Who we are
80Twenty exists to help people think clearly when decisions about people and organisations really matter.
We work with leaders, boards and HR teams at moments when things feel finely balanced. When perspectives differ. When there is pressure to act, but no obvious right answer. Our role is not to take decisions away, but to help clients slow things down, understand what is shaping the situation, and decide what makes sense next.
Our work draws on business psychology, executive coaching and senior advisory experience. We bring evidence and insight where it helps, and challenge where it’s needed. Always applied pragmatically, and always proportionate to the context.
Much of what we do starts with listening. By gathering careful qualitative insight and adding depth to existing data, we help organisations move away from assumption and towards understanding. That shift alone often changes what becomes possible.
Most of our work comes through referral. Clients trust us to handle sensitive matters carefully, to be straight with them, and to use our judgement well.
Working together
80Twenty brings together two senior practitioners with different backgrounds and complementary strengths. That difference is deliberate.
Sometimes we work together, particularly where senior decision-making benefits from both independent challenge and reflective space. At other times, clients work with one of us individually. What matters is not a fixed model, but having the right perspective at the right time.
Our backgrounds are distinct. One of us brings business psychology, organisational research and evidence-based assessment. The other brings executive and board-level coaching, leadership experience and strategic advisory work. Together, this allows us to support both how decisions are formed and how they are carried forward.
Clients value the flexibility this brings. They are not pushed into a particular way of working. Instead, the work is shaped around what the situation actually calls for.
How we work
How we work matters. Much of our involvement takes place at moments that feel uncertain or exposed, and the way we show up has a real impact on what follows.
We work in a coaching-led way throughout. That means asking careful questions, creating space to think, and helping people respond thoughtfully rather than react under pressure. The aim is to strengthen judgement, not create reliance.
We handle sensitive conversations and information with care and discretion. Our work is grounded in evidence and sound psychological science, but we don’t hide behind frameworks. Evidence is there to support thinking, not replace it.
We pay close attention to context. Individual behaviour rarely exists in isolation, and we are always alert to the systems, pressures and dynamics around it. This helps clients avoid oversimplifying and focus their efforts where it will make a difference.
We are thoughtful and respectful, but we don’t avoid difficult truths. Our role is to help clients see situations clearly and act with integrity, even when that feels uncomfortable.
Leadership
Melissa Chester
Senior Principal Business Psychologist
EMCC accredited coach and team coach
Melissa works as a trusted partner to senior HR leaders, executives and boards, supporting sound people decisions at critical moments across the organisation. Her background combines senior HR leadership, people consulting and business psychology, giving her a strong understanding of organisational realities and the pressures faced by people leaders.
Her work spans the full people lifecycle. This includes supporting hiring, promotion and succession decisions for senior and business-critical roles; improving performance through one-to-one coaching, team coaching and the development of managers; and working with leadership teams and boards to strengthen collective judgement and effectiveness.
Melissa also supports organisations to identify and address deeper organisational or cultural blockers to performance. Through qualitative research and systemic inquiry, she helps clients move beyond surface issues, bringing insight that informs strategy, priorities and practical action.
When issues become more complex or time-critical, Melissa also steps in to advise on sensitive people matters and, where required, to carry out formal investigations. She is trusted to handle these situations thoroughly, independently and with appropriate rigour.
Jason Laity
Board Advisor
Executive coach and mentor
Jason works with boards, Chairs and senior executives on strategic judgement, governance and leadership at the highest level. His background includes many years as a senior partner in a Big 4 professional services firm, alongside extensive experience as a Non-Executive Director.
He supports boards and leadership teams to think clearly about complex decisions, risk, accountability and long-term impact—particularly in environments shaped by pressure, scrutiny and change. A key part of his work sits around strategy and transformation, including helping boards and executives think clearly about digital change and AI.
Jason is an experienced executive coach. He brings this coaching capability into senior conversations to create space for reflection, challenge assumptions and support leaders to act with clarity and intent.
Alongside this, he works as a mentor to senior leaders and high-potential talent. Clients value his perspective and steady presence, particularly when they are navigating stretch roles, increased responsibility or unfamiliar terrain.
Contact us
If you would like to talk through a situation, explore whether external support would be useful, or simply have an initial conversation, you’re welcome to get in touch.
We treat all enquiries with care and discretion, and will respond thoughtfully. There is no obligation or expectation beyond an open, professional conversation about what might be helpful.