Meet the team
Associates
Our team of Associates have all held senior roles within organisations, and bring passion, energy and engagement. Most of all, we all love working together!
Meet our trusted team
At VB&A, we only work with experts because we believe in bringing brilliant minds together, combining diverse perspectives and specialised knowledge to deliver the best possible solutions for our clients.
Victoria Buckenham
Founder, Talent Expert & Executive Level Coach
At the heart of VB & Associates is award-winning founder Victoria Buckenham, an Executive-level Coach with a senior corporate background. Victoria is accredited by the EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council) and is member of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Passionate about making talent development accessible to all, Victoria believes everyone has potential, and through VB&A, she empowers individuals and organisations to unlock it, fostering lasting partnerships and driving sustained success.
Outside of work, Victoria enjoys spending time with her family—husband Rory and twins George and Olivia—while traveling the world together.
Frances Squires
Operations Manager
BA (Hons) Marketing with German, CIPD Certificate in Learning & Development. Background in the Pharmaceutical Industry across various Operational and Learning & Development roles
I’m passionate about supporting people to be the best version of themselves, whether that’s providing support behind the scenes or helping them tell the world how wonderful they are through marketing.
Outside of work you’ll find me providing a taxi service for my children or walking my spaniel Chester. I love cooking – I taught my son to cook and now it’s like cooking for a food critic every night. I’m also a huge bookworm, and despite what my husband tells me, it’s not possible to have too many books!
Graham Roberts
MSc (Hons) in Coaching and Behavioural Change from Henley Business School. Background in the Pharmaceutical Industry in a variety of Operational and Strategic Leadership roles.
I’m passionate about enabling people to realise their full potential by overcoming the obstacles they feel are in their way. It’s the core of what gets me out of bed in the morning (and in the middle of the night) to support clients.
My other passions involve supporting my son through his basketball development, my wife with her career and our Alaskan Malamute with his daily walks. I get my kicks from experiencing adventures all around the world.
Dave Bottomley
David Bottomley, ICF ACC accredited coach and certified team coach. Highly experienced executive / senior leader in business, formerly IT Director / Board Member for Specsavers Northern Europe.
I’m passionate about helping leaders, teams and individual contributors discover and enjoy their full potential, working through self- limiting beliefs to a place of self-acceptance, calm and quiet confidence.
Outside of working you will find me volunteering in my community, keeping fit and lots of running!
Jane Arthur-McGuire
C. Psychol. C. Coaching Psychologist, MCIPD – M.Sc. and B.Sc.(hons)
I’m passionate about supporting leaders to drive cultures of growth for their people, seeing them develop holistically and authentically and seeing this positive impact ripple throughout the organisation.
Outside of work, I’m currently learning to ski with my two kids (they’re learning much faster than me) and am trying desperately to achieve the strength to do an unassisted pull-up.
Heather Stewart
Heather is an experienced organisational development and coaching professional with a passion for talent, succession, and leadership development. With nearly two decades of corporate experience, she specialises in helping individuals and organisations unlock their full potential.
Believing that personal and professional growth go hand in hand, Heather takes a whole-person approach to development. She combines strategic talent management with a human-centred coaching style, creating the space for people to grow, thrive, and navigate change with confidence.
Outside of work, she’s always looking for the next adventure—whether that’s travelling with friends, planning road trips like the NC500, or trekking with her cockapoo, Nellie.
Sarah Setterfield
With over 25 years of experience in facilitating, training design, coaching and leadership development, I specialise in helping individuals and teams enhance their presence, performance, and strategic thinking.
I come alive when helping individuals unlock their potential and experience ‘lightbulb moments’ that drive lasting change. I am passionate about fostering psychological safety, enabling open discussions on sensitive topics, and creating a space where people feel valued, heard, and empowered.
I have several loves in my life; I have been married to Andy for too many years to count. We have two children, Christopher and Sophie, both of whom have their own homes and careers now and so I spend a lot of time when I am not working with my two dogs, Molly & Lulu.
