Rising Curve

Rising Curve was established in early 2007 by Dr Michael Clark and Glenn Richer. They now lead the firm's activities, with Michael heading up the think tank operations while Glenn oversees the consulting and training business.

Dr Michael Clark

After completing his first degree at Essex University, Michael worked in various research positions for Wolverhampton Business School and the School of Education at Wolverhampton University. His research into quality management in educational institutions formed the basis of his PhD. 

Michael moved into research in the NHS, investigating Black Country wide perspectives on the training of mental health professionals.  He became Research Manager for Wolverhampton Community Trust (later incorporated into Wolverhampton Primary Care Trust), overseeing research into a range of community settings and issues, with a particular interest in mental health.  During this time he developed an organisational culture of research-practice interaction, using research to improve public services and people’s lives. 

This approach continued when he moved to be National Research Manager for the Mental Health Research Portfolio at the Department of Health.  By linking research, policy and practice he has played an important role in the drive to improve the quality of mental health care.

Contact Michael

Glenn Richer

As partner with Rising Curve Glenn is responsible for leading the firm’s work in relation to health, education and procurement. Glenn is currently working with Community Health Partnerships, Guildhouse UK, PKF UK LLP, North Tyneside Council, Sunderland City Council, Viridor and Sewell Group.

He was formerly Managing Consultant within PKF’s Management Consultancy Services (MCS) team and was a senior member of the firm’s PPP/PFI advisory team working on health, education and local authority procurements. He has a long track record in advisory work in health and education, financial modelling, training, and procurement support.

He joined PKF from Partnerships for Health, where he played a pivotal role in the procurement and negotiation process on many LIFT transactions, taking them from OJEU notice through selection of preferred partner and on to financial close. He was also the PfH director on the board of two established LIFT companies. Glenn continues to work with Community Health Partnerships, the successor body to PfH, on a consultancy basis.

Glenn has also worked with Partnerships for Schools where he provided financial, procurement and commercial support to Durham, Barnsley, North Lincolnshire and Sunderland BSF schemes. He now advises a number of private sector clients bidding for BSF project.

Coming from a background in IT and finance, Glenn joined Wolverhampton Business School in 1990. Originally appointed as Citibank audit research fellow he went on to become senior lecturer in accounting and finance and director of the full time MBA programme. From 1992 onwards Glenn became increasingly involved with the University’s work in Russia, providing consulting and training services in various locations across the country, including Western Siberia. Eventually he moved on to take up a consulting role with a professional firm, working mainly in the former Soviet Union and the Middle East. Returning to UK based work in 2001, Glenn became involved in a wide range of infrastructure projects with an emphasis on procurement, education and health, working with national procurement organizations, health trusts and local authorities as well as private companies.

Glenn has a MSc in Management and Business Research Methods, completing a dissertation on value for money in NHS LIFT. 

 Contact Glenn