Why ELSO Consulting

ELSO Consulting is a specialist organisational advisory practice founded by Emma Shaughnessy, working with CEOs, Chairs and Boards on the organisational and leadership challenges that matter most.  

Clients work directly with Emma throughout an assignment, ensuring personalized support. When projects require additional expertise, ELSO Consulting leverages a small network of carefully selected associates—experienced practitioners chosen for their specific skills relevant to the challenge. This approach allows for sustained, senior-level support while incorporating the requisite board advisory expertise when it genuinely enhances value.  

About Emma  

Emma Shaughnessy is an experienced Board Director, executive, and organisational adviser with over 20 years of experience in complex UK and international businesses.  

Before founding ELSO Consulting, Emma spent 20 years in executive roles, most recently as Director of People & Change for DCC Energy plc. As a statutory Board Director, she advised on topics such as organisation design, operational models, leadership, culture, transformation, succession, and performance across a portfolio encompassing 21 operating businesses in 15 countries.  

Her career uniquely combines deep people and organisational expertise with significant operational leadership experience. As an Operations Director, she oversaw complex, highly regulated national operations, providing her with firsthand experience in leading businesses, delivering performance, and making tough decisions in real-world scenarios.  

Since establishing ELSO Consulting, Emma has supported a diverse range of organisations, from large international private equity firms to UK-based SMEs.  

Today, she integrates these varied perspectives to advise organisations on People & Organisation Strategy, focusing on organisation design services, operating models, executive effectiveness consulting, and Board advisory expertise.  

What differentiates ELSO Consulting is:-

• Experience from Both Sides of the Table  - navigated organisational challenges both as an executive  and as a Board Director.   
• More Than One Lens  - Showing up with a broad business lens, connecting strategy, people, and operations to unlock performance.  
• Grounded in Expertise -Shaped by Experience  - anchored in established professional expertise and qualifications, while being shaped by years of practical application within real businesses. 
• Independent Judgement - there is no predetermined solutions to sell. We constructively challenge thinking, provide an independent perspective, and express what we believe needs to be said.  
• The Right Level of Support  - Not every challenge requires a large-scale intervention. Sometimes, the most effective approach is a focused conversation, an independent review.

ELSO provides tailored support that aligns with the challenge at hand, bringing in additional expertise when it adds genuine value and ensuring that ownership ultimately resides with the leaders and teams responsible for implementing the solution.  

It all starts with a conversation.  

For a more detailed look at how we operate, you may want to explore a recent interview with Emma, conducted by Margaret Joauadi of Pacific International: https://pacific-international.com/transforming-with-clarity-how-external-consultants-can-help-accelerate-change-and-deliver-results