Simon Shepard

Simon Shepard is part of a select group of people who have direct experience of working across the sectors of sport, health and business. He is also someone who, through constantly challenging progress, has a desire to be ahead of the curve; an entrepreneur and, if honest, he is a bit of a nuisance.

Having qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 1988, he spent two years working in both the NHS and the private sectors before being appointed sole physiotherapist at Lord’s Cricket Ground, where he looked after the playing staff of both Middlesex CCC and Marylebone Cricket Club. In an era when sports medicine and science was progressing at a rapid pace he oversaw the growth of a multidisciplinary department and was one of the first recipients of gold level accreditation by The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine.

With an increasing interest in the links between health and performance, and the emergence of technology that could objectively measure stress, sleep and lifestyle Optima-life was founded in 2007. Initially the focus was solely on technology, but the business soon realized the benefit of blending data with training and developed programmes that have been delivered to a range of businesses in multiple continents. There has been a particular emphasis on supporting the healthcare workers, and this was recognised when Optima-life earned a Medilink Award for ‘Partnership with the NHS’.

And, as for the tag of being a nuisance, well whether it be through the collection of physiological data or his reputation for asking ‘the hard questions’, he can take what is traditionally thought of as a ‘fluffy topic’, and make it distinctly uncomfortable. He may well get under your skin, but more than anything he encourages you to get under yours!