Leigh Howes

I help organisations develop their senior leaders to drive competitive advantage.  Shifting them from great specialist operational experts into sharper, more conscious high impact people leaders who manage, inspire and develop high performing, innovative teams.  

About

I work with senior leaders in professional services, corporate organisations, and investor-backed businesses who’ve hit a point where operational brilliance alone isn’t either enough or sustainable to move to their next level. 

My clients are sharp thinkers, high performers and deeply respected in their role.  But the demands at this level, along with the pace of change they are leading through means the complexity of key relationships, the weight of influence and pressure to perform (whilst holding everything together at work and at home) requires something deeper and different than what got them to where they are now.  Additionally, because of the speed they run at, they rarely get a chance to step out of the work and gift themselves time to pause, think, reflect and get honest about what’s really going on and needs to change.

This is where I come in.

I partner and help C-suite executives, fast-growing founders, senior directors, and heads of function move from their operational expertise to leading with impact. The kind of conscious leadership built on clearer boundaries, deeper self-awareness, and a depth of trust that brings people on this pacey, uncertain journey of change.

The leaders I work with aren’t broken – they are in growth.  The reason they come to me differs; they could be navigating career moves, new to role/company, navigating restructures or changes of ownership, need to influence in higher stake conversations and moments, are overthinking decisions and nearly all realise what got them to this point won’t get them (or be sustainable) to where they need to go next. Whatever their reason, the commercial reality is clear: when senior leaders communicate with more clarity, build stronger trust, manage and regulate their own emotions and prioritise effectively, the whole organisation benefits.  

The organisations I’ve worked with have seen tangible results: improved retention of senior talent, stronger employee engagement, faster and more confident decision-making and leadership teams that operate and communicate with genuine trust and courage rather than functional politeness.

Why me?

I’ve spent three decades working with senior leaders including CFOs, CMOs, CDOs, CEOs, from start-up founders to Fortune 500 executives, across industries including hospitality, retail, and high-growth consumer brands. I’ve been trusted by organisations including KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Wingstop, Kontoor Brands (Wrangler, Lee), Greene King, and Iceland.

I am an ICF Certified Executive Coach who trained through the Center for Executive Coaching and a Master Practitioner with Strengthscope®. Before my coaching business, I was Head of HR for KFC and Pizza Hut, so I’ve sat in the chair, navigated the politics, and led through the complexity that my clients face. I don’t just understand leadership theory. I’ve lived the reality of leading under pressure.

My personal journey with cancer has given me an added perspective on prioritisation, boundaries, and what it means to lead and live on your own terms. It’s the reason I trademarked The Personal Contract®, because I know that the terms on which we lead and live are not something that can be left undefined.

I blend evidence-based insight with real-world pragmatism and empathy with honest challenge. If your leaders are ready for meaningful, lasting change not just incremental improvement, I’d love to connect and explore what we could achieve together.