institute of Employability Professionals, committed to shaping the sector’s future and promoting diverse career pathways. Outside of work, Ayden is a family man and outdoors enthusiast who enjoys running, kayaking, and climbing.
Debbie Braid leads national operations at AKG UK, driving quality delivery, robust compliance, and an outstanding participant experience across all employability, skills, education, justice, and health programmes. She brings over 30 years of sector experience shaped by a deep commitment to people, purpose, and performance.
Debbie began her career at the Department for Work and Pensions, where she discovered her lifelong commitment to helping people realise their potential. Her journey since has taken her through senior roles with international charities, large-scale contractors, and global organisations, experiences that have shaped her inclusive, values-driven approach to leadership.
Recognised as a Fellow of the Institute of Employability Professionals, Debbie is known for building empowered teams, strong partnerships, and cultures where great performance grows naturally from shared purpose.
“I’m driven by purpose, performance and people and I believe that great operations always start with great culture.”
Heidi Fish is a strategic, values-driven leader with a strong track record in operational delivery, service transformation, and cross-sector partnership working. With deep experience across the employability and health sectors, she specialises in supporting individuals with complex needs. At AKG Health, Heidi leads with purpose and clarity, ensuring that services deliver real, measurable impact for the people we help. Passionate about creating lasting change, she empowers individuals and teams to grow and thrive. Heidi believes that, with the right support, everyone can unlock their potential. She excels in mission-led environments where people and outcomes are equally valued.
Debbie is the Non-Executive Chair – Skills Governance at AKG Learning, providing independent strategic oversight and governance to the leadership team across operations, quality and compliance. She also represents the organisation externally as a trusted ambassador and influencer within the skills and apprenticeship sector. Debbie serves on the AELP Board and is a Governance Advisor to two other training providers.
Debbie was awarded an MBE in Her Majesty The Queen's 2018 New Year Honours for Services to Apprenticeships and Charity. In the same year, she received the East of England IoD Non-Executive Director of the Year Award.
Beginning her career in training and development with Sainsbury's in 1990, Debbie joined Qube Learning in 2000, progressing through a number of senior roles before becoming Managing Director in 2006 and CEO in 2010. She led the organisation through significant growth while maintaining an Ofsted Good (Grade 2) rating and consistently high levels of employer and learner satisfaction.
In 2018, Debbie established DSG L&M Consultancy Services, supporting training providers and end-point assessment organisations with governance and non-executive leadership. As Chair of Learn Plus Us, she began her journey with AKG Learning before being appointed Managing Director in 2023. During her tenure, she successfully led the integration of major acquisitions and TUPE transfers, secured another Ofsted Good (Grade 2) rating, improved achievement rates, delivered a company rebrand, aligned employee benefits across the group, strengthened safeguarding arrangements, and developed the governance and organisational structures to support future growth.
André Simm joins us as IT Director with extensive experience in leading IT transformation and delivery of large, complex IT services in organisations such as Voyage Care, Ingeus RRP, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), General Electric and IBM.
He is passionate about the application of technology and BI to make a real difference in the lives of people through providing individually, or via those who support them, greater capabilities to improve their life outcomes.
When not busy with their 3 grown-up children and 4 grandchildren, André and his wife enjoy travelling, and exploring local and industrial-revolution era history. And he’s always open to sharing the latest fascinating fact he’s just learned, despite his family’s objections.
He is passionate about the application of technology and BI to make a real difference in the lives of people through providing individually, or via those who support them, greater capabilities to improve their life outcomes.
When not busy with their 3 grown-up children and 4 grandchildren, André and his wife enjoy travelling, and exploring local and industrial-revolution era history. And he’s always open to sharing the latest fascinating fact he’s just learned, despite his family’s objections.
Laura Gibbon joined AKG UK in 2024 as HR Director and plays a key role on the Business Leadership Team. She leads the organisation’s People Strategy, overseeing Human Resources, Learning and Development, Employee Wellbeing, and Compensation and Reward. With over 20 years of experience and a CIPD Level 7 qualification, Laura brings deep expertise in organisational development, change management, employee relations, and TUPE. She is a trusted advisor to senior leaders and a driving force behind strategic HR initiatives. Laura is passionate about supporting individuals and ensuring AKG fosters a positive, inclusive, and growth-focused working environment.
Devin Ward leads the financial strategy, governance, and risk management for AKG UK, ensuring the organisation’s long-term sustainability in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment. With extensive experience in financial leadership, Devin brings a sharp focus on delivering value and driving meaningful change for both partners and communities. A strong advocate for mentorship, Devin creates an environment where individuals are supported, challenged, and empowered to thrive, ensuring that finance planning plays a proactive role in achieving AKG’s mission.
Natasha Harvey leads AKG UK’s growth strategy across key markets and opportunities, overseeing business development, partnerships, and marketing and communications. With over 16 years’ experience in business development, Natasha has successfully led bids and growth initiatives across major public sector organisations, including DWP, DfE, NHS, DHSC, MoJ, MOD, and local authorities.
