The Team.

Connell Consulting has a reputation for delivering reliable and well-researched commercial due diligence and strategic projects, delivered by a full-time team of experienced consultants and talented researchers who share a passion for the care sector, pharma and life sciences.  Clients know they are hiring a team that has worked on a large volume of transactions and projects within health, social care, education, pharma, biotech, vets and student accommodation​.

Connell Consulting has a reputation for delivering reliable and well-researched commercial due diligence and strategic projects, delivered by a full-time team of experienced consultants and talented researchers who share a passion for the care sector. We don’t work in other sectors, so clients know they are hiring a team that has worked on a large volume of transactions and projects within health, social care and special education.
Clare Connell

Clare Connell

Clare is CEO of Connell Consulting, a specialist consulting firm she founded in 2003. Clare has worked in strategy consulting for 23 years, 19 of which were in the social care sector. Connell Consulting have produced commercial due diligence on a large volume of substantial transactions in the healthcare, social care and special education markets. They also do strategic and operational consulting. Connell Consulting won the LaingBuisson Management Consultant Award in 2019 and 2020, as well as the HealthInvestor Consultancy of the Year Award in 2016 and 2021. Clare was also voted Sector Expert in the 2018, 2019 and 2022 HealthInvestor Power 50.

Gonçalo Silva

Gonçalo Silva

Gonçalo started his career at Unilever before moving to Roland Berger and then collaborating with Candesic and Mansfield Advisors. Since 2000, he has led multiple due diligence and corporate strategy projects across the UK, Continental Europe, Brazil and the US, and has a specialist sectorial focus on pharma and healthcare, with a strong track-record in transaction work, strategy, transformation and post-merger integration. Gonçalo has an MBA from INSEAD and speak fluent English, German, French, Spanish and his native Portuguese.

Jaimie DeVries

Jaimie DeVries

Jaimie is our Senior Engagement Manager at Connell Consulting, and over the last 9 years, has managed 100s of projects across healthcare, social care and education.  Jaimie joined us in January 2013 shortly after completing her MBA. She holds a BSc in Marketing and has studied business and management in Paris and London.

Charlotte Davis

Charlotte Davis

Charlotte is one of our Senior Engagement Managers at Connell Consulting.  Charlotte’s particular areas of expertise are advising on market entry strategies, portfolio optimisation and the NHS commissioning landscape. She joined Connell Consulting in 2014 having previously worked within healthcare consulting for 2 years. She holds an MBiochem in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry from the University of Oxford.

Lilya Tata

Lilya Tata

Lilya is a Senior Consultant at Connell Consulting and holds MBiochem in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry from the University of Oxford. She has worked on various special education and specialist care portfolios, with expertise in data modelling and analytics. She was previously Director at the Oxford Woman in Business Society and has experience fundraising for education.

Filipa Horta e Costa

Filipa Horta e Costa

Filipa is our Chief Operating Officer and oversees the implementation of the company’s strategies, providing leadership and vision to ensure the company meets its objectives. Filipa has experience in corporate strategy and has worked in several transactions and strategic reports within the pharmaceutical landscape. Filipa holds a Business and Management degree from Nova Business School and worked in the Financial Markets’ industry for 10+ years before joining us.

Sonia Black

Sonia Black

Sonia is the Office Manager at Connell Consulting. She brings over 14 years of Office Management experience to our organisation. Sonia supports the company operations by maintaining office systems and supporting management. She has experience in handling a wide range of administrative and support related tasks and enjoys the administrative challenges of supporting an office of diverse people.

Carlos Huber

Carlos Huber

Carlos is a Senior Consultant who graduated from the London Business School with a Master in Finance. He has previous experience in business and project management, finance, supply chain, logistics and execution of social projects. He holds a MSc in Project Management in Mexico.

Cheran Gobiratnam

Cheran Gobiratnam

Cheran is a Consultant at Connell Consulting with a background in strategy. He previously worked for the Home Office’s Strategy Directorate, and on projects for Bain & Company as well as Strategy&’s M&A team. Cheran graduated with a BA in International Politics from King’s College London.

Henry Morris

Henry Morris

Henry is a Consultant at Connell Consulting, and holds a BA in Modern Languages from the University of Oxford. He has previous experience in consulting and transactions as part of PwC’s Deal Advisory and Venture M&A team, and has spent time working abroad in Austria and Germany.

Dr Rose Cuthbertson

Dr Rose Cuthbertson

Rose is one of our Managers and holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the Royal Veterinary College of London. She has worked on corporate due diligence, sell-side, as well as corporate strategy and transformation projects. She has expertise across the ophthalmology, pharma, healthcare, life sciences and veterinary industries. She is also fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin.

Sam Griffiths

Sam Griffiths

Sam is a Senior Analyst at Connell Consulting. He holds a master’s degree in Modern Languages from the University of Oxford, and also has a background in social and public policy, having completed his undergraduate degree in Spanish and Social Policy at Edinburgh University. He has previously worked as a project assistant, and as a teaching assistant in Spain.

Kateryna Nesteruk

Kateryna Nesteruk

Kateryna is biomedical professional having more than 5 years of research experience in industrial and academic settings. She previously earned her PhD in Molecular Medicine from academic hospital EUMC, Rotterdam, Netherlands where she delivered several basic and translational research projects focusing on gastrointestinal tumors and premalignant lesions. Prior to this, she worked as a high throughput screening scientist in contract research organization Bienta, Enamine, Kyiv, Ukraine. During a year she executed two company’s largest projects for international pharmaceutical clients.
Kateryna holds MSc in Biochemistry and BSc in biology from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine.

Safia Harji

Safia Harji

Safia joined us as a Business Analyst after graduating from the University of Oxford with a BA in English Language and Literature. She has since worked as a project assistant, developing a charitable foundation to support children with special educational needs in London, and offer learning support to international students.

Matilda Palmer

Matilda Palmer

Matilda joined Connell as a Business Analyst after graduating from the University of Oxford with a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and a Master’s degree in Sociology. She has experience in running a homelessness not-for-profit and is highly trained in qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Matthew Laird

Matthew Laird

Matt joined the team at Connell Consulting in 2019 as a Research Analyst, specialising in elderly care services. He has worked on numerous projects across the space, leading on primary research, mystery shopping and micro-market competitor analysis. Matt graduated with a Bachelor of Theatre from Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music.

Ben Cooper

Ben Cooper

Ben is Connell Consulting’s Research Coordinator. He is responsible for oversight of our primary research processes and data management related to health and social care stakeholder interviews, mystery shopping, and Freedom of Information requests. He graduated with a BA in Acting & Performance from the University for the Creative Arts.

Alfie Barrishi

Alfie Barrishi

Alfie joined Connell Consulting as a Business Analyst after graduating from the University of Cambridge with a BA in English. He has previously worked as a private tutor for children with Special Educational Needs.

Ruby Darrington

Ruby Darrington

Ruby joined Connell Consulting as a Business Analyst after graduating from Durham University with a BA in History where she maintained a specialist interest in disability history. She has previously volunteered in hospital settings and centres for disabled adults, as well as spending time in India working with disadvantaged children.