Executive Team

Frank Courtney

Frank Courtney is Managing Director.  He has taught in schools and teacher education and spent over twenty years as a senior officer in UK Local Education Authorities. He has since held senior posts in consultancy organisations including Head of International Operations for Serco Learning and was a founding Director of Best Practice Network (BPN). With colleagues he set up Merganser Consulting in May 2007. Frank’s main expertise lies in education management development at a strategic level and he has advised at national and international levels in various countries and situations. He has project managed a number of international projects and programmes over several years. Frank has undertaken education work at government level in many countries including in Africa, the Caribbean and in most European countries.

Louise Bonadie

Louise Bonadie is Senior Education Adviser.  Louise has particular expertise in primary education and language development. Following a successful career in primary education she has worked at a senior level in UK Local Authorities supporting teachers in continuing professional development. This has included supporting schools in setting up and delivering Comenius projects; supporting inward bound ARION visitors and participating and managing aspects of trans-national EU projects and programmes.  For Merganser she takes a lead role on provision of courses for teachers. Louise has considerable experience of cross cultural working, and has worked on assignments in many countries world wide.

Andrew Borthwick

Andrew Borthwick is Executive Director of Merganser Consulting and a Board Member.  He has over thirty years senior management experience in researching, designing and delivering education and training in a variety of UK and international contexts. Since the start of his education career, he has been heavily involved in community development and education. He has significant experience of teaching and training adults and designing professional staff development strategies for teachers, managers, school governors and community leaders. He spent over twenty years as a senior officer in UK Local Education Authorities. Andy has considerable experience as a strategic education manager, and in international education project and programme management. Andy has worked extensively in many countries around the world including several in Africa and the Caribbean. 

Dr Julian Laite

Dr Julian Laite is Associate Director.  He specialises in public sector reform, organisational development and in all aspects of public finance and the monitoring and control of public expenditure. He has provided consultancy advice on these issues for 15 years. He has a PhD from Manchester University in international development and was a Senior Lecturer at Manchester University, lecturing on international development. Following this, Julian became a senior official at HM Treasury, where he worked for 8 years. Julian became a Managing Consultant with KPMG in 1994, and subsequently a Partner at PA Consulting. He has had extensive experience advising DFID, the World Bank, USAID and the IADB on international assignments in Africa, South East Europe, South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ian Pratt

Ian Pratt is Principal Consultant.  Ian has considerable experience in school improvement as an advisor, lead inspector and Local Authority Head of School Improvement. He has managed the OFSTED contract for a major UK provider. He currently manages a range of programmes funded by UK government agencies.  Ian has also undertaken considerable work in the Caribbean in the field of development of inspection services, and other fields at strategic management level.

Nick Schlaepfer

Nick is Associate Director. Nick is a management consultant specialising in public sector reform, policy support, programme management and implementation of all stages of the project cycle. Nick has led and managed several consultancy assignments in the Caribbean, and was resident in Jamaica from 2007 to 2008 as project manager for the inception phase of the Ministry of Education modernisation. He worked previously as a Principal Consultant with PA Consulting Group; and has worked for the UK Government’s Department for International Development (both in headquarters and on secondment overseas), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the NGO sector. Nick has worked on projects funded by DFID, USAID, SIDA and IDB in the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa. 

Alyson Kennea

Alyson Kennea is Administrative Manager based in our Bristol office. She has considerable commercial and management experience, and has a particular specialism in customer relations. Alyson has taught at post 16 level, is a primary school lead governor and has travelled widely.

These colleagues may all be contacted via the Contact Page.