PUSH Mind and Body, a leading wellbeing and mental health training company which seeks to make work better, has appointed Emma Fernandes as its new Managing Director. She brings over two decades of frontline mental healthcare experience to the role joining from the charity Solent Mind where she spent the past 16 years as Business Development Director.
London-based PUSH works with a range of companies and organisations focusing on mental health and wellbeing to empower employees to thrive in their workplace. The company was founded by Cate Murden in 2014 with a belief that happy and healthy employees work better and are more resilient. Described as a powerhouse of wellness, Cate and her team have helped tens of thousands of employees enhance their working lives with many organisations being supported free of charge.
Emma Fernandes is a pioneer within the UK mental health community who began her career in the NHS working at an acute mental health admissions ward. She then turned her focus to recovery, moving into the third sector where she led one of the UK’s first vocational advice services providing workplace-related mental health support for employees, employers and jobseekers.
Prior to her move to Solent Mind, she initially worked alongside the Hampshire-based charity to set up a ground-breaking mental health initiative with Portsmouth Solent NHS Trust. Focused on providing mental health wellbeing and recovery support in the workplace, this partnership became the basis of a national model for the NHS.
Commenting on the new appointment, PUSH Founder Cate Murden said: “We’re delighted to welcome Emma in her new role. As a pioneer and leading expert in workplace mental healthcare programmes, she brings huge value to PUSH’s expanding team.
“The impact of Covid has been detrimental to many individuals’ mental health, especially within the workplace. Emma’s appointment underlines our recognition that mental health sits at the foundation of everything – workplaces are more likely to thrive when they’re psychologically safe and able to support employees within the new working environment.”
Emma Fernandes said: “As someone who has worked closely with PUSH in my former role, I have long respected its approach in how they address mental health and wellbeing issues within the corporate world. I’m delighted to join the team and bring my experience to the fore to help further support its growing client base. Through the PUSH community pledge, we are also committed to spreading the positive impact of our workplace support as far and wide as possible.”
