Make the complex understandable
We explain options plainly, surface the trade-offs and give people the confidence to make good decisions.
About Connected Data Solutions
Specialist WFM expertise. Genuinely personal delivery.
CDS is a UK-based team of workforce management experts. We combine independent advisory with practical implementation, integration and improvement, helping organisations make better decisions and build systems that work in the real world.
UK-based specialistsGlobal client deliveryOne connected team
The experts behind your success.Practical advice, accountable delivery and people who stay close to the outcome.
Specialist by designWorkforce management is our core discipline. Our advice starts with your organisation, not a single vendor or product.
Direct accessClients work with experienced people who understand workforce processes, technology and the operational context.
Connected deliveryConsultancy, implementation, integration, reporting, training and support work as one service ecosystem.
Built for the long termWe aim to leave stronger systems, clearer decisions and more capable client teams behind us.
Why CDS exists
Complex platforms need clear thinking and accountable people.
Workforce management sits where people, policy, operations and technology meet. When it works well, it becomes part of how an organisation performs. When it does not, the friction is felt everywhere.
Connected Data Solutions was built to close the gap between technical delivery and operational reality. Our consultants bring decades of combined WFM experience, but expertise is only useful when it is applied with curiosity, clarity and care.
That is why we listen before recommending, explain the reasoning behind our work and stay close enough to see whether the solution is delivering what the organisation actually needs.
Start a conversation with CDSWhat working with us should feel like
Expertise without the theatre.
Good consultancy should make difficult work feel clearer. These principles shape how we show up, make decisions and work alongside client teams.
Stay accountable for the outcome
We keep responsibilities visible, communicate honestly and do not let important work disappear between teams.
Design for the real organisation
Recommendations must work for the people, processes and pressures that exist beyond the project plan.
Leave knowledge behind
We share the why as well as the what, helping client teams become more confident and self-sufficient.
Meet our leadership
Four perspectives. One direction.
Our leadership team connects company direction, client relationships, service growth and delivery quality. The portraits are deliberately compact because the work matters more than the headshots.
Andy Ford
Chief Executive Officer
Leads CDS strategy, growth and the long-term client relationships at the heart of the business.
LinkedIn opens in a new tab
Paul Chatwin
Chief Executive Officer
Shapes executive direction and keeps commercial, operational and client priorities connected.
LinkedIn opens in a new tab
João Fernandes
VP Global Services & Partnerships
Leads global service growth and partnerships, connecting capability across clients and delivery teams.
LinkedIn opens in a new tab
Jo Wilmott
Service Delivery Director
Leads service delivery, connecting client priorities with the people and practices that move work forward.
LinkedIn opens in a new tabOne team across the WFM lifecycle
Bring us the outcome, not a perfectly formed brief.
Some clients need a clear strategy. Others need a difficult implementation rescued, an integration made reliable or a live environment improved. We bring the right disciplines together around the situation.
Understand the problem and design the right way forward
Discovery, solution design, value realisation and health checks bring clarity before effort is committed.
Turn the design into a dependable working solution
Implementation, integration and custom development connect requirements to robust technical delivery.
Keep the platform useful as the organisation changes
ProCare, reporting and training create capacity, insight and confidence long after go-live.
Careers at CDS
Do work that matters, with people who care about the detail.
We are always interested in thoughtful people who enjoy solving complex workforce challenges and helping others succeed.
Start a conversation
Talk to people who understand the work.
Whether you are planning change, untangling a live issue or looking for a long-term WFM partner, bring us the context. We will help you find a sensible next step.
Independent perspective. Specialist delivery.
Start with your workforce needs.
Explore our vendor-specific services, or talk to us about independent advice before you decide which route to take.
Explore vendor expertise