Gulf based insurance company: Evidence based succession planning

Richard Brady is the Founder & Executive Chairman of Mentis Talent Technologies, a Singapore‑headquartered HR EdTech company operating across EMEA and Asia-Pac. He has devoted 35 years to building high‑impact, evidence‑based approaches to talent evaluation, insight, and learning. Richard established Mentis in 2003 with a simple premise: organizations thrive when they nurture talent, not just measure it. Today, that ethos is embodied in the Mentis Navigator ecosystem: OCEANS Personality Navigator, Competency Navigator 90/180/360-degree feedback, SONAR Network Centrality, and the BRAVO Social‑Emotional Compass, providing a coherent, data‑rich pathway from insight to action. 

Richard’s client work spans the public and private sectors across the GCC and ASEAN. He has designed and led multi‑method leadership programs, combining competency‑based interviews, multi‑source feedback, business simulations, and Hogan personality & reasoning assessment. Mentis programs emphasize measurable business outcomes, capability uplift, and the creation of collaborative learning cohorts supported by mentoring and feedback. Mentis has supported hundreds of multinational companies, NGOs, and regional entities in the GCC with talent evaluation and development programs.  

Richard is a trained and certified coach, Situational Leadership® certified practitioner and highly experienced coach and mentor for specialists and leadership navigating career transitions and promotions.  

A Chartered Occupational Psychologist (HCPC‑registered; BPS Chartered), Richard has trained and certified thousands of practitioners in personality assessment and evidence‑based talent practices. He is Hogan‑certified (HPI, HDS, MVPI; advanced interpretation) and experienced facilitator multisource feedback. He has partnered as adjunct faculty or facilitator with leading business schools including London Business School, Oxford Saïd, IMD, and Thunderbird. 

Richard’s academic work focuses on psychological flexibility (ACT/fACT) and social‑emotional learning at work. As a doctoral researcher at Goldsmiths, University of London (Institute of Management Studies), he is conducting mixed‑methods research exploring how psychological flexibility relates to quality of working life, values‑based action, and leadership development, integrating RCTs, systematic reviews (PRISMA‑aligned). These insights inform Mentis Navigator product design and coaching‑at‑scale methodologies. 
Beyond assessment, Richard champions competency development as an organizational capability. He designs journeys that help leaders optimize strengths and neutralize derailers, blending focused practice, mentoring feedback, and network‑centric development through SONAR. His coaching draws on Acceptance & Commitment Training (fACT), compassion‑focused approaches, and solution‑focused models aligned to EMCC/ICF standards, translating science into practical behavior change. 

Richard divides his time between product strategy, client advisory, and research, with a growing emphasis on thought leadership and practitioner accreditation through Mentis Academy. He is committed to building an inclusive, data‑literate coaching community across ASEAN and the GCC and to advancing prosocial, values‑based leadershi true to the Mentis promise: Nurture Talent™. 

Founder & Executive Chairman, Mentis Talent Technologies (since 2003) - Executive Coach & Program Architect (lead evaluator, assessor, and mentor) - Researcher (Goldsmiths, University of London). 

What I Do - Design and lead multi‑method leadership evaluation & development programs - Build data‑rich learning journeys that integrate assessment, mentoring, and practice - Advise boards and CHROs on successor pipelines, capability models, and cohort scaling 

Domains - Talent Evaluation & Insight • Competency Frameworks • Multi‑source Feedback (90/180/360) • Business Simulations • Personality & Reasoning Assessment • Social‑Emotional Learning • Network‑centric Development • Coaching at Scale 

• Mentis Navigator™ Ecosystem:     
• OCEANS Personality Navigator (trait profiledevelopment narratives, strengths/risks)
• Competency Navigator 90/180/360 (multisource feedback with Observed‑Interpretive reporting) 
• SONAR Network Centrality (mapping collaborative influence and learning networks) 
• BRAVO Social‑Emotional Compass (SEL insights for professionals)
• Career Anchors (career drivers and development alignment) 


• Learning Journeys: Cohort‑based development with mentoring & focused ACT‑informed practice 

     

• Assessment & Development Centers: Competency‑based interviews, simulations, reasoning tests, and personality profiling for integrated, powerful insights and individual development planning. 

