Continuous improvement for your organisationContinuous Improvement

We specialise in Lean and Continuous Improvement in the Higher Education sector.

Our work facilitates improved ways of working for our students, staff, and clients. We also collaborate with other professionals across a variety of sectors as we seek to continually improve what we do and how we do it. We each bring our own knowledge and experience from a wide range of backgrounds. 

John Hogg smiling at the camera

John Hogg, Director of Continuous Improvement

A results-driven leader in transformation, continuous improvement and change, committed to creating meaningful, positive impact. Brings extensive experience at the executive level, with a strong track record in building, leading, and inspiring high-performing teams. Skilled in portfolio, programme, and project management, as well as financial planning, strategic development and deployment, and the delivery of complex, organisation-wide transformation and continuous improvement initiatives. Also serves as a non-executive director, contributing at both national and international levels in the areas of transformation, continuous improvement, and benefits management.

John was appointed Global Chairperson of Lean HE in April 2025, and before this was Chairperson of the Lean HE European Division for six years.

A keynote speaker, coach and mentor in the areas of Lean/CI leadership, Lean/CI implementation, benefits management, and building high performing teams.

Chairperson of Lean HE Global.
Susan Ali smiling at the camera

Susan Ali, Continuous Improvement Manager

Susan manages continuous improvement and change initiatives. She also facilitates sessions utilising a variety of Lean tools and techniques as well as supporting and mentoring members of staff with their own projects. Susan has led a number of successful process redesign projects across the University and has a keen interest in evidencing the benefits of any change. Susan is currently supporting the HRP System Replacement project and is a member of the Lean HE Scotland network. See Susan's LinkedIn profile.

Graeme Gilkes smiling at the camera

Graeme Gilkes, Continuous Improvement Manager

Graeme is an experienced and innovative People, Operations, and Process Improvement Manager in variety of dynamic, multimedia and multi-cultural customer focused, service delivery environments. His strengths are in strategic thinking and application, business process improvement, change management, transitions, projects, planning, and customer experience initiatives. He leads from the front and believes in involvement, teamwork, using education and development, goals and objectives, to motivate and inspire success. His responsibilities include managing CI projects across the University, mentoring teams and individuals, external consultancy work in the HE sector and the design and facilitation of workshops and training materials. Graeme joined the team in November 2017. In his last role Graeme was responsible for developing Lean Continuous Improvement as a system of operation and delivering Lean six sigma projects.
Susan Greer smiling to camera

Susan Greer, Asst. Continuous Improvement Facilitator

Susan joined Continuous Improvement in 2014. She facilitates improvement sessions using a variety of continuous improvement tools and techniques. Susan also provides administrative support to improvement projects and to the University’s Innovation Forum.

Susan joined the University in 2007, working in Human Resources. In this role she handled recruitment and contract administration for the Faculty of Engineering. She also provided lead administrative support for Regrading Panels and Contribution Pay. Susan holds a BA in Applied Business and Management. Susan was an active member of the Strathclyde Sport Advisory Board and is currently a Professional Services representative on the Statutory Advisory Committee on Safety and Occupational Health. Susan is also a proud recipient of a Strathclyde Values Medal for being people-oriented and collaborative.
Jacquelyn O'Brien smiling to camera

Jacquelyn O'Brien, Continuous Improvement Manager

Jacquelyn joined the CI team in early 2023 to manage continuous improvement and change initiatives across the University. She has experience in a range of roles in both the public and private sectors. She began her career in Human Resources gaining Chartered Membership of the Institute of Personnel and Development while working in electronics manufacturing, insurance, aerospace, and FMCG. She spent 13 years in Canada, where she opened and ran a successful yoga studio for four years, before returning to Scotland.

In recent years, Jacquelyn has been working in local government advising SMEs, writing business cases and funding bids, and contributing to strategic change. She has also gained an MBA with distinction and completed both business case and portfolio management training. She is currently working on a Professional Doctorate and is particularly interested in strategic change, employee engagement and motivation, and the application of mindfulness practices in the workplace.

Graham Ross smiling at the camera

Graham Ross, Continuous Improvement Manager

Graham is responsible for managing a variety of continuous improvement projects across the University, focusing on improving both student and staff experience while creating efficiency gains. Since joining the University in 2015 he's developed training materials to support ongoing Continuous Improvement as well as internal and external delivery of the CI Practitioners Programme.