Press Release: Krause Bell Group Announces Leadership Transition and Appointment of Co-CEOs

Ojai, CA – January 1, 2026 – Krause Bell Group today announced a leadership transition designed to ensure continuity and support the firm’s next phase of growth. Effective January 1, 2026, Filip Coumans and Rebecca Timmins have been appointed Co-Chief Executive Officers. Founder Tom Krause will assume the role of Chairman.

The appointments recognize Coumans’ and Timmins’ long-standing contributions to the firm and their leadership in expanding Krause Bell Group’s consulting work across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. The transition reflects the firm’s continued commitment to research-based consulting in safety, culture, and leadership.

Co-founder transition

As part of this transition, co-founder Kristen Bell will conclude her active working role with Krause Bell Group at the end of 2025, after more than 10 years with the company. She will remain a shareholder and active supporter of the firm.

“Without Kristen, Krause Bell Group would not have started,” Tom Krause stated in an internal end-of-year message. “Her contributions to the company have been enormous and cannot be overstated.”

Appointment of Co-CEOs

The appointment of Rebecca Timmins and Filip Coumans as Co-CEOs provides continuity for clients and reflects their deep commitment to Krause Bell Group’s innovation, research, and consulting work related to safety, culture, and organizational performance.

Besides their joint role as CEO to drive the overall strategy of the company, Rebecca Timmins and Filip Coumans will remain their operational role as Managing Director for the Americas and EMEA respectively ensuring continuity in operations.

Filip Coumans bring nearly 30 years of professional experience, including two decades focused on supporting executives of global organizations in designing and implementing safety improvement strategies. He has worked across sectors including oil and gas, chemicals, utilities, construction, and shipping, supporting step-changes in safety performance and organizational culture across multiple regions.

Rebecca Timmins brings more than 30 years of experience working with leaders from the frontline to the C-suite in over 20 countries. Her background includes biology, industrial hygiene, human resources, and systems management with a particular focus on decision analysis, and helping organizations achieve measurable improvements in safety and operational outcomes on large, complex projects.

Looking ahead

Krause Bell Group enters 2026 with a clearer and more focused approach to generating and delivering client work, a disciplined cost structure, and a refreshed leadership team.

With a continued commitment to research and innovation , Krause Bell Group provides consulting services to organizations worldwide seeking to strengthen leadership, improve decision-making and build cultures that support safer and more reliable performance. 

“We enter the coming year prepared to strengthen our working relationships, deliver work that creates safer workplaces, and continue to deepen our learning about how to do this work even better,” Tom Krause said.

Krause Bell Group develops and implements customized interventions and programs that build safer, more successful organizations by strengthening decision-making, improving leadership, and building culture. Their team of experienced Executive Consultants offer solutions that are grounded in research and data, including the groundbreaking 2010 Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) study led by Tom Krause, Krause Bell Group’s proprietary Safe Decision Making® Findings and Model, and the principles detailed in the 7 Insights Into Safety Leadership framework. For more information about Krause Bell Group and their consulting services visit www.krausebellgroup.com/consulting-services/