Richard Ogden
Richard is an Occupational Psychologist with over 25 years’ experience of collaborating with clients to deliver their people strategy across all sectors. A key focus area for Richard is the assessment and development of leaders at all levels.
Richard is passionate about designing and facilitating brilliant learning experiences for people. He is particularly interested in the latest leadership thinking and interventions that further the cause of diversity, inclusiveness and individuality in organisations.
Richard tries to go to see as much film, music and theatre as he can. He is happiest spending time with his family, maybe out and about walking their two dogs in the countryside.
Victoria Buckenham
Founder, Talent Expert & Executive Level Coach
At the heart of VB & Associates is award-winning founder Victoria Buckenham, an Executive-level Coach with a senior corporate background. Victoria is accredited by the EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council) and is member of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Passionate about making talent development accessible to all, Victoria believes everyone has potential, and through VB&A, she empowers individuals and organisations to unlock it, fostering lasting partnerships and driving sustained success.
Outside of work, Victoria enjoys spending time with her family—husband Rory and twins George and Olivia—while traveling the world together.
Frances Squires
Operations Manager
BA (Hons) Marketing with German, CIPD Certificate in Learning & Development. Background in the Pharmaceutical Industry across various Operational and Learning & Development roles
I’m passionate about supporting people to be the best version of themselves, whether that’s providing support behind the scenes or helping them tell the world how wonderful they are through marketing.
Outside of work you’ll find me providing a taxi service for my children or walking my spaniel Chester. I love cooking – I taught my son to cook and now it’s like cooking for a food critic every night. I’m also a huge bookworm, and despite what my husband tells me, it’s not possible to have too many books!
Graham Roberts
MSc (Hons) in Coaching and Behavioural Change from Henley Business School. Background in the Pharmaceutical Industry in a variety of Operational and Strategic Leadership roles.
I’m passionate about enabling people to realise their full potential by overcoming the obstacles they feel are in their way. It’s the core of what gets me out of bed in the morning (and in the middle of the night) to support clients.
My other passions involve supporting my son through his basketball development, my wife with her career and our Alaskan Malamute with his daily walks. I get my kicks from experiencing adventures all around the world.
Dave Bottomley
David Bottomley, ICF ACC accredited coach and certified team coach. Highly experienced executive / senior leader in business, formerly IT Director / Board Member for Specsavers Northern Europe.
I’m passionate about helping leaders, teams and individual contributors discover and enjoy their full potential, working through self- limiting beliefs to a place of self-acceptance, calm and quiet confidence.
Outside of working you will find me volunteering in my community, keeping fit and lots of running!
Jane Arthur-McGuire
C. Psychol. C. Coaching Psychologist, MCIPD – M.Sc. and B.Sc.(hons)
I’m passionate about supporting leaders to drive cultures of growth for their people, seeing them develop holistically and authentically and seeing this positive impact ripple throughout the organisation.
Outside of work, I’m currently learning to ski with my two kids (they’re learning much faster than me) and am trying desperately to achieve the strength to do an unassisted pull-up.
Heather Stewart
Heather is an experienced organisational development and coaching professional with a passion for talent, succession, and leadership development. With nearly two decades of corporate experience, she specialises in helping individuals and organisations unlock their full potential.
Believing that personal and professional growth go hand in hand, Heather takes a whole-person approach to development. She combines strategic talent management with a human-centred coaching style, creating the space for people to grow, thrive, and navigate change with confidence.
Outside of work, she’s always looking for the next adventure—whether that’s travelling with friends, planning road trips like the NC500, or trekking with her cockapoo, Nellie.
Sarah Setterfield
With over 25 years of experience in facilitating, training design, coaching and leadership development, I specialise in helping individuals and teams enhance their presence, performance, and strategic thinking.
