"Homogeneity sucks." - Tom Peters

Overview

International Biographies

Richard King
Managing Director, International

Richard was evicted from his first scout camp at age 11 after an altercation with his patrol leader—a portent of things to come for the independent-minded lad who played soccer internationally at 14, fashioned himself a “Mod” at 16, and idolized Winston Churchill and Henry Ford.

It might be a stretch to claim that Richard’s academic study of tribology (the friction of moving parts) has been the secret to his success in helping individuals and teams work together. Yet he has been effective at harnessing the power of interpersonal conflict and “creative abrasion” in the executive teams he works with. His cockney roots growing up in a working class community (which had been encouraged by the Luftwaffe to relocate from East London to Essex) and his postgraduate work in industrial relations and the auto industry have served him well in relating easily to—and dealing fearlessly with—a wide variety of leaders working in extremely challenging situations.

Now in his second decade of work with the Tom Peters community, Richard focuses particularly on top-level culture, mindset, and employee engagement. He works with leaders and executive teams in a broad range of industries to “make the work matter.” His work life is founded on an ability to build strong relationships with clients, and he takes great pride in the longevity of those relationships—e.g., with Rolls-Royce, Virgin, Sainsbury’s, Avon, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Rank Group.

In his private life, Richard is a passionate soccer fan (with a piece of the original Wembley Stadium turf growing in his Essex garden) and an equally passionate evader of all things related to DIY. He lives with his wife Sue, and their two sons, Will and Tom, both of whom have recently graduated from University and resumed keeping their clothes in the family home.
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Madeleine McGrath
Managing Director, International

Madeleine considers herself a misfit from an artistic background. Graduating from Leeds University in Yorkshire with an honors degree in music, she pondered a career in singing before coming to her senses at the last minute! Instead, being the daughter of two educators, she chose to specialize in her second obsession: helping people develop their talent. She worked in personnel and organization in the manufacturing industry as a young adult, but she escaped with an excellent reputation, eight years of hands-on experience, and her passion for learning intact! After meeting Tom Peters at one of his legendary Skunk Camps in 1988, she’s been working with his businesses ever since.

Working first as a joint venture partner in the UK, and then as a Director in the London Office of Tom Peters Group, Madeleine has been a main player in the development of learning and development programs that sit alongside Tom’s ideas on business excellence. Designing workshops that connect Tom’s ideas with work realities is her real forte. People find them fun, challenging, hard work, and worthwhile. Madeleine has had a hand in the development of many of the implementation tools and programs that are at the root of Tom Peters Company’s work in businesses such as Virgin, The Amtico Company, The One Account, Princes Group, and Rolls-Royce.

In her spare time Madeleine takes herself far too seriously. She is an active member of the BBC Symphony Chorus, appearing annually on the television during the Promenade season. She is also a student of the Alexander Technique and a director of a major UK charity. In her other spare moments, Madeleine is studying for her MA in Open & Distance Learning!
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Chris Nel

Not many business consultants can boast of having 20 grams of steel plates & screws in their bodies! But Chris has used his experience in competitive sports and military training (he has broken his spine twice at the same point) to toughen him to the challenges of business. He has competed on the British Triathlon team and been an officer with the Royal Marine Commandos—seeing service in Northern Ireland, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Norway, Belize, Brunei and more recently in the first Gulf conflict—before bringing his leadership experience into civilian life 12 years ago.

Chris spent four years as an operations manager, culminating in a regional management role for one of the major FTSE 100 businesses. There he recognized the importance of focusing leadership on both the systems and the passion side of business. In his seven years with the Tom Peters Company he has applied this learning to more than 25 major client projects, including ASDA, CPP, Lloyds of London, Norwich Union, Rolls-Royce Aerospace, Sainsbury’s, TMP Worldwide, Texas Instruments, Unilever, Virgin One Account, and Zurich Financial Services. He has also been doing speaking engagements in the Balkan nations on creating an entrepreneurial spirit in organizations.

Chris’s basic approach is to build trusting relationships, understand the client business, and to clarify required outcomes. This he sees as essential to surviving the inevitably bumpy ride of business transformation and “getting beyond partnership to provocation” wherein real value is added. His style, as expected from someone with his background, is energetic, pragmatic, and results-obsessed. Not tolerant of mediocrity, he achieved notoriety on the British Tom Peters team for sacking its largest client ever!

When not at work, Chris lives amphibiously—and his definition of happiness always involves water.
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Ruth MacAdam

Ruth has been called a “terrier” for barking at the heels of team members who don’t take accountability for their actions. Her consulting style is “no nonsense,” too—a pragmatic approach combining a natural empathy and interest in people with the confidence to challenge assumptions and behaviors that prevent businesses from performing to their potential.

Ruth’s background in the hospitality and retail sectors—where teams and organizations live and die by the quality of service they provide—inducted her early into the “Professional Service Firm” mindset. She understands the importance of balancing organizational systems and passion to deliver extraordinary business results.

In her work with the Tom Peters Company Ruth strongly believes in working collaboratively with her clients to improve business performance. By focusing on the individual and organizational development needs AND the need to deliver results, she quickly gains the respect of operational managers.

Contemporary projects include:

  • Facilitating culture change and associated leadership programs across all levels of a business
  • Working with a branded restaurant chain on its learning and development strategy, which has culminated in a National Training Award
  • Facilitating a senior manager team in developing their strategic vision in the IT sector

Ruth has recently extended her commitment to personal development by undertaking a Masters in Organizational Consulting.
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David Pilbeam

David is living testimony to his belief that education and coaching can turn a competent player into a star performer.

David began his work life teaching in International Schools, spending five years in Malawi and Portugal before moving into the hospitality business in Hong Kong. There the challenge of working in a new industry in another radically different culture trained him in the harsh demands of leadership in a results-driven environment.

Back in the UK David became Operations Director for a health and leisure club business start-up. Over the course of five years the business was created, developed, and sold—the ideal preparation for his subsequent consulting work with the Tom Peters Company.

David believes passionately that people’s talent is often left untapped by their work. He uses all his educational and coaching skills to “make the work matter” in people’s lives and to set up work environments in which individuals and teams can thrive and prosper.

Motor-biking, fly-fishing, cycling, walking, golf, and reading fill in the gaps between David’s work projects and the challenges associated with bringing up young Olivia and Max. The sporting highlight of David’s life was completing the New York Marathon in 2001 with friends from school. (Just don’t ask him about his time!)
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Helen Green

Raised in English Shire country in a close family of scientists, Helen quickly became a black sheep for choosing to study Hotel and Catering Management at Surrey University rather than follow a career path into a laboratory or clinic! Helen worked for ten years in the UK hospitality industry, first as a line manager and then in people development with two large brewing organizations. She was also a Communications Manager with a German franchise organization.

Her business experience to date has given Helen a balanced appreciation of hard-headed business realities and a basic belief in productivity through people. Helen has been a member of the Tom Peters Company team for eight years, and she has worked with clients across a broad range of industries.

Her basic thesis: Most organizations barely touch the true potential of their people. This theme characterizes her approach to all of her work.

Having been brought up on a diet of competitive sports from equestrianism to squash, Helen still keeps alive her many interests outside of work. She is especially proud of her participation in the 2001 London Marathon for the British Kidney Patients Association.
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