About us
Our Story
Empowering Challengers, Supporting Growth and Stability.
At ShineX, our mission is to help challengers and ambitious companies succeed – whether that means growing, stabilising, or evolving. We sharpen positioning and close credibility gaps with industry leaders, supporting startups, family businesses, management buyouts, and progressive incumbents to compete, win contracts, and thrive on their own terms.
In the early 2000s, we were pioneers in embedding social value into large government contracts. Drawing on diverse backgrounds in construction, landscaping, social enterprise, investment, web development, and digital marketing, we focused on creating genuine opportunities and prosperity for local communities. Our work helped shape UK policies on social value, from contract clauses to KPI frameworks, and guided Eastern European countries adopting Social Impact Procurement.
As our experience grew, we recognised the transformative power of winning contracts for companies, communities, and individuals. By 2008, we focused on helping challengers and incumbents secure contract wins, partnering with some of the world’s largest companies and contributing to billions in contract value.
Challengers are at the heart of what we do: startups disrupting norms, family businesses taking on industry giants, and management buyouts forging their own path. We help them unlock potential, highlight strengths, and overcome credibility gaps.
We are a community of passionate, determined, and evolving individuals who believe in continuous learning. Our purpose is to empower challengers and progressive incumbents alike to achieve their goals, whether to stabilise, grow, or both – and inspire others. When companies and individuals confront challenges with courage and capability, they set a powerful example, sparking confidence and ambition across their industries.
Through this ripple effect, we help create a world where fear gives way to confidence, and possibilities are limitless.
Our team
Core Team
CEO USA
Anne McNamara
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Anne is co-founder and CEO. A business leader and entrepreneur who has forged a successful career in helping organizations define their offer and develop strategies to deliver it.
Anne is focused on partnering with other entrepreneurs and leaders to help them scale their businesses. She specializes in Fit to Fight and Close the Gap methodology and business strategy.
Location: Florida, US
Anne on LinkedIn
CEO UK
Kirsten Proctor
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
ShineX UK CEO Kirsten is an expert facilitator who works with organizations to raise team performance and develop the collaborative skills and solutions that enable growth.
Kirsten’s specialisms include Close the Gap planning and execution, bid strategy, bid development and positioning. Kirsten also leads our GrowWell and GrowLife programme.
Location: London, UK
Kirsten on LinkedIn
Bid Strategist
Simon Pearce
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Simon is co-founder of ShineX, with more than 25 years’ experience, he is a bidding force of nature. He’s an expert at driving the best out of teams and finding new solutions that position organisations for success.
Simon is an engaging facilitator and specializes in bid strategy, bid development, positioning and bid coaching for senior execs.
Location: London, UK and Florida, US
Simon on LinkedIn
Creative and Marketing Strategist
Simon Gittins
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Simon has worked as a creative, digital and marketing specialist for more than 35 years, supporting both blue-chip clients and start-ups.
Simon’s specialties include digital marketing and strategy, project management, campaign creation and deployment, SEO and software development.
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Simon on LinkedIn
Researcher
Salia Mogenson
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Researcher Salia is a 20-year veteran consultant providing research, competitive insights and strategy for BPO, infrastructure and construction clients.
Salia specializes in intelligence for deals, competitors and bid strategies.
Location: Edinburgh, UK
Salia on LinkedIn
Bid Consultant
Laura Hill
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Laura helps companies establish their bidding functions from scratch, and has coached C-suite executives in bid development.
Laura’s specialisms include bid management, strategy, writing and review. She guides teams through the process and takes the pain away to produce compelling and authentic winning submissions.
Location: Kent, UK
Laura on LinkedIn
Designer
Yasmin Nash
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Yasmin is a creative graphic designer with a flair for strategy and an eye for detail. She provides creative and compelling design solutions in bidding and beyond.
Location: London, UK
Yasmin on LinkedIn
Bid and Marketing Consultant
Nuha Al-Qassab
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Nuha is an adept bidder and facilitator who links technical solutions to client benefits. She has more than a decade of experience of executing successful bidding strategies in both the public and private sectors.
Nuha specializes in bid strategy, management, writing and review and campaign management. She blends storytelling, strategy and persuasion tactics (magic) to create winning offers.
Location: London, UK
CFO
David Feldman
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
David brings a commercial focus that enables us to reach our potential and add value to clients. He’s open, down to earth and brings extensive practical experience in business planning, financial management and raising finance.
Location: St. Albans, UK
David on LinkedIn
Chief Administration Officer
Andy Saunders
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Andy keeps all things finance on the straight and narrow and makes sure everything runs seamlessly behind the scenes.
Having previously worked with an award-winning e-commerce startup, he knows how to keep his ear to the ground and sniff out measurements for improvement, sustainability and growth.
Location: Georgia, US
Andy on LinkedIn
Executive Assistant
Josh Bailey
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Josh has over 25 years’ experience in business operations and has been an Executive Assistant to an impressive A-list of entrepreneurs.
Josh keeps us all on track and solves problems at the drop of a hat. We’d be lost without him.
Location: Nîmes, France
Josh on LinkedIn
Lead Creative
Chelsey O’Neill
Focus:
Ground Xero | Marketing | Bids | Operations
Chelsey brings over 20 years’ experience of creative design to countless winning bids and campaigns.
Chelsey has a great talent for bringing ordinary subject matter to life through visually stunning design.
Location: London, UK
Global Offices
We’re global, mobile, agile work-winning experts.
Work with us
We are 100% remote.
Bid Bag / Insights
Keeping our readers up-to-date with the latest insights.
We love Spring. Everything feels brighter, and it’s a season that quietly invites change. In bid world it’s easy to fall into familiar patterns. Reusing and reworking what you’ve [...]
It’s a familiar pattern in bid teams. The ITT lands and someone says, ‘we’ve done this before’. Same sector, similar scope, familiar questions. That’s usually when thinking starts to [...]
The world of bidding isn’t always easy. It can be intense, demanding, and make you want to tear your hair out. But, there is so much more to love [...]
