Our People

Peter McGowan M.A. B.Ed.

In 1992, after 9 years as an independent school Headmaster, Peter joined an international executive selection and development company. He started in their London office and then, in 1995, set up and ran an office in Bristol. In addition to his mainstream work with numerous large clients, he was a member of the UK management team, co-developed a new approach to Search and Selection and was a member of the international Corporate Image team.

He has worked for clients from a wide variety of sectors and across Europe. As well as carrying out numerous senior level search and selection exercises, he has worked extensively at Board level to bring about improvements in business performance through behavioural change and has considerable experience of coaching senior individuals and of developing teams in both public and private sector organisations.

He set up Cordel Gowan Ltd in June 2004. Between October 2005 and April 2007 he was the part-time Vocational Skills Champion for Wales, reporting directly to the Minister for Education, Learning and Skills. He is Vice-Chair of the Institute of Directors, South and West Wales.

Peter Cooksley

Having run his own business in the retail sector in the 1980s, Peter became a sales manager for a large British manufacturer. In 1997, he became a sales training manager and created a new department for an American owned company.

He later set up his own very successful training, development and events management company, Top Banana Training Ltd. He works for a range of very large, blue-chip organisations including Siemens, Morrison’s and Royal Mail with whom he has developed long-standing relationships. (www.topbananatraining.com )

As well as designing and delivering training, Peter is a Motivational Speaker who has performed keynote talks in Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the USA and many European countries. He is a board member of the Sales Training Association and the Professional Speakers Association. Other memberships include the Institute of Directors, Institute of Sales and Marketing Management, Training Consortium, Institute of Professional Sales and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

In 2001 he was a finalist in the National Sales Awards, Sales Trainer of the Year Award. Peter is also a licensed personality and team profiler.

Daniel McGowan B.A. (Hons)

Daniel has extensive experience of assessment and development centres, particularly devising, managing and participating in corporate role plays. Clients include British Telecom, National Grid, Singer & Friedlander, UCB, Gilead, Craegmoor and Sporting Bet.

He is also a professional actor who has appeared in numerous stage, screen and television productions as well as directing stage shows. More recently he has won acclaim for his play ‘To a Sunless Sea’ and for a children’s book ‘Strange Head Fred’. He has just completed a stage adaptation of Andre Gide’s novel ‘The Immoralist’ and a screen adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’ novel ‘Birdsong’.

He works closely with Cordel Gowan Ltd on specific projects which include personal development evaluations and communications/business writing workshops.

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