Meet the team

Charles Mindenhall is Co-Founder of Blenheim Chalcot, a leading global venture builder, where he has helped build over 40 companies since 1998.

He serves as Chair of OnSide Youth Zones and Future Youth Zone in Barking and Dagenham and is a trustee of Mental Health Innovations, launched from the Royal Foundation’s Heads Together programme.

Charles holds an MA in Philosophy and Psychology from Christ Church, Oxford University and previously worked at Monitor Company.

Jyoti is Chief Legal & Compliance Officer at Blenheim Chalcot, advising its portfolio companies across sectors including financial services.

She was previously General Legal Counsel at TDX Group (a Blenheim Chalcot business) for ten years until its sale to Equifax in 2014, and before that worked in private practice specialising in commercial litigation.

Jyoti lives in Nottingham with her two teenage daughters and three dogs, who collectively test most of her patience.

Lara is Co-Founder and Trustee of Babyzone, with a background spanning strategy, marketing, and technology ventures at Blenheim Chalcot.

She was a Strategy Consultant at Monitor Company, VP of Consumer Marketing at EMI Music, and is also a Trustee of On the Edge Conservation, having previously served with Operation Smile.

Lara holds an MBA from INSEAD, an MSc in Economics from the University of Oxford, and an Honours degree from the University of Cape Town.

Lucy is a founding partner of Theleme Partners, a global investment firm based in London, managing assets on behalf of institutional clients.

She has over 20 years’ experience in investment management, and holds a degree in Modern Languages from Christ Church, Oxford, as well as the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Lucy is committed to supporting women in finance through her volunteer work with GAIN (Girls Are Investors) and serves on the Christ Church Development Board.

Sarah is an Associate Director at The Royal Foundation’s Centre for Early Childhood and has spent the past eight years working in parent tech start-ups.

She co-founded Mush, an app supporting new mums’ mental health through community, and is a Non-Executive Director at childcare platform Bubble. Mush enabled hundreds of thousands of meetups and friendships for parents.

Sarah previously spent a decade in advertising in London and Boston, specialising in new business and growth. 

Paddy is CEO of The Peel, a 127-year-old community charity based in Clerkenwell, London and is a trustee of the Octopus Community Network.

He has over 20 years’ experience working with charities, public bodies, social enterprises, and community organisations, holding roles as Chair, CEO, and advisor. He is passionate about achieving sustainable, inter-generational social impact.

Earlier in his career, Paddy worked in marketing in London and South Africa, and once made a successful appearance on Dragons’ Den!

PANTHERx Rare is one of the largest and fastest growing specialty pharmacies in the United States, focusing on patients with rare and orphan diseases. Bansi has deep leadership experience in US healthcare spanning pharma services and supply chain, healthcare technology, and digital platforms. He has operating and strategic experience leading high-growth businesses and developing and executing organic and inorganic growth strategies.

Previously, he served as President, Healthcare at GoodRx, Inc. (NASDAQ: GDRX) and , before that, as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer at McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK). Bansi was a strategy consultant for more than 20 years at Monitor Deloitte and Monitor Group, and served as executive leader of each of those firms.

Bansi is a very experienced board member for both private and public companies, including Change Healthcare, Deloitte, Parata Systems and now PANTHERx Rare and INSEAD.

Bansi has BA and MA degrees from Cambridge University, England, and an MBA with Distinction from INSEAD, France. He is a Founding Donor of the INSEAD San Francisco Hub for Business Innovation.

Dr. Rebecca Griffiths is an education and technology leader with over 20 years of experience managing more than $20 million in federally and foundation-funded research.

She has directed national initiatives to scale evidence-based educational innovations and to study and improve online learning in college courses.

She currently focuses on several efforts to build R&D infrastructure for education and to investigate use of AI technologies in learning.

Her work spans K–16 and emphasizes partnerships with researchers and developers to understand implementation, impact, and the organizational conditions that enable innovation at scale.

Venture builder, board leader, and four-time CEO with a 25-year record of scaling innovative businesses across finance, education, media, marketing, SaaS, and technology.

Currently General Manager of Blenheim Chalcot North America, I help lead one of the world’s most successful venture-building firms, supporting high-growth startups to accelerate market entry and long-term leadership.

I’ve led organizations through pivotal growth and transformation: CEO of the New York Institute of Finance (exit 2017), CEO & Chair of Avado Learning (Europe’s leading HR digital learning provider), and Founder & CEO of Streetbroadcast. Earlier, I drove business development for The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times, shaping go-to-market success across global markets.

Today, I also serve on the boards of ClickZ Media, Avado Learning, and Hive Learning. My focus is on helping teams achieve clarity of purpose, strategic confidence, and executional excellence, unlocking growth at scale.

Hi I’m Siobhan and I teach Dinky Medics at Barnet Babyzone.

 

This class is great for children in the early years as it introduces them to the medical world in a fun and safe way. It helps make future visits to the doctor as stress-free as possible, while teaching children about their bodies and how they work along the way—making it educational, fun, and potentially lifesaving too.

