Leadership Advisor and Thinking Partner

Develop Leaders Who Lead With Clarity, Humanity, and Impact

What I Do

I work with senior leaders and organisations as a leadership advisor and thinking partner who want to navigate complexity, lead with empathy, and deliver sustainable performance without losing themselves or their edge.

Alongside my broader leadership work, I specialise in supporting founders, CEOs, and boards in technology-driven, digital, and SaaS businesses, where the pace of change, scale, and commercial pressure place unique demands on leadership and decision-making.

With over 30 years’ experience as an entrepreneur and CEO, I’ve founded, grown, and successfully exited multiple businesses, many in the digital and technology sector. I’m also the author of five books on leadership, creativity, and entrepreneurship, with a sixth – The Leadership Book: Achieving the Empathetic Edge – publishing in early 2026.

My work takes two forms. I offer individual leadership advisory support for leaders facing specific challenges or transitions, and I deliver focused leadership programmes for those seeking a more structured developmental journey. I also work at board level with technology organisations as a strategic advisor and Non-Executive Director.

.

How I Work

A Thoughtful, Grounded Approach

My approach is not about quick fixes or generic leadership models.

It is about:

creating space to think clearly
challenging assumptions
strengthening judgement
leading with empathy and confidence

I work best with leaders who value reflection, depth and practical insight.

‘‘When you create the right conditions, ideas appear. Creativity doesn’t happen by accident — it happens by design.”

Neil Francis

The Creative Thinking Book - how to ignite and boost your creativity

Leadership Programmes

I offer a small number of focused programmes designed to create space for thinking, reflection, and better leadership decisions.

The Empathetic Edge™
Executive leadership advisory focused on emotional intelligence, clarity, and confidence.
Explore Programme

The Creative Edge™
Creative thinking for leaders and teams navigating uncertainty and change.
Explore Programme

The Entrepreneur’s Edge™
Advisory support for developing entrepreneurial thinking in professional services leaders

Explore Programme

.

“The desire to act must outweigh the fear of getting it wrong.”

Neil Francis

The Entrepreneur’s Book - The Crucial ‘why’ questions that determine sucess’’

Let’s Talk

If you would like to explore working together, or simply have an initial conversation, you’re very welcome to get in touch.

📞 0771 252 7158
✉️ neil@neil-francis.com

‘‘Empathy isn’t soft. It’s the strongest skill a leader can have’’