Keynotes, executive education, and practitioner training on:

• Psychological flexibility & prosocial leadership 
• Competency‑based assessment and
• Observed‑Interpretive reporting 
• Scaling mentoring and cohort‑based learning with data 
• Navigating derailers and decision‑making under uncertainty 

Haris is a Talent Consultant at Mentis Global, focusing on corporate and executive talent assessments to support succession planning, high-potential mapping, and hiring decisions. In his first year specializing in assessment, he designs and delivers programs that integrate behavioral interviews, business simulations, and psychometric tools to help organizations make evidence-based talent decisions. Drawing on his strong foundation in people development, Haris brings depth to interpreting assessment results and evaluating employee competencies beyond surface-level performance.

Before moving into assessment, Haris spent over five years in learning and development, specializing in soft skills such as leadership, innovation, and communication. His extensive experience designing capability programs and facilitating corporate development and innovation initiatives gives him a developmental lens in assessment work, enabling sharp identification of both strengths and growth opportunities.

Haris is also a professional coach who has achieved ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) level, supporting individuals in leadership, career development, and corporate innovation contexts. He is also a candidate for a Master’s in Applied Human Resource Psychology at the University of Indonesia, where his research explores the intersection of personality and learning behavior in the workplace to bridge psychological science and organizational practice.

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Richard Overy (“RO”) is a seasoned business transformation executive and leadership consultant with over 25 years of experience at the C-suite level, specializing in customer service, leadership development, and operational excellence. His expertise spans project coordination, business relationship management, and customer satisfaction, with extensive experience across multiple industries, including Travel & Tourism, Financial Services, IT & Professional Services, Telecommunications, FinTech, Utilities, Public Sector, Engineering, and Healthcare. He has led numerous large-scale M&A, MBO, and business transformation initiatives across Europe, EMEA, BRIC, and North America. His strategic advisory work focuses on aligning strategy, culture, and leadership to drive performance and business growth.

Richard is a Principal Consultant at Mentis (since February 2023), where he leads talent evaluation, survey methodologies, and leadership development initiatives. He implements Mentis talent profiling and development solutions to enhance leadership and specialist interpersonal, and self-awareness and utilizes Competency Navigator to align recruitment, performance management, and succession planning with business strategy. His work ensures that talent development efforts drive long-term organizational success through data-driven insights and structured development programs.
In addition to his role at Mentis, Richard holds several consulting, training, and development roles, contributing his expertise across global organizations:

• Project Director / Lead Consultant / Trainer / Mentor, Senex Consulting (2005 – Present)

• Senior Consultant, Faze 3 Consulting (2022 – Present)

• Partner, Konsälidön (2019 – Present)

• Trainer, Mercuri International Group (2005 – Present)

Across these roles, Richard advises businesses on leadership development, cultural transformation, customer experience strategies, and operational improvements, delivering customized training programs and mentoring executives in strategic growth and change management.
Previously, Richard held key executive positions, including:
Managing Director, Phonetics (UK) Ltd (2003-2005)

Group IT & Operations Director, Hoseasons Holidays Group (1979-2003)
His substantial experience in business strategy, customer service excellence, and digital transformation has made him a trusted advisor in optimizing talent, operations, and leadership effectiveness on a global scale.

Business Experience
Richard’s extensive consulting and leadership experience covers a range of industries and international markets. He has successfully designed and delivered customer service strategies, executive coaching programs, cultural transformation projects, and IT system integrations for a wide range of clients. 
His key consulting projects include:

• Muscat, Oman: Led sales and soft-skills training programs for a major regional bank in compliance with regulatory standards. 

• Dubai, UAE: Designed and implemented management development training programs, providing follow-up mentoring for emerging leaders. 

• Newport, UK: Developed a Customer Contact Strategy for a FinTech company, integrating CRM, IVR, and outbound dialers to improve operational efficiency. 

• Urfa, Turkey: Conducted IT due diligence for a venture capital firm investing in an outsourced financial services contact center. 

• Salalah, Oman: Managed the setup of a multi-channel customer service function, sourcing software solutions and leading training initiatives. 

• Bristol, UK: Optimized contact center operations for a financial services company, improving customer satisfaction and reducing costs. 

He has a strong track record in IT transformation, business operations, and financial strategy, having managed budgets exceeding $50M and led business restructuring projects that resulted in significant cost savings and revenue growth.

