Anne Welch joins consultancy and training arm of RADA

Consultant and financial services expert Anne Welch has joined RADA Business as Operations Director. RADA is the commercial consultancy and training arm of Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and works with some of the world’s best known employers to develop talent and deliver working culture changes. 

In 2001, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) launched a commercial consulting and training wing, with the aim of creating transformative learning experiences based around a wide range of business types. Since its launch, RADA Business has worked with some of the world’s best-known employers in more than 30 countries, including law firms, retailers, media companies, universities and governments. These include fashion titan Stella McCartney, professional services firm GE, and consultancies Moorhouse and Arcadis, among others.

The global training and consultancy provider helps workers become accomplished communicators, delivering world-class training programmes and coaching for organisations and individuals, while its profits help fund its parent organisation’s vocational training for actors and technicians. RADA Business has doubled in size since 2017, hosting a team of 21 staff supporting a network of over 40 tutors and business consultants, and earlier in 2019 it opened an office in Salford’s MediaCity – an increasingly popular location for the consulting industry – as its first permanent location outside of London. 

As RADA Business looks to grow its client base and strengthen its expertise, the firm has appointed a new Operations Director to support the expansion of its UK and international business. Anne Welch takes up the role, with a remit to help facilitate the further growth of RADA Business’ London and MediaCity teams. Welch will support operational and financial performance, enabling the senior management team to continue expanding training and consultancy services.

Prior to her arrival at RADA Business, Welch held a number of senior and Director-level positions within the consulting, finance and charity sectors. Having spent three years as a Director of Finance & Operations with Definitive Consulting, Welch joined LMC Group as Chief Financial & Operating Officer in 2011. She left after three years to take up her most recent role: a four-year engagement with Developing Health and Independence, where she was a Corporate Services & Finance Director.

Commenting on the appointment as well as RADA Business’s rapid recent growth, Director Kevin Chapman said, “Anne’s experience will be crucial to the next phase of our development... Our aim is to further increase the breadth and reach of our courses and consultancy, significantly developing our leadership, coaching, and women’s programmes. We are also going to expand our international consultancy business. RADA Business already works with organisations and individuals world-wide, supporting their growth, development and capabilities… Anne’s appointment will give us the foundation to manage that growth.”

Welch herself added, “RADA Business is a unique organisation, both in how it takes dramatic skills and techniques and uses these to help people enhance their professional performance and personal lives, and also in how it supports the successful operation of the world-renowned drama school. It has grown considerably in a short space of time and yet its ultimate potential remains largely untapped. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues to help achieve our ambitious goals.”