Michelle Edmondson

Managing Partner of a boutique, global executive search firm specialising in technology and cybersecurity leadership. I lead senior appointments across technology, digital, and cyber security, and mid‑tier leadership through to C‑suite and board roles across the US, UK, and international markets In parallel, I advise a select group of senior leaders on executive positioning and career strategy, drawing directly on live market insight from executive search. This dual perspective — recruiter and advisor — informs every engagement. Current career highlights include: -Launching and scaling the cybersecurity division, creating a global network of senior CISOs, CIOs, CTOs and board-level leaders. -Working with clients from mission-led, high-growth companies from start-ups to enterprise level, advising on leadership, succession and security culture. -Expert in designing leadership assessments, helping organisations evaluate not just technical capability but communication, influence, resilience and values-alignment. -Developing structured feedback methodologies that enhance candidate experience and improve hiring decisions for both boards and executive teams. -Creating modular hiring solutions alongside full retained and multi-hire search — giving organisations flexibility without compromising quality or speed. -Providing 1:1 executive coaching on leadership presence, branding and executive storytelling, and career mapping and strategy. -Member of the Global Executive Leadership Network for WiCyS and partner with cybersecurity non-profits worldwide to advance leadership diversity.

Talent First isn’t just a podcast. It’s a movement for people who believe leadership in tech and cybersecurity can be better. Every week, we sit down with the women and allies who are challenging broken systems, building inclusive teams, and shaping the future of security, technology and culture. These aren’t surface-level conversations. We talk about what really happens in boardrooms, how to build teams that stay, and what it takes to create trust, diversity and real business impact in high-pressure environments. In just three years, Talent First has grown into a globally recognised podcast — listened to in 30+ countries, and winner of the Eskenzi PR award for Best Corporate Podcast 2024. Our guests lead some of the most influential teams in cyber and tech, and they don’t just talk about change — they make it happen. Talent First is also more than content — it’s part of how we hire differently. For organisations who want to attract exceptional, diverse cybersecurity leaders, we offer Talent First Search: a modern, values-driven alternative to traditional recruitment that brings storytelling, brand and executive insight into the hiring process. Powered by Edmondson Group Talent Access — because talent should come first.

-Expert in both Assessment For and Of Learning, sharing expertise in PD sessions across the school. -Consultant in technology and flipped classroom advancements -Leader of action learning team responsible for investigating use of Learning Intentions, Success Criteria and AFL in the classroom across departments.

After spending a year at home with my daughter, I was asked to teach for one term at St. Andrew’s as a temporary replacement for their Head of English. I was subsequently asked to stay on permanently as Second in Department on his return. Responsibilities included; creating spreadsheets for inputting pupil data, tracking pupil progress, delivering training on new assessment initiatives, mentoring newly qualified teachers and teachers graded as satisfactory or below. I was also asked to launch a whole school literacy initiative, delivering training to the school as well as producing accompanying materials. I taught at all key stages, including Year 12 Literature, and was responsible for a year 11 and year 7 home group.

As Head of Faculty, I was responsible for the progress and achievement of a department of 10 colleagues and for all students. Responsibilities included the observation and mentoring of staff, tracking the progress of students and developing intervention strategies to ensure that all pupils reached their target grades, for example booster classes/revision classes. In the year I was employed in this position, the department saw the highest ever number of top grades achieved by pupils and overall pupils achieving grades A* to C increased by 6%. I taught at all key stages, including both English Literature and Language at A Level.

During my 5 years at this all boys' school, I progressed from Teacher of English to Second in Department and, following my work at Connaught School, I was primarily responsible for the writing and delivering of middle school schemes of work in accordance with new nationwide literacy objectives (the National Literacy Strategy). I worked closely with the Head of Faculty to ensure that this was one of the leading English Departments in the county. In terms of pastoral responsibilities, I mentored a tutor group which included years 7 to 11 (vertical system). I taught at all key stages, including A Level English Literature.

A two year course studying a range of post-colonial literature (fiction and autobiography) and academic literary theory culminating in an extended thesis in which I explored the works of Jean Rhys and F. Scott Fitzgerald and the idea of physical and ideological displacement in the literature of the 1920s.

This combined degree course included a range of studies; Postmodernist Literature, Renaissance Literature and linguistic theory including Structuralism, Russian Formulism and Feminism. The study of Psychology included topics such as criminal and clinical psychology and cognitive and behavioral theory.

Following a period working in the retail industry, I completed my P.G.C.E. (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) in English and Drama. This course included a series of assessed pieces as well as teaching practice, which I completed with distinction.