Strategic Expertise in Global Health Security

 

Nigel Lightfoot Associates (NLA) is a consultancy dedicated to strengthening global health security through strategic insight, training, and collaboration. Founded by Dr Nigel Lightfoot CBE, NLA brings together senior specialists from across science, policy, and crisis planning to help organisations anticipate risks, prepare effectively, and learn from past challenges. We work internationally, advising governments, agencies, and private sector partners who face the complexities of an evolving health security landscape.

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A Legacy of Leadership in Public Health

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The origins of NLA lie in the career of Dr Nigel Lightfoot, whose work over more than four decades has shaped public health preparedness in the UK and internationally. He served for a decade with the Department of Health and led emergency response operations at the Health Protection Agency, where he was at the forefront of managing crises such as the H1N1 pandemic and the polonium‑210 poisoning. His expertise has since been sought by organisations including NATO, the European Union, and the International Science and Technology Centre, as well as national governments and private sector partners. In recognition of his contribution to public health, he was awarded a CBE in the 2009 New Year’s Honours List.

 

NLA was created to extend that legacy — but it is not built around a single individual. We operate through what we call the Independent Collaboration Model, a chambers-style network of senior consultants who work independently but come together as required. This flexible approach allows us to assemble exactly the right expertise for each project: epidemiologists, microbiologists, crisis communicators, policy analysts, and more. It also avoids the layers of overhead typical of large consultancy firms, giving clients direct access to senior specialists and ensuring every engagement is focused, agile, and tailored.

 

Our work is strategic and preventative. We design training programmes to help organisations build resilience before crises occur, facilitate workshops that strengthen leadership and decision-making, and lead structured learning processes that capture lessons from past events. When immediate challenges arise, we provide high-level advisory support, helping senior decision-makers interpret emerging risks and act with clarity. Across every engagement, we aim to bridge the gap between science and policy, ensuring that complex technical insights translate into practical strategies that protect people and strengthen systems.

 

While Dr Lightfoot’s expertise provides the foundation, NLA is powered by a collective of consultants whose experience spans public health, biosecurity, emergency planning, and policy. This team model allows us to work internationally, tailoring our support to diverse contexts and clients. More information about the individuals behind NLA can be found on our Team page, where the three principal consultants currently active within the organisation are profiled in detail.

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Collaboration That Delivers Better Outcomes​

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Our guiding principle is simple: collaboration delivers better outcomes. We believe that bringing together independent experts — each with deep specialist knowledge — enables more nuanced strategies and stronger results for our clients. Whether we are advising a national government, an international agency, or a private sector partner, we approach every project with discretion, integrity, and a commitment to evidence-based solutions. At NLA, we are united by a shared goal: to make global health security more effective, more resilient, and more human.

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