Our leadership team

Adam Lewis
Co-founder and CEO

After several years working in the private and public sectors, Adam co-founded Hippo with a vision for a more pragmatic yet human-centred digital-transformation consultancy. While working in the NHS and across Government, Adam found his vocation working collaboratively across organisational boundaries, to deliver joined-up services that work for real people.

Liz Whitefield
Co-founder and Director

With a career spanning 30 years across public sector delivery and digital transformation Liz was one of the founding members of Hippo who has supported growth in clients from day one. Liz is passionate about helping to build long term delivery partnerships with clients, sharing in the outcomes they want to achieve and supporting all Hippos in achieving their potential.

Ed Thewlis
Director

Ed’s focus is on building data and technology teams that deliver meaningful value from the data an organisation holds. Ed co-founded the award-winning data consultancy, The Data Shed, which was acquired by Hippo in March 2023, Ed works with customers to align data strategy to organisational strategy, help ensure that data projects don’t become technology projects, and generally share the scars and experience gained through the delivery of over 200 data projects!

Mike Tattersall
Chief Delivery Officer

With over 15 years experience in digital delivery, Mike has delivered scalable services through Discovery, Alpha and Beta that meet Government Service Standard in NHS, DWP, Government Digital Service and Department for Education. Mike is passionate about delivering services at pace, ensuring they meet user needs and achieve business objectives. He brings the team and stakeholders on a journey, with the ability to make the complex simple.

Lara Longhurst
Chief Operations Officer

After nearly 20 years of consultancy experience delivering large scale, technological transformation programmes in both the public and private sector, Lara is now focused on delivering the business strategy and operational excellence at Hippo. Lara remains passionate about people, working to ensure that we retain our core values and culture whilst we grow at scale.

Darren Hutton
Chief Digital Officer

Darren is passionate about the role technology can play in meeting user needs and organisational goals. An accomplished technologist with over two decades of experience creating solutions to tackle complex challenges. Darren excels in leading diverse teams delivering at scale. He brings a wealth of expertise in user-centred design, Agile methodologies, and Service Design to ensure the efficient development of well-defined digital solutions.

Mike Watts
Chief Financial Officer

Mike has over 20 years’ experience of working in finance across a variety of roles and industries, with a track record of driving profitable growth and strong cash management. Using this experience, Mike is passionate about delivering the long-term financial success of Hippo, through both organic and inorganic growth.

Matthew Neale
Chief Commercial Officer

With 20+ years of delivering complex, technology-enabled digital change, Matthew helps Hippo focus on our long-term customer partnerships. Matthew is passionate about building services that work for all stakeholders and leveraging the right technology to deliver value.

Jen Adams
Chief Marketing Officer

Jen joined the herd in June 2023 to help focus and drive Hippo’s long-term growth. Practical and action orientated, she brings over 20 years’ experience scaling tech business serving the public and private sectors.