Hello, I’m Rachael and I own and run Reading Fairy Rochdale. I love bringing the magic of Reading Fairy to Babyzone Blackburn families and watching little ones’ confidence grow week by week.

My classes aim to spark a love of reading through weekly adventures. They are built around three loveable characters:
* Phonic Fox, who introduces early phonics by linking sounds to animals
* Music Mouse, who loves sharing nursery rhymes and action songs
* Reading Fairy, who takes us on a sensory story adventure

Outside of my business, I love getting crafty, reading, lifting weights, and spending time with my two beautiful children. I hope to welcome you and your little one(s) to a Babyzone Blackburn Reading Fairy class soon.

As a qualified teacher, Georgina uses her mathematical subject knowledge and passion to deliver exciting and fun Everyday Maths sessions to families that attends Babyzone. She is a bubbly and positive individual in the team that is felt during her sessions.

Hi i’m Louis and i’m a Little Kickers Coach who works at Babyzone Croydon!

I love working with the children and I have created great relationships with them and their parents over the last 2 years working here.

I am proud to say that I have seen the kids grow massively over this short period of time and I can’t wait to see them progress even further! :)

Professor Mirela brings Mini Professors science classes to Babyzone, offering fun, hands-on sessions where children and their grown-ups can explore real science through experiments, stories and exciting discoveries together.

I help children aged 2–5 explore the medical world in a fun, safe, and engaging way. Through role play, they learn about their bodies, what to do if they get hurt, and become familiar with medical equipment.

My goal is to help make future visits to the doctor feel less daunting, while building confidence, curiosity, and skills that could even be lifesaving!

Tara delivers Reading Fairy classes, designed to develop early literacy skills in young children.

Being a qualified primary school teacher, she understands the importance of reading but also learning through play. Families love how interactive the classes are and the energy and passion Tara brings.

Tom has been at Babyzone as a Toddler Sense leader since it all started here at Legacy. He has a love of performing and getting everyone involved in the sensory fun.

Tom sessions are full of music, movement and lots of energy for children of 13months up to 5 years and their grown ups.

In our Babyzone sessions we give toddlers the opportunity to explore their creativity through large-scale painting.

We begin the session by sitting around the 'magic box' to guess and then discover what's inside.

Each week there are objects relating to a colour or theme, giving us the opportunity to work on language and vocab skills, as well as practising those school-ready skills of sitting, turn taking and sharing ideas.

We then put on our gorgeous Creation Station splash suits to keep our clothes clean while we explore paint on a large scale, investigating tools, textures and colours, and working on our gross and fine motor skills, too. We finish the session by printing with hands, feet or sponges onto a card that we can take to the craft table to decorate some more before taking it home.

💛 Come and join the fun!

My classes support a range of areas of child development including communication and language, sensory development, motor skills, body awareness, rhythm and musicality, attachment and emotional wellbeing. My sessions are always baby-led, relaxed and focused on connection over pressure or comparison.

Kickstarters is a unique early years and primary provision that combines the magic of children's literature with football and multi-skill physical activities.

Each session uses much-loved picture books to spark a genuine love of reading, with stories like We're Going on a Bear Hunt bringing movement and imagination together in a way that truly resonates with young children.

Little ones develop early literacy skills- listening, language, and a joy for stories- while simultaneously building coordination, confidence, and fundamental physical skills.

Delivered in nursery and school settings across Grimsby and Cleethorpes, Kickstarters creates an environment where children learn without even realising it, because every session is rooted in fun. It's the perfect kickstart for early years learners- nurturing both their bodies and their love of books from the very beginning.

Hi, I'm Jen, owner of Musical Phonics and practitioner of Everyday Maths.

I’m Rachel and I am the owner and Principal of ADC Acro - An Acrobatic Dance School based in Warrington.

Having been an Elite Gymnast throughout my childhood, I have been lucky enough to be able to turn my passion into my career. I have been Coaching now for 25 years and I have qualifications with both British Gymnastics and Acrobatic Arts.

In my classes at Babyzone you will find us rolling, jumping, climbing & dancing. The classes are designed to help build fundamental physical skills through active play and are a great opportunity for adults to work together with their child, to complete our activities and challenges. I feel honoured to work with so many local families and aim to provide a safe and nurturing environment for your little ones to grow.

My name is Sharon and I’m the owner of Hartbeeps North Cheshire.

I run baby and toddler classes around Warrington, creating fun, engaging, and nurturing experiences for little ones.

Each Thursday, you’ll find me at Babyzone delivering lively toddler sessions, with a different theme every week.

Our multi-sensory, musical, and imaginative classes are designed to support early development, spark creativity, and encourage special bonding moments between little ones and their parents. I’m passionate about helping children build confidence while making lasting memories for families.

Hi! My name is Lucy and I’m the owner of Baby Sensory Chorley. I run classes in Chorley usually but have been loving our sessions at Babyzone Wigan!

 

Our classes were designed by Dr Lin Day to cover all aspects of early development through fun, themed activities! We give developmental information during our activities so you know exactly why we’re doing it and how it benefits your little one 💛

I look forward  to meeting you all! Lucy