Operations Consulting Services in the UK

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United Kingdom Operations Consultants

From the industrial pulse of Manchester to the global finance hub of London, the UK has always been a fertile ground for operational innovation. In 2025, a fresh wave of outsourced, fractional, part-time, and virtual operations consultants is transforming how UK businesses scale efficiently and solve their trickiest back-end challenges.

This curated guide—Best H1 in UK—spotlights UK-based operations consulting providers and the standout founders and leaders behind them. Each provider has been carefully vetted through Digital Reference's rigorous methodology, which includes direct founder interviews, in-depth service evaluation, case study analysis, and leadership background checks. We prioritised transparency, region-specific expertise, and authentic leadership—a core pillar of the Digital Reference ethos.

These consultants aren't just running spreadsheets—they're reengineering workflows, navigating post-Brexit operational shifts, and giving SMEs access to Fortune 500-grade support. And in keeping with Digital Reference’s focus on radical authenticity, this list isn't ranked—we believe each consultant delivers standout value in their own right.

Let’s meet the names behind the UK's most innovative operational consultancies.

‍1 Cloud Consultants

Meet Bill Quinn, Managing Director and Business Systems Consultant 

Bill Quinn is the Founder of 1 Cloud Consultants, a Surrey-based firm delivering virtual operational solutions with Salesforce at its core. With a foundation in tech-enabled systems thinking, Bill has spent over a decade fine-tuning cloud integrations to improve internal workflows, client communications, and data hygiene.

• 💼 1 Cloud Consultants is known for Salesforce-centric operational transformations across healthcare, education, and public sector clients.
• 🔗 Bill’s LinkedIn reveals a history of cross-functional experience across IT, customer support, and field ops, which informs his holistic approach.
• 🌍 The firm has recently launched a scalable onboarding automation product for remote teams.

Bill stands out not just for his tech credentials, but for how he demystifies digital transformation for operations managers across the UK.

‍Davies & Robson Consultants in Logistics

Meet Brian Templar, Chairman

Dr. Brian Templar brings academic rigour to logistics with a PhD in Operations Research and decades of hands-on experience. As Chairman at Davies & Robson, he helps clients in manufacturing and distribution navigate complex logistics strategy, supply chain optimisation, and transport planning.

• 📊 Known for data-led operational strategy for large-scale warehouse and delivery operations.
• ✈️ Has helped logistics providers plan post-Brexit distribution models that reduce lead time and cost.
• 📒 Author of multiple peer-reviewed papers on logistics network design.

Brian is one of the UK’s most trusted logistics consultants, blending research with commercial practicality.

‍Where Now Consulting Ltd

Meet Mark Spragg, Managing Director

Mark Spragg leads Where Now Consulting, a Glasgow-based firm helping companies scale operations, enter new markets, and strengthen internal systems. Mark’s approach is anchored in growth diagnostics and actionable insights, helping SMEs and public sector orgs evolve into their next phase.

• 🌟 Mark’s standout projects include transforming the operational infrastructure of regional councils.
• 📈 Previously worked in corporate development, which adds an M&A-savvy lens to operations planning.
• ⚙️ Where Now often works on change management engagements alongside operational design.

His firm reflects Scottish strategic resilience, and Mark’s ability to take messy org charts and transform them into operational machines is rare.

‍York Consulting LLP

Meet Tim Allan, Managing Partner

As Managing Partner at York Consulting, Tim Allan brings social impact operations to the forefront. Specialising in education, health, and employment sectors, Tim leads a team known for evidence-based evaluations, policy-driven operations consulting, and strategy deployment.

• 🔄 His operational models have been used by UK government departments.
• 💼 York's mixed-methods consulting style blends qualitative engagement with quantitative forecasting.
• ✨ Tim is praised for centering equity and transparency in how public services are evaluated and improved.

York Consulting is a standout for public sector organisations needing a trusted ops partner grounded in values.

