Tom Thomas OBE
Tom Thomas led a major Private Finance Initiative project to redevelop Colchester Garrison before leaving the Regular Army to join Amey Ventures Ltd in 1998, where he became responsible for their PPP/PFI programme and project development activity. Tom then became Director Strategic Development at Amey plc, working with stakeholders in the public, private, independent and voluntary sectors to help shape policy, procurement plans, and modern service delivery options for emerging public sector requirements.

In February 2008 Tom left Amey plc to start his own consultancy business, Ideas to Delivery Consulting Ltd,and has since become an Accredited Mediator as well as continuing his work at the public-private sector interface, in the private sector, and in public-public partnerships.

As a facilitative mediator, Tom can draw on extensive experience of peacekeeping dispute resolution at diverse community interfaces, negotiation at international and national levels as well as in business and commerce, work at the public-private sector interface and in consortium-based project management, responsibility for industrial relations and HR management, and the application of military law.

Bryan Johnston
Bryan originally came to Colchester having served with the British Army.  He has three teenage children. Bryan left the Army after commanding an infantry company during the first Gulf War.  He is a former Tendring District Councillor and stood for Parliament at the 1997 election.  Bryan is a non-executive Director of a Pension Company and Vice President of Colchester Chamber of Commerce.  He is a member of the Law Society Dispute Resolution Section.

Bryan specialises in commercial and civil litigation and is the Managing Partner of GoodyBurrett LLP.

Tony Calder
Tony Calder has recently retired from an appointment as a Project Director in a company that provided services to Government Departments - Global Solutions Ltd. In 10 years he led a number of projects to build and service Government private finance initiative projects, such as schools, hospitals, secure accommodation for young people and some projects for the Ministry of Defence. These involved negotiating between members of a consortium, as well as with the Government Department involved, from the start of a project, though the bidding process and, on being appointed the preferred bidder, negotiating the final multi-million pound contract.

Previously Tony was a career soldier in the Army, having served 34 years direct from school. He was sent to many of the world’s trouble spots as an infantryman during his career which ended with command of both a Regional Brigade in East Anglia and Colchester Garrison. During his service he had two senior appointments in the Central Staff of the Ministry of Defence, both of which involved mediating and arbitrating between the individual services for scarce resources.

During his time in the Army he was involved in the military judicial process, including convening courts martial, reviewing sentences and administering summary justice.

Tony is aged 64, married with four adult children and 10 grandchildren, which gives him plenty of scope for mediation practice. He lives in Colchester.

Susan Paul
Susan Paul is a specialist employment lawyer with over 16 years experience in this field. For the last 5 years she was an Employment Judge in a busy London Regional Tribunal.
Prior to this she ran her own legal firm specialising in Employment Law Advice and Representation.
Susan has a background in Commercial Litigation and has also worked in Local Government providing expert legal advice to senior managers and Councillors as well as managing a team of employment lawyers. Her considerable experience covers the full range of employment issues in the public, private and independent sectors where she has advised and represented both employers and employees.

Susan is also the Managing Partner of a busy GP practice in London with a list size of approx 10,000 patients and 24 staff.

Susan also has a background in the voluntary sector having chaired and managed a voluntary sector charity for a number of years.

Susan has experience of working with a wide variety of cultures and operates within a framework that recognises cultural differences and their importance in mediation and conflict resolution situations.  She adopts a very inclusive and positive approach with parties seeking mediation in interpersonal, commercial, family and workplace disputes.  Her energy and commitment is a key driving force in obtaining fully agreed, workable and sustainable solutions to any dispute.  Susan has a track record of achieving results with integrity, impartiality and transparency, and her credibility in the field is based on this approach.

Susan has a particular focus on developing global mediation and conflict resolution.

Helen Menezes
After graduating from Cambridge University and working for 2 years as a school and adult education teacher, Helen spent 3 years at Toynbee Hall, in East London, as Education Coordinator and Assistant to the Warden.  After travelling in India, she founded and ran a community centre on the Isle of Dogs in East London for eighteen years.  She was responsible for training and organising staff, volunteers, trainees and people using the Centre, teaching English, raising funds and piloting new projects. Helen has also worked extensively with other voluntary sector groups, including community development work. 

She has supervised student studies, liaised with private and statutory bodies and advised on community development.  She was a Visiting Lecturer in Community Development at Westminster University.  She compiled and wrote a report on community development for the Whitechapel branch of Toc H, and negotiated contracts for work with other agencies.  She edited and distributed a community newspaper on the Isle of Dogs for eighteen months.

As a facilitative mediator, Helen is able to draw on business experience gained whilst running a significant community charity in the heart of London, working with people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds, to identify their problems and create their own solutions.  She has worked with a range of groups and individuals from the private, public and voluntary sectors and has a lifelong interest in understanding how people learn.

David Brown
David is a law graduate of The London School of Economics and qualified as a solicitor in 1972 and is Senior Partner in GoodyBurrett LLP. David is a past president of The Suffolk and North Essex Law Society. David’s specialty is commercial property and corporate insolvency.

David is married and has three children and six grandchildren. Interests outside the law and mediation are reading and clay-pigeon and target shooting.