The way we manage and lead people hasn’t changed much since Victorian times – and it shows. High stress levels, poor engagement, and inefficient systems have become the norm in many workplaces. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I help organisations rethink how they lead – starting from the bottom up. My approach is shaped by the view from the ground, not from the boardroom. I've often found myself listening to senior leaders – Brigadiers, Generals, CEOs – and thinking, When did you forget what it was like to be starting out? Leadership too often loses touch with reality, buried in strategy and stuck in silos.

What makes me different is that I never left the shopfloor. My whole career – across sectors, roles, and even continents – has been about making things work better for the people doing the work. I’m not an academic or a textbook expert. I’ve run my own restaurant, worked with start-ups and multinationals, and served in military logistics in Bosnia and Afghanistan. Every role left behind a trail of improvement – not because I was asked to, but because I couldn’t help but ask, Why do we do it this way?

I don’t bring buzzwords or management jargon. I bring curiosity, practical insight, and a challenge to the status quo. My sessions are built around real examples, lived experience, and sharp questions – the kind that make people stop and say, “I hadn’t thought of that.” Whether it’s one team or a whole conference, I aim to change how people think about work.

My formal education? I’d call it three years backpacking across Africa – richer in lessons than any lecture theatre, but sadly light on certificates. What I do have is a lifetime of stories, scars, and successes – and a track record of making things better, wherever I’ve landed.

If you want a speaker who’ll provoke fresh thinking, offer genuine perspective, and leave people with questions worth answering – then we should talk.