‍Applaud Business Consultancy Ltd

Meet Pippa Mell, Director

Pippa Mell is the heart of Applaud Business Consultancy, a boutique firm focused on helping early-stage companies build operations foundations that scale. With an instinct for people-first processes, she ensures internal workflows serve both employees and customers.

• 🚀 Pippa’s firm often parachutes in as a fractional COO.
• 💬 She leads founder advisory sessions with startups on aligning vision, ops, and people systems.
• 📅 Known for turning scrappy startups into process-mature scaleups.

Pippa is particularly beloved among female-led startups and diverse founders in London, bringing both skill and sincerity to the table.

‍Open Consulting

Meet Naitik Kothari, Co-Founder | CEO

Naitik Kothari launched Open Consulting to help purpose-driven organisations build tech-enabled operational systems. The firm has gained traction with non-profits, NGOs, and startups focused on ethical innovation.

• 🔍 Naitik's background in product management and service design sets his consultancy apart.
• 🚀 Recent work includes operations digitisation for UK social enterprises.
• 🙌 Firmly committed to open access knowledge and scalable tools.

Naitik is part of a new wave of UK ops consultants who combine social innovation with operational efficiency.

‍GAP Consultancy & Management

Meet Adrianne Sellar, Director

Adrianne Sellar leads GAP Consultancy & Management, specialising in compliance-driven operational planning. With a background in governance, healthcare, and finance, Adrianne builds solutions that protect as well as perform.

• 📊 Has helped several NHS trusts realign their compliance and reporting ops.
• 🌍 Offers virtual compliance audits and digital risk mapping.
• 💡 Frequently publishes guides on regulatory strategy for small businesses.

GAP Consultancy stands out for helping firms future-proof against legal and regulatory disruption.

‍London Business Training & Consulting

Meet Rohit Chandiramani, CEO

At the helm of London Business Training & Consulting, Rohit Chandiramani has created a unique fusion between training, strategy, and operational execution. The firm serves clients globally, but remains rooted in London’s demand for world-class executive support.

• 🔬 Courses + consultancy hybrid for finance, HR, and operations teams.
• 🎓 Works with international executives relocating to the UK on operational acclimatisation.
• 👑 Known for bespoke ops playbooks for internal transformation.

Rohit’s strength is making education part of the operational uplift, a rare quality in traditional ops firms.

‍Think Beyond

Meet Mercè Cozens, Management Consultant

Mercè Cozens leads Think Beyond, a Chester-based consultancy bridging data, strategy, and execution. She brings a marketing-meets-ops mindset to B2B firms looking for measurable ROI on operational shifts.

• 🧱 Her frameworks include customer experience strategy as part of ops redesign.
• 🌍 Has worked across Europe, helping UK firms scale across borders.
• 📈 Combines analytical dashboards with agile project management.

Mercè is one of the few UK consultants making customer intelligence a central pillar of operations.

‍Carnegie Consulting

Meet Guy Steel, Founder

With a background in executive search and business ops, Guy Steel of Carnegie Consulting offers strategic operations insights for financial services and private equity-backed businesses.

• 💼 Brings a talent-first approach to operational advisory.
• 📈 Has helped dozens of PE-backed firms scale with interim operations leadership.
• 🤝 Known for blending talent planning and operational roadmaps.

Guy is an example of what happens when people and operations strategy are truly aligned.

A UK Operations Consultant Rooted in Innovation and Intent

The UK is evolving—fast. And the operations consultants featured here are not only keeping up, they’re setting the pace. From Scotland to London, these professionals are solving real business challenges with an eye toward long-term scalability, regulatory adaptability, and people-centred systems.

At Digital Reference, we believe in radical authenticity—that professionals should be seen and evaluated based on real skills and real results. That’s why we continue to build tools like video resumes, reference-check systems, and smart consultant matchmaking platforms.

If you’re hiring operations support, don’t rely on buzzwords. Rely on insight. Check out our Best Platforms to Hire Fractional COO Services and explore how Digital Reference can power your next strategic move.

Digital Reference is here to revolutionise how talent is seen.

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