I’ve asked the difficult questions. I’ve also had to answer them.
I’ve investigated murders, commanded armed operations, managed kidnap incidents and made decisions where someone’s life depended on getting it right. I’ve also led hundreds of people, been responsible for organisational performance, challenged senior leaders, managed significant change and dealt with the politics, personalities and pressures that come with running large organisations.
And despite all that experience, I still know what it’s like to get something wrong, and how lonely that can be. Perhaps that’s one of the most valuable things I’ve learned.
You can be intelligent, successful, experienced and surrounded by capable people and still miss something important. You can convince yourself you’ve considered every possibility, when actually you’ve only considered the ones you can see. And the more senior you become, the less likely it is that someone will tell you.
That’s where I come in.
Book a confidential conversation
A rather unconventional career
Before founding Rowan Sage Advisory, I spent 28 years in the Metropolitan Police, retiring as a Detective Superintendent. For 25 years, I was a detective, investigating some of the most serious and complex crimes imaginable. I became an accredited Senior Investigating Officer and Strategic Investigator, responsible for investigations where assumptions had to be challenged, information tested and difficult conclusions reached.
I was also a Specialist Strategic Firearms Commander, making decisions about armed deployments, kidnap operations and threats to life. There’s nothing quite like having to make a decision with incomplete information, knowing you will be accountable for the consequences.
But I wasn’t simply an investigator or operational commander. For 13 years, I held senior leadership positions across criminal investigations, specialist firearms operations, command and control, and strategic coordination. I led teams of hundreds and worked at a strategic level across four operational commands comprising approximately 2,000 people.
I’ve been responsible for improving performance, managing organisational risk, developing strategy and leading significant change. I’ve dealt with challenging personalities, competing priorities, difficult conversations and the uncomfortable reality that a decision can be perfectly reasonable when you make it and still turn out to be wrong. I’ve developed organisational leadership and culture strategies, overseen major changes to specialist roles and worked with senior teams to turn plans into results.
A little more about me
Outside work, you’ll usually find me coaching rugby or in the garden. I love rugby for the game itself and for the chance to give something back. Gardening is a different pleasure altogether: I enjoy creating things, growing plants and getting my hands dirty.
Why I set up Rowan Sage
When I left policing, I wasn’t ready to stop using what I’d learned. I set up Rowan Sage to continue helping people and organisations, while working in a way that reflected what matters to me: candour, fairness, compassion and a belief that when things go wrong, we should seek to understand and learn rather than simply find someone to blame. I also believe people deserve to be valued and treated fairly, whatever their position.
So why does any of that matter to you?
Because leadership can be a lonely place, particularly when you’re the person everyone expects to have the answers. And when something goes wrong in your organisation, the worry about what happened, who’s affected and what comes next can be enormous.
I’ve been there. I’ve carried that responsibility, made difficult decisions and dealt with the consequences. I’ve also learned that sometimes you need someone who understands what you’re facing, but isn’t so close to it that they can’t see what you might be missing.
Make difficult decisions when the pressure is on.
I’ve made decisions knowing they would be scrutinised afterwards, sometimes when lives depended on the outcome. I understand the weight of responsibility and the fear of getting something wrong. I can help you work through the difficult choices, consider what you might have overlooked and reach decisions you can stand by.
Find out what’s really going on.
When something goes wrong in your organisation, you need answers, but you also need to know that the people involved will be treated fairly. I’ve spent years establishing facts, questioning accounts and examining what others may have missed. I’ll bring that same rigour, independence and compassion to understanding what happened and what needs to change.
Get the best from your people.
I’ve led hundreds of people, dealt with poor performance, rebuilt trust and managed significant change. I know how frustrating it can be when people aren’t delivering, despite your best efforts. I can help you understand what’s getting in the way and find practical ways to improve performance without losing sight of the people behind it.
Achieve something that matters to you.
I’ve coached and mentored people through career progression, professional development and difficult personal decisions. I’ve also experienced the competing demands of career, family, study and personal ambitions. Whether you’re feeling stuck, questioning your direction or striving for something important, I’ll help you work out what you really want and how to get there.
I’m direct and I’ll challenge you, but I also know that behind every difficult decision, organisational problem or personal ambition, there are people with concerns, hopes and sometimes fears.
You can expect honesty, empathy and compassion, without avoiding the conversations that need to happen.
I won’t pretend to have all the answers. But I bring the experience to recognise what might be missing, the confidence to ask difficult questions and the compassion to help you work through what we uncover.
There is academic substance behind the experience, too.
The positions I’ve held are only part of it. I’ve also gained formal qualifications and specialist accreditations in psychology, leadership, coaching, investigation and operational command.
Academic qualifications
- Master of Studies (MSt) in Applied Criminology and Police Management, University of Cambridge
- Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology
- BSc (Hons) Psychology
Leadership and coaching
- Chartered Management Institute Level 7 qualifications in Strategic Management and Leadership, and Coaching and Mentoring
- Certificate in Coaching
- Primary Certificate in Performance Coaching
- Primary Certificate in Stress Coaching
Currently working towards the Centre for Coaching Accredited Advanced Diploma.
Specialist professional accreditations
- PIP3 Senior Investigating Officer
- PIP4 Strategic Investigator
- Kidnap and Extortion Senior Investigating Officer
- Specialist Strategic Firearms Commander
- Former Specialist Tactical Firearms Commander
- Former Tier 3 investigative interviewer and Tier 5 interview adviser
- Former Authorised Firearms Officer
- Former Hostage and Crisis Negotiator
Professional memberships and recognition
- Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (CMgr FCMI)
- Full member of the British Psychological Society and member of its Division of Coaching Psychology
- Associate member of the Association for Coaching
- Technical Member of the Institute of Risk Management (SIRM)
- Nine commendations received during my policing career
If something matters enough to seek another perspective, it is worth a conversation.