Qualifications, Certifications

• BSc in Computer Science & Business Management

• MA in Coaching & Mentoring

• PRINCE2, Agile & Six Sigma

• Certified in GDPR and Sharia compliance

• Expert in workforce management, CRM solutions, and contact center technology

• Advanced knowledge of process improvements and business strategy implementation

Richard has 30+ years of experience in leadership development and executive mentoring, specializing in aligning people development programs with business objectives.

Personal Philosophy"I believe that success in business transformation is achieved through people. Effective leadership is about fostering the right culture, developing talent, and aligning business strategy with employee engagement. Whether it’s driving customer service excellence, coaching executives, or implementing large-scale business change, I am committed to helping organizations achieve sustainable growth through strategic leadership, process optimization, and people development."

Other Interests Richard is an active mentor and advisor who enjoys contributing to leadership and business transformation discussions. When he is not consulting or training, he spends time traveling, engaging in business networking, and staying updated on the latest trends in technology and digital transformation.

Wafa is an experienced ICF Certified bilingual Executive Coach who works independently and collaborates with various leadership development consultancies in the UAE and the region. Wafa adopts a consulting and coaching approach to enable sustainable and effective change within individuals and groups.

Wafa has been coaching since 2015, working with individual professionals from different hierarchical levels (Juniors up to Executives) and various industries; to improve their effectiveness at work by helping them understand and develop how they take up a role, its authority, responsibilities, accountabilities, challenges, and relationships. Wafa has a genuine interest in working closely with the Youth, supporting them in their personal and professional development as they navigate their career paths with confidence and clarity. As a Coach, she is passionate about improving self-awareness among professionals and encouraging self-acknowledgment and self-responsibility. Wafa also aims, through her coaching, to help improve team dynamics and relationships within an organisation.

Her portfolio includes working on leadership development,talent management, and Emiratizationprojects for prominent government, semi-government, and private organisations in UAE and Saudi such as (ADNOC, ENOC, ADSG, DoE, FAB, MOCAF, MOFA, DIB, DCT, DWTC, Dubai TEC, SAUDIA Airlines, REGA, Mobily, GASTAT, Tawuniya, and others) in collaboration with various consultancies in the region such as (The Talent Enterprise TTE, Talogy, Mentis, Knowledge Group, Front Talent, Taaeen and others).

Wafa was born and raised in Abu Dhabi, lived and worked there since. The city holds a special place in her heart, and she has always felt strong ties to the UAE community and always aims to give back through her work developing and empowering Emaraties. She is an active volunteer at the UAE volunteering platform and has taken part in several initiatives, such as the Special Olympics and the national initiative (Together we are good), to help overcome the Covid-19 impact.

Wafa has over 22 years of industry experience inHR managementand leadership development. Wafa's previous experience includes roles leadingHR functions, corporate and leadership development, and international HR projects. Throughout her years ofcorporate experience, she successfully led and took vital roles in the design and implementation of several key projects in areas such asOrganizational Structureand Development, Leadership Development,Employee Engagement,Career Development,Succession Planning, Talent Management, Performance Management, and Emiratization.

Ahmed Alqaseer is a human-capital and organizational effectiveness leader with deep experience spanning public safety and the private sector. As Director at Mentis HR Consultancy LLC in the UAE, he partners with senior executives to design and deliver competency-based talent solutions, leadership assessment and development, and change programs aligned to strategy. Ahmed is known for a calm, outcomes-focused style, strong stakeholder engagement across Arabic and English-speaking environments, and a track record of building high-trust teams that execute.

Earlier in his career, Ahmed served in the Sharjah Police, rising through the ranks to Colonel. Across operational and leadership postings, he led multidisciplinary units, developed officers, and introduced process improvements that enhanced service quality and community outcomes. This frontline-to-boardroom perspective now informs his advisory work—particularly in leadership pipelines, workforce capability, and governance.
Education
Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), University of Derby, United Kingdom — in progress
Ahmed is currently completing a DBA at the University of Derby, focusing on evidence-based management and the application of practitioner research to organizational performance. His doctoral work strengthens his capability to translate rigorous inquiry into actionable people strategy—spanning leadership development, performance management, and culture change—while evaluating interventions for measurable impact and sustainability.