Growth has outpaced the management rhythm
The business is still moving, but the board needs a clearer view of what is carrying the strain.
Available for Non-Executive Director and Board Chair conversations
Independent commercial judgement for boards and business leaders.
I help boards and business leaders make clear, defensible decisions at the moments that matter most.
Non-Executive Director
SME Board Chair
Independent Commercial Advisor
Founders and boards call me when growth gets commercially complicated. I held senior commercial roles at Hyperion and Informatica, and for more than 20 years have advised businesses independently across Europe and with US firms. I have also chaired an SME board. I am now taking on Non-Executive Director and Board Chair roles with technology and tech-enabled SMEs and mid-market businesses.
Situations
Where I can help a board
Reports are full, confidence is thin
The pack is full, yet the important commercial signal is still hard to find.
Founder dependence is becoming a risk
The founder remains central to momentum, decisions and customer confidence.
Customer quality needs more scrutiny
Revenue may look healthy while concentration, churn, margin or delivery pressure tells a different story.
Investor expectations are rising
The business needs to show the judgement, evidence and operating discipline behind its growth story.
The next decision is unclear
Everyone can name the symptoms. The board still needs to decide what matters most.
Experience
Board and commercial evidence
2020 to present
Independent Commercial Advisor
Advising founders, CEOs and investors in the UK, Europe and the USA on commercial due diligence, market position and growth credibility.
2013 to 2016
Non-Executive Director and Board Chair, Britannia Garment Packaging
Chaired an SME board, strengthened governance and mentored the CEO through 3 years of balance-sheet growth.
2003 to 2019
Goldsbrough Consulting
Spent 16 years advising businesses across technology, finance, health, education and manufacturing, including clients in Europe and the USA.
1989 to 2003
Hyperion and Informatica
Held senior commercial and marketing roles across UK, European and US enterprise software markets, including years working around Europe and living in Connecticut.
Evidence
Why the Non-Executive Director offer is credible
- Prior Non-Executive Director and Board Chair experience in a UK SME from 2013 to 2016.
- Senior enterprise software roles with Hyperion and Informatica across Europe and the USA.
- Over 20 years of independent commercial advisory work across technology, finance, education, health and manufacturing, with clients in Europe and the USA.
- Practical understanding of different cultures and working practices from international operating and advisory work.
- Mentoring for founders and young entrepreneurs.
- Published author of Business Plans Made Really Simple.
Thinking
Boardroom observations
I write about commercial judgement, board behaviour and the decisions that reveal what is really happening in a business.
Why strategy only becomes useful when the board can see what has been chosen and what must be left behind.
A £7m manufacturer, a volatile daily report and the longer view that changed a capacity decision.
Why better board answers can weaken a business when management no longer owns the work.
Contact