I come alive when helping individuals unlock their potential and experience ‘lightbulb moments’ that drive lasting change. I am passionate about fostering psychological safety, enabling open discussions on sensitive topics, and creating a space where people feel valued, heard, and empowered.
I have several loves in my life; I have been married to Andy for too many years to count. We have two children, Christopher and Sophie, both of whom have their own homes and careers now and so I spend a lot of time when I am not working with my two dogs, Molly & Lulu.
Richard Ogden
Richard is an Occupational Psychologist with over 25 years’ experience of collaborating with clients to deliver their people strategy across all sectors. A key focus area for Richard is the assessment and development of leaders at all levels.
Richard is passionate about designing and facilitating brilliant learning experiences for people. He is particularly interested in the latest leadership thinking and interventions that further the cause of diversity, inclusiveness and individuality in organisations.
Richard tries to go to see as much film, music and theatre as he can. He is happiest spending time with his family, maybe out and about walking their two dogs in the countryside.
Frequently asked questions
What psychometric assessments are you able to integrate into your offerings?
At VB&A, we offer a comprehensive range of psychometric assessments to meet the unique needs of each client. Once we understand your objectives, we carefully assess whether psychometric tools are the right fit and, if so, select the most suitable ones to help achieve your desired outcomes. We’re passionate about continuous learning, so we’re always expanding our toolkit. If you’re looking for a specific assessment, don’t hesitate to ask—we either have an accredited team member or can quickly become certified to integrate it into our work.
Some of the tools we use include:
– Lumina Learning
– Game Changer Index (GCI)
– WAVE
– JCA Emotional Intelligence
– Hogan Suite
– TalentQ
– 16pf
– DISC
– MBTI
…and more! If you can imagine it, we’ll make it work.
What is VB&A’s approach to confidentiality?
At VB&A, we take confidentiality very seriously. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that any sensitive information shared during our work remains strictly confidential. All discussions, data, and insights are handled with the utmost discretion, and we have clear protocols in place to ensure that everything is kept secure and confidential, in line with best practices and legal requirements.
What qualifications and experience do the Coaches and team have at VB&A have?
Everyone at VB&A is fully qualified and considered best in class, which is why we’ve carefully hand-selected them over many years of collaboration. Each brings their own unique expertise and specialist qualifications, ensuring a wide range of skills to meet diverse client needs. For more detailed information on each coach’s background and specialisation, please visit the ‘Associates’ page on our website.
Can VB&A work with remote teams?
Yes, VB&A can absolutely work with remote teams. We’re tech-savvy and comfortable using a wide range of tools to ensure seamless collaboration, no matter where your team is based. Part of our process is to identify your preferences upfront—whether that’s face-to-face, blended, or fully virtual via a tool already embedded in your organisation—so we can tailor our approach to best suit your team’s needs and ensure effective engagement.
What industries and sectors does VB&A specialise in?
At VB&A, we work globally and have experience across a wide range of industries and sectors. Our team brings a wealth of knowledge, with many having held executive-level roles, allowing us to apply best practices from one sector to another. We take pride in our ability to translate insights and cross-pollinate strategies, offering tailored solutions that are both innovative and effective, no matter the industry.
How does VB&A measure the success and impact of its work?
At VB&A, we measure success and impact through a combination of qualitative feedback, measurable outcomes, and data-driven insights. We track progress against the specific goals set at the start of our partnership—whether that’s improved team performance, career advancement, or personal development—and provide relevant data at agreed points throughout our work. This ensures transparency and allows us to adjust our approach as needed to continuously drive success. We are committed to providing our clients with the insights they need to see tangible results and evaluate the impact of our work.
Why work with VB&A over a large consultancy?
Working with VB&A offers a more personalised, tailored approach compared to large consultancies. We take the time to deeply understand your unique challenges and goals, crafting bespoke solutions that directly align with your needs. Unlike larger firms, where solutions can sometimes feel off-the-shelf, we provide a truly hands-on, flexible partnership, ensuring ongoing support and measurable results at every step.