With a background spanning both in-house and consultancy roles, she brings particular expertise in human-centred services such as employability, health and wellbeing, skills, and criminal justice. Having started her career on the frontline as an Employment Coach, Natasha brings a deep understanding of the sector, ensuring AKG’s growth remains purpose-driven and focused on delivering meaningful impact for individuals and communities.
Outside of work, Natasha is a keen endurance athlete, having completed multiple marathons and competed internationally in aquathlon.
Lisa Nixon is a senior leader specialising in employer engagement and workforce strategy. At AKG UK, she leads the Employer Services function, developing partnerships that connect employers with practical solutions around recruitment, retention, upskilling, and wellbeing.
Lisa brings broad experience across education, employability, and community programmes, having worked with a range of funding streams including Study Programmes and Adult Skills. Before joining AKG, she held senior roles focused on skills development; collaborating with employers to design pathways to employment and deliver initiatives with measurable impact.
Her background spans employer engagement, skills, and collaborative project delivery. Passionate about creating lasting change, Lisa builds strong relationships that help people move into meaningful work and support businesses to grow inclusive, future-ready teams.
As AKG’s Business Improvement Director Ben sets the direction for a high performing and collaborative team instrumental to shaping our participants’ experience and delivering maximum impact for both our commissioners and communities.
Ben is a talented strategic operations lead with varied experience in both private and not-for-profit organisations. Throughout his career, Ben has championed supporting people to find their purpose through employment, helping them to access new skills and achieve happier lives. Whether that’s through his work delivering strategy for the Prince’s Trust strengthening the provision and support available to disadvantaged young people or helping school leavers discover their future through developing Catch22’s National College.
Zack Haider joined Intuitive Thinking Skills in 2007, and in his remit as Community Development Director, he plays a key role in shaping programmes that empower individuals to lead independent, fulfilling lives. With a deep belief in each person’s potential for change, Zack works closely with clients and communities to design responsive, relationship-driven support. His work spans areas including addiction recovery, employment readiness, and life skills development. Passionate about community engagement, Zack ensures that every programme reflects the real needs of those it serves. His leadership continues to drive meaningful, person-centred outcomes in vulnerable communities.
Victor Stephenson-Henshaw is the Continuous Improvement Director at AKG Learning, bringing more than a decade of leadership in education, training, and operational strategy to the role. His expertise spans MIS, compliance, IT, contracts, and corporate services. Since joining the business in 2018, Victor has held senior roles including MI & Contracts Director, leading digital transformation, data systems, and funding compliance. He previously held key roles at Urban Futures London and Haringey Education Business Partnership. Known for his hands-on, people-focused approach, Victor is dedicated to driving quality, innovation, and measurable outcomes. His work supports AKG’s mission to deliver inclusive, high-impact learning that empowers individuals and strengthens communities.
Steven has over 25 years' experience in the employability and skills sector, with the majority of that time spent on the Board of Skills Training UK, an award winning Independent Training Provider (ITP), delivering Apprenticeships, Traineeships and Study Programmes nationally. Under his stewardship in the business development team, Skills Training UK became one of the largest ITP's nationally prior to acquisition in 2021. Prior to joining AKG Learning, Steven ran his own consultancy firm, developing performance and compliance frameworks across a number of Independent Training Providers and Further Education Colleges
"I was attracted to AKG Learning by the passion for lifelong learning and education shown by the Business Leadership Team, and I already feel part of their exciting project to expand and grow the skills business to national levels. My first week has been busy but fantastic! I've had the opportunity to meet the majority of colleagues I will work with closely and enjoyed my first Strategy Day with the Leadership Team which has confirmed to me even more so that joining AKG Learning was the right decision."
"Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family of three teenage children, while also playing cricket and table tennis to varying degrees of success across East Sussex where I live. I also enjoy playing guitar in my spare time and play both session and band work on my weekends."
Since joining Intuitive Thinking Skills as an apprentice tutor back in 2012, Phil has progressed through a number of leadership roles, reflecting his passion for developing people, delivering quality services and driving positive change.
Phil's experience has certainly been one of resilience and purpose. After building a successful career in hotel management, his life was impacted by many poor choices in addiction, leading to a crisis point in 2011. Seeking help via local drug services first introduced Phil to Intuitive Thinking Skills, where upon completing the short duration, high impact skills based Intuitive Recovery programme, he focussed and repurposed the very same drug using skills in a more positive way to transform his life, which then inspired a new career in wanting to helping others experiencing similar challenges.
Today, Phil leads the operational delivery across a diverse portfolio of services, working alongside his colleagues and partners to improve outcomes for people and our communities. His experiences bring authenticity, empathy and understanding to his leadership, while his commitment to the organisation's values shapes everything he does.
Help us build solutions that work
Our team is always exploring new ideas and opportunities to build meaningful solutions with real impact. We work best co-designing with employers, local stakeholders and people with lived experience. Connect with us to explore how we can work together for change.
