About
The person behind the work.
forefront was built by Mike Lane-Evans. His background is unusual for this field, and it's the point.
Mike spent 26 years as a professional actor, on stage, screen and radio, which is years of doing the one thing most training skips: practising communication under pressure, over and over, until it holds. In 2018 he began training communicators with the British military, then trained as an ICF accredited coach. Since then he has worked with organisations across banking, retail, tech and healthcare, amongst others. The forefront coaches are all ex-professional actors too. Acting taught them how to hold a room. Coaching taught them how to help other people do the same.
That is where the frameworks came from. FORE, FRONT, Hero to Horizon, and the rest aren't borrowed theory. They are field-tested tools, built and refined in the room with real teams.
The approach is the same whether the audience is a boardroom, a stage, or a difficult one-to-one. Get inside the real situation. Practise it safely. Build the habit. Make it hold.
forefront works with organisations that want capability that lasts, not a day that gets forgotten. If that is you, have a conversation with us.
The team.
The forefront coaches are ex-professional actors. They know how to hold a room, and they bring that craft to how your people communicate.
-
Mike Lane-Evans
Founder and Managing Director
Mike spent 26 years as an actor across stage, screen and radio before turning that craft to communication. He began training communicators with the British military in 2018, is an ICF accredited coach, and has coached leaders and founders across banking, retail, tech and healthcare, amongst others. He founded forefront on a simple belief: good communication changes everything.
LinkedIn -
Will Pretsell
Associate Coach
Will started out as an actor before moving into training and facilitation. Over the last decade he has worked with major professional services firms and banks, and helped create the Skills Builder Framework now used around the world. At forefront he designs programmes that work for the people in the room, and makes communication feel practical rather than intimidating.
LinkedIn -
Rachel Winters
Associate Coach
Rachel trained as an actor at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and performed with companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's Globe and the BBC. For over fifteen years she has worked as an education practitioner, creating spaces where people explore language, presence and confidence. At forefront she coaches individuals and teams to feel confident in high-stakes moments and to handle difficult conversations with care.
LinkedIn -
Lizzie Twells
Associate Coach
Lizzie trained in acting at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and has spent over fifteen years in theatre, TV and film, alongside a career as a coach and facilitator across the public, private and charity sectors. At forefront she specialises in managing difficult conversations, helping people step into tough situations, listen with care, and lead conversations that build trust. She also mentors with Arts Emergency.
LinkedIn