dark star team
Who is Dark Star?
Dark Star is led by Andy Hitchcock who's been helping senior leaders and executives improve their communication skills for the last 20 years. He delivers a range of highly bespoke performance programmes for organisations where credibility, authority and clarity directly affect trust, reputation and outcomes.
His work in training followed 20 years in the media and political environments, having worked at senior level for both the BBC and ITV News.
Andy Hitchcock
Managing Partner
Andy has worked closely with senior leadership teams and boards across financial services, public bodies and complex stakeholder environments – supporting executives through high-profile events, annual general meetings, regulatory exposure and critical media communications. His former BBC broadcast experience helps participants understand the synergy between content and style. He has an MA in Mass Communications and a mini-MBA.​​ He's recently published his first book, 'The Heart of Communication', which compliments the communication, presentation and media coaching delivered by the team.
Jeremy Pollock
Senior Trainer
Jeremy works with senior leaders and executive teams who operate in high-pressure, high-exposure
workplace environments.
His work focuses on how leaders perform, communicate and make decisions when scrutiny is intense. He brings extensive experience from senior roles in the BBC, where he worked at editorial and production level across high-profile programmes and fast-moving news contexts.
Sophie Marsh
Media Coach
Sophie has 25 years experience across multiple BBC platforms. She began on Top Gear and Gardener’s World before moving in to studio production. Her passion for current affairs led her into journalism, spending 15 years as a reporter and producer for
BBC News.
Perdie Geering
Managing Partner,
Finance & Media
With a background in the legal and education sectors together with entrepreneurship, Perdie brings a wealth of experience to Dark Star. She oversees administration, finance, and general operations in the office and on training days.
Jacob Wright
Camera Operator
A Film & TV graduate from Falmouth University, Jacob delivers technical expertise and creative insight providing essential camera and media support for onsite sessions.
Ash Collinson
Administration Assistant
Ash delivers seamless client experiences at Dark Star managing training schedules, venues, transport, and travel. She also provides social media support and website updates.
Joe Tuckett
Camera Operator
With more than 10 years experience in front of, behind, and all around a camera, as well as a Drama degree from Bath Spa University, Joe
has a strong eye for composition, visual storytelling, and presentation