Workshops & Keynotes

Leadership workshops and keynotes that align strategy, build teams and spark action

I run leadership workshops, strategy workshops, offsites and keynotes for CEOs and senior leadership teams. These sessions create clarity, strengthen collaboration and give teams the tools to deliver.

Why choose my workshops and keynotes?

Workshops and keynotes are a chance to bring your senior people together, cut through the noise and focus on what matters. I make sure these sessions:

Produce real decisions and clear outcomes
Help teams collaborate more effectively
Challenge assumptions and spark new ideas
Build alignment and momentum that lasts

I take care of all planning, session design and follow-up. You get a smooth, professional workshop or keynote that delivers meaningful outcomes – without the admin burden.

What to expect

Every workshop and keynote I run is designed to feel different from the usual meeting or away day. My style is practical and straight-talking – I create a space where senior teams can get to the point quickly, have the conversations they normally avoid, and come away with decisions that actually stick.

Partnership: I work with you to shape the agenda and follow through on outcomes.
Tailored sessions: Every session is built around your goals, your people and your context.
Psychological safety: People speak openly, listen well and tackle the hard topics.
Clear outputs: Every session ends with actionable next steps that carry forward.

The aim is always the same: less theatre, more substance. By the time the session ends, you’ll have clarity on the issues that matter most, a shared sense of direction, and the confidence to move forward knowing everyone is on the same page.

Trusted by leaders at  200+ organisations

I've worked with leaders from a wide range of organisations, from corporate household names to agencies, public sector bodies, universities, charities and startups.

500

Workshops

I discovered workshop facilitation over 15 years ago, and love helping groups explore opportunities, solve problems and build relationships.

10,000

Participants

And this is a conservative estimate. I've facilitated and spoken for groups of all shapes and sizes from 2 to 500.

50+

Countries

I've travelled and worked in many countries, from Argentina to Uganda. I'm based in south east England.

28

Years

My career started in travel PR, with several top agencies. I've been speaking and facilitating workshops for 15 years.

Types of sessions I deliver

Over the years I've led all kinds of sessions, for a wide range of groups. Here are some of the formats and environments I excel in and enjoy most.

Strategy Workshops

I work directly with leadership teams to define the best strategy for their organisation’s future. These typically involve multi-day offsite workshops, followed by quarterly reviews to ensure the team stays on course and hits its targets.

Leadership Offsites

I design and facilitate sessions that help leaders collaborate across silos and build strategies for working better with key customers and stakeholders. I also run leadership development programmes to build high-performing senior teams.

Keynote Speaking

I speak at conferences and leadership events on topics like strategy, team alignment, high performance and change. My talks are clear, down-to-earth and packed with practical ideas, designed to spark real conversations.

High Performance

I work with leadership groups to unlock their personal potential, helping them focus on key strengths, set clear goals, and build the confidence to tackle challenges - creating a mindset for consistent, high-level performance.

Team Development

I run engaging sessions that bring the whole team together, aligning everyone around common goals and priorities – and building stronger team spirit and rapport along the way.

Strategic Thinking

Strategy can easily become a box-ticking exercise or a once-a-year ritual. I challenge leaders to think more clearly, act more deliberately, and create strategies that actually guide day-to-day decisions.

Working with me

Whether I’m running a hands-on leadership workshop or delivering a thought-provoking keynote, I’m not there to impress - I’m there to make it count.

I’ve worked with groups of all sizes and backgrounds, from executive teams to full company offsites.

Here's what you can expect:

A practical, results‑ driven leadership facilitator

I specialise in facilitating leadership workshops, strategy sessions and senior team offsites that deliver real outcomes. My approach is straight‑talking and focused on helping leaders align on priorities, make clear decisions and move forward together.

15+ years of experience with executive teams

I’ve worked with CEOs, boards and leadership teams in more than 50 countries, across industries from technology and manufacturing to professional services and education. That breadth of experience means I know how to adapt my facilitation style and tools to different leadership challenges.

Calm, impartial and unafraid of tough conversations

As an independent facilitator, I create a safe space where senior leaders can be honest, tackle difficult issues and resolve tensions that block progress. My role is to guide discussions so they lead to clarity, commitment and action.

Collaborative and engaging by nature

I work alongside you, not in front of you. My facilitation style is collaborative, curious and highly interactive, helping teams solve complex problems, strengthen relationships and turn ideas into practical next steps.

LEADERSHIP TEAM DEVELOPMENT

“James facilitated our off-site sessions with a level of insight, empathy, and precision that brought clarity to our strategy and strengthened our alignment as a leadership team. He created a space where open, honest dialogue could flourish — and because of that, we’re now operating with greater unity, purpose, and collaboration. If you're looking to unlock the full potential of your leadership team, I can’t recommend James highly enough. His work goes beyond facilitation — it’s transformative.”

Steve Williamson
CEO, Global Inkjet Systems

VISION & VALUES

“James worked with us to decipher the National Space Centre's values. He facilitated group storytelling workshops and created bespoke resources for us. James asked the right questions throughout the whole process, and our team found him very easy to work with. His input was impartial, insightful and extremely valuable.”

Kersti Fourcin
Communications Manager
National Space Centre

STRATEGY CREATION

“James ran an offsite for our board to define our strategy for the coming years. It was incredibly helpful to have a skilled facilitator to help us analyse our business, clarify our thinking and challenge us to make decisions on our future direction.”

Chris Peach
Chief Financial Officer
Munnelly Group

INNOVATION WORKSHOPS

“I’ve organised and attended a number of workshops facilitated by James, and would highly recommend him. He’s easy to work with, puts participants at ease and has a creative, practical approach.”

Prof. David Wagg
Sheffield University &
Alan Turing Institute

TEAM DEVELOPMENT

"James helped us run an all staff away day after 2 years of remote working. Many staff had never met and the event really brought us together. James listened to the brief and together we designed a fun and engaging programme which ensured we achieved our aims. James was very easy to work with, efficient, accommodating and he is a skilled facilitator."

Lisa King
Senior Programme Manager
Health Technology Wales

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

“You have achieved so much. Your influence and training have resulted in outcomes that exceeded my hopes and expectations.”

Jenny Green
Founder & Director
AEL Outdoor Solutions

TEAM DEVELOPMENT

"Just want to take the opportunity to thank you again for a really great, lively, useful session. Definitely the best I’ve been part of."

Stacy-Ann Wilson
Head of Global Marketing
Oxford Economics

VISION & VALUES

"From the minute I spoke to James, he came across as an expert who was incredibly knowledgeable and wanted to understand our business and objectives so he could get the best out of us. James tailored his approach to ensure everyone was heard - from physicists to HR!"

Kath Pallas
Head of HR
SmartKem

Testimonials

I loved working with these clients, and am grateful for their kind words. Will you be next?

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FAQs

Some common questions asked in client conversations

What types of workshops do you run?
How are workshops different from leadership offsites?
Do you provide keynote talks as well?
How do you prepare for a workshop or keynote?
How do you ensure outcomes last beyond the workshop?
How much do workshops or keynotes cost?