Our Team

Embracing Complexity, Engineering Purposeful Change, Shaping Sustainable Futures

Chris and Penny Hamlin founded HancockHamlin on a shared conviction:

that engineers and scientists are uniquely positioned to address the world’s most complex challenges - and that they deserve better tools, frameworks and support to do so.

Chris Hamlin, FREng

Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Chris brings 25+ years of experience in the process industries alongside a rigorous intellectual grounding in complexity science. As a trained Cynefin practitioner, Co-Active coach and Quorum Principle coach, he connects theoretical frameworks to the practical realities that engineering leaders face every day. His work spans digital transformation strategy, organisational complexity consulting, and leadership development - always with the conviction that the way technical professionals are currently trained leaves them under-equipped for the real world complexity of the systems they are asked to lead. 

Penny Hamlin

Penny brings a multi-disciplinary background in sustainability, policy and innovation strategy alongside deep complexity-practice credentials, including Cynefin practitioner training and qualification as a VSM Coach via Metaphorum. She is a Certified Emergenetics Associate and co-facilitates all Beyond the Blueprint live sessions. Her work is grounded in an MSc in Sustainable Development from the University of Sussex and professional experience across policy development, innovation and business strategy — a track record that consistently informs how she approaches the question that sits behind all of HancockHamlin's work: not just whether a technical solution is effective, but whether it serves the people and systems it is meant to change.

Together we make a formidable team.

Chris generates the conceptual ideas, Penny wrangles them into tangible approaches.

Collaboration and curiosity drive everything we do.

Unique Mix of Skills

In addition to our working experiences we are both trained in the use of multiple tools and methodologies including:

  • Cynefin Co. Practitioner - trained in the Cynefin methodologies, one of the most reputable and widely used complexity frameworks in leadership and strategy

  • Co-Active Training Institute - renowned professional leadership coaching qualification

  • Emergenetics Certified Associate - certified to deliver cognitive diversity workshops that accelerate team dynamics

  • Metaphorum / Viable Systems Model - qualified coaches in VSM-based organisation diagnosis, design and training

  • Quorum Principle Coach - trained in a systems-informed approach to digital transformation programmes in manufacturing.

Cynefin Co.

Co-Active Training

Emergenetics

Quorum Principle

Metaphorum