The Accidental Strategist
Operating Experience, Not Consulting Credentials
CEO, COO, Board, RAF Air Traffic Controller, Technology Founder
Why This Matters
Most AI advisory comes from people who have read about operating, not done it. That gap shows up the moment a portfolio CEO has to choose between an adoption plan and the quarterly numbers.
I have been the CEO making that call. I know what holds up under board pressure and what falls apart on contact with the operating reality. That is the lens I bring to every engagement.
Corporate Experience
CEO of a publicly listed multinational software business, 250 people, global.
Founded a speech recognition software company.
Board Chairman, Non-Executive Director, CEO, Startup Founder, Chief Operating Officer, VP R&D and Advanced Programs, VP Product Management
Transformed a 250 person, global, public technology company into a powerhouse of performance.
Created products and executed programs that generated over $500 million in revenue.
Job Functions
Several senior positions responsible for:
Product management | Program Management | software engineering | R&D | operations | QA and product testing | marketing | program management | business development | IT.
Industry Experience
Software & Technology
Simulation and Training
Aviation & Aerospace
Airline Operations and Cargo Logistics
Military Operations
Heavy Industry
Marine Operations
Before The Boardroom
A navigator and cargo officer, with the BP Shipping oil tanker fleet, starting at 17.
Then the Royal Air Force. Commissioned officer, Flight Lieutenant, air traffic controller. Juggling aircraft in crowded airspace where almost-right is not an option.
Air cargo operations on the Antonov 124, the world's largest aircraft. Satellites on Monday, disaster relief on Tuesday, a giraffe on Wednesday. We flew everything that did not fit anywhere else.
The thread runs through all of it. Operating in environments where mistakes have real consequences, where complexity is the default, and where the job is to make the call with what you have.
That is the training that informs the advisory work today.
Education
Master of Business Administration - Nottingham Trent University (2024)
Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice - Chartered Management Institute (2024)
Certifications
AI and technology certifications across Generative AI, Azure OpenAI, Machine Learning project management, and AI in the workplace. Earlier credentials in financial modelling, corporate governance, cybersecurity, and negotiation.
National Association of Corporate Directors Training
Financial Oversight, Risk Management Oversight, Compliance and Ethics, CEO Succession, Strategy and Long-Term Value Creation.
