A former Army officer who worked on peace-keeping missions with NATO in Kosovo and Iraq has launched a business to help resolve conflict on an altogether different battlefield – the workplace.
Felix Spender, who also helped gain the release of over 100 hostages captured by Somalian pirates, knows the debilitating effects that change and conflict can have on individuals.
He has set up Bristol and Bath-based North Light Solutions to show that good conflict management can help improve relationships and productivity. It is also generally a speedier and cheaper alternative to going to court. 
Felix, who served in the Army for over 30 years and is an accredited mediator, said: “I have seen the devastating effects conflict can have on a country – from loss of life to a stunted economy.
“My time in the Army has taught me it is generally in everybody’s interest to try to resolve conflict – and as quickly as possible. In a business, if left to fester, it can lead to a lack of productivity and cost thousands of pounds.
“Whether it’s working in a war-torn country or a fractured firm, the principles are the same. It is important to be impartial, understanding and able to work with all parties concerned.”
Research by the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) shows that conflict in the workplace leads to a loss of productivity. One in three people quit because of it.
Felix, 57, joined the Army aged 18 – attracted to a life of foreign travel and camaraderie. After attending the officer selection centre at Westbury, he trained at world-renown royal military academy at Sandhurst.
He served in Belize, Germany, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and the Middle East while in the Royal Irish Rangers (later to become the Royal Irish Regiment) and worked with NATO in Kosovo in 2005-6 and then in Iraq in 2009 during a period of transition.
He retired from the Army in 2010 as a lieutenant colonel and joined Begbies Traynor Group (BTG) a global risk and investigation service. He mainly dealt with cases of Somalian pirates holding merchant seamen hostage – working to release those on board and manage the crisis for ship owners.
Felix said: “My experience has given me a very good understanding of people and conflict. The important thing is to understand that conflict will always be present and ensure it is managed.”
