About Us

Founded by consultants Marijke Shahsavari and Anna Mackenzie, TheNxtStep guides senior leaders to have transformative conversations around their purpose, values and strategy.

  • Anna Mackenzie

    MANAGING PARTNER

    Anna is a seasoned change management and strategic communications professional with a wealth of experience spanning consulting and corporate leadership roles in Europe and the UK, making her a versatile and highly sought-after professional.

    Anna understands the intangible aspects that lead to project success and has a proven track record of identifying risks related to leadership, culture, and communications. Having served as HR Global Communications Director at AstraZeneca, Anna played a pivotal role in managing change projects within the organisation before starting her consultancy firm, Clear Skies Communications. Here, she provided strategic communications expertise for large-scale change projects, often collaborating with renowned management consultancy firms like Accenture and Deloitte.

    Before founding TheNxtStep with Marijke in 2022, Anna held leadership positions in strategic internal communications at several prominent financial firms, further solidifying her reputation as a trusted expert in her field. Additional to her work at TheNxtStep, Anna is a Governor at Cargilfield School in Edinburgh and voluntary interview and career coach.

    LINKEDIN

  • Marijke Shahsavari

    MANAGING PARTNER

    Marijke is a highly accomplished consultant with 20 years of experience in strategic leadership across diverse industries, including government, aviation and academia. After working as a strategy consultant with Dutch consulting firm Boer & Croon, she founded her own company, MSJ Consulting, before relocating to Scotland in 2020.

    In her consulting roles, Marijke’s achievements to date include: raising €72 million for the establishment of a new university; facilitating the merger of two universities; advising the Netherlands’ Ministry of Infrastructure on Dutch aviation policy; and providing strategic guidance to countless management teams over the years.

    As a former politician, Marijke has valuable skills she brings to the table. She knows how to tackle complex and multifaceted problems, when to seek a compromise, and is a skilful negotiator. Her experience with public speaking has solidified her ease handling larger groups and she enjoys engaging with people who bring a different perspective to the table.

    LINKEDIN

  • Prof. Jon Clipsham

    ASSOCIATE PARTNER

    Jon is an Industrial Chemist working with catalysis and hydrogen processes.

    He is a proponent of low carbon hydrogen production from renewables, and was instrumental in the development of the global ‘first of a kind’ demonstration of an industrial scale prototype hydrogen economy in Orkney. To date he has worked on in excess of £1bn of electrolytic hydrogen projects, worldwide.

    Jon currently splits his time between academic / skills / training and industrial advisory / due diligence work supporting start ups, project developers, investors, and government agencies internationally.

    Jon sits on the board of Hydrogen Scotland (formerly the Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association), is a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and is a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde.

  • Mark Clark

    ASSOCIATE PARTNER

    Mark is passionate about transformational change.

    He provides consulting, facilitation, executive coaching, and group coaching support for people wrestling with leadership challenges and conflict.

    Mark is an Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and facilitates leadership development, negotiation and peacebuilding programmes.

    Mark has 30 years’ experience at the intersection of leadership, complexity, and conflict, serving in the army and Foreign Office and working with different governments, NGOs, the Olympic movement, in corporate law and the private sector; in the UK, India, Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Papua New Guinea, and Jordan, where he served for 12 years as CEO of Generations For Peace.

  • Robert Kruidenier

    ASSOCIATE PARTNER

    Robert is a visionary leader in strategy and team building.

    With a distinguished career in the corporate world, particularly in the realm of medical devices, Robert has led his teams to achieve challenging strategic goals. He is the Chairman for all Emerging Markets at Boston Scientific.

    Under his leadership, Boston Scientific’s turnover in the emerging markets multiplied 5 times to an impressive 500 million. Using strategic planning, local product-market fit and designing a best-in-class go to market methodology, he led his team to success.

    Robert’s leadership philosophy is based on a deep passion for the development of his people. Robert is dedicated to creating an environment where individuals feel valued and inspired to contribute their best.

  • Sabine de Rooij

    ASSOCIATE PARTNER

    Sabine is a business psychologist and an executive performance coach.

    As a qualified psychologist, Sabine has 20+ years of experience as an executive performance coach with senior leaders from industry and consulting. Believing firmly that business performance improves when leaders have the time to reflect in a safe and trusted environment. Sabine is driven to cultivate a working environment where people feel not only trusted but also genuinely connected.

    In her practice, she offers professional guidance to individuals grappling with workplace issues, changes, challenges and concerns.

    Sabine strives to empower individuals by helping them find effective ways to cope with their situations.

  • Robin Russell

    ASSOCIATE PARTNER

    Robin is an experienced operational and business leader.

    Robin’s career developed over nearly 30 years in financial services, real estate, shipping and construction in the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.

    With specific responsibility for shared services, leading business day-to-day and Board membership, he has deep experience of conditions for success.

    He takes a thoughtful approach to solving diverse problems, with a natural coaching questioning style that leads clients to carefully consider their next steps and take ownership. His years managing change and involvement in strategy development are a resource in helping others flesh out their vision and plan steps to implementation.