Richmond Baxter Ltd was founded by Claire Baxter in 2014. Claire is a specialist in strategy development, business planning and public policy. Her knowledge spans social inclusion, economics and employment, finance and ‘system change’, increasingly in the fields of children’s services, health and social care.

Claire has an extensive understanding of the practical challenges of delivering social impact in a viable and cost-effective manner. This comes from her experience supporting charities and collaborations to form strategies, new services and successfully tender for contracts and grants. She has evaluated social investment and grant funded programmes and partnerships and advised social enterprises and public agencies on policy trends and the implications for their work.

She also has first-hand experience of charity governance and leadership, as a trustee of an art gallery and a grant-giving foundation, and having provided interim management for a children’s charity. Claire is also independent chair of two charity panels.

Prior to setting up her own business, Claire worked in the local government, education and voluntary sectors for 20 years. Most recently she was director of policy, partnerships and communications at a large unitary authority where she was responsible for leading several transformation reviews and a business review on behalf of a national campaign network.

Claire has a Masters degree in Public Policy, a postgraduate qualification in Research Methods and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.