Inspiring Leadership with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE

Mike Deeks CSC, Group Managing Director, Blue Ocean Marine Tech Systems Pty Ltd Mike assumed the role of Group MD of Blue Ocean Marine Tech Systems (BO-MTS) in September 2021. BO-MTS is a proudly Western Australian company servicing the offshore energy and defence sectors in Australia and the UK, utilising disruptive persistent uncrewed autonomous underwater vehicles fitted with an array of mission specific sensors.  Prior to joining BO-MTS, Mike was based in London as the Western Australian Agent General. Mike’s role was to represent Western Australian interests and promote Western Australia, throughout the UK, Europe and Israel, as a great place for investment, trade, research and development, education, training, and tourism. Mike had a 32-year naval career including command of three Oberon class submarines and the Fleet Replenishment ship, HMAS Success. His last role in the Royal Australian Navy was as the Commander of the Australian Submarine Group and the Senior Defence Officer in WA. He retired in the rank of Commodore in 2005. Awards include the Conspicuous Service Cross, the Australian Service Medal (Special Operations clasp), the Defence Force Service Medal (three bars) and the Australian Defence Medal. He is a Freeman of the City of London. Mike has a wealth of experience in Marine and Defence Industries, previously holding senior executive roles with L3 Nautronix, Raytheon and Civmec.Mike is currently a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Governance Committee for Parkerville Children and Youth Centre, a NFP organisation.Past Board roles include Non-Executive Directorships with the Pilbara Ports Authority and Dampier Port Authority, Deputy Chair of the Governing Council of Challenger Institute, member of the WA State Training Board, Chair of Stepping Stones Child Development Centre, member of the Menzies Australia Institute Advisory Board, Kings College, London, and member of the Britain Australia Society Advisory Board. Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Management from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (NSW). He is a Graduate (with Distinction) from the US Naval War College (Newport, RI) and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.Mike is very happily married to Jenny and they have three wonderful children and six delightful grandchildren. Mike’s pastimes and other interests include sailing (having completed four Sydney to Hobart yacht races), walking, bike riding, family times, attempting to play the bagpipes (it only has nine notes – how hard can it be!!), reading and practicing his Christian faith.

Days before his 21st birthday, Justin’s life changed irrevocably. A cough caused a herniated disc with subsequent surgeries all failing, resulting in paralysis and almost 18 months in hospital.Sport has always been a key aspect of Justin’s life and it promptly became a lifeline and career. In Wheelchair racing, Justin has won 29 marathon titles across the globe. Justin is also the World and European Champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Winning his 2nd World championship this year in Abu Dhabi. In 2022 Justin and a friend completed the 1st non supported crossing of the USA by handbike, towing his wheelchair behind him. The over 3000mile journey was completed in 48 days raising over £200,000 for a disabled children’s charity.A staunch activist for equality and human rights, Justin works tirelessly to see fair treatment for everyone.A mentor to newly injured civilians and veterans, in 2019 Justin was named in the Top 10 most powerful and influential disabled people in the UK.

As the co-founder of OasisX, Jimi is driving the innovation and growth of a company that leverages technology and decentralization to create new opportunities and solutions in various industries, such as real estate, trading, and gaming. With a passion for emerging technologies, he entered the cryptocurrency space in 2016 by establishing a successful crypto mining farm in Lebanon, and has since become a reputable crypto trader and investor, with a commitment to empowering talented individuals to shape the future.Jimi is also a partner of Jamil Ibrahim Establishment, one of Lebanon's leading family-owned high-end residential development companies, where he applies his diverse background and expertise in real estate, FNB, tech, and entertainment to identify and execute profitable investments across the globe. Equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate the complex and dynamic markets and sectors he operates in, a true visionary, Jimi is dedicated to making a lasting impact on the world through his entrepreneurial pursuits.

Roland Rudd – Founder & Chair, FGS Global Roland Rudd is a founder and Chair of FGS Global, the leading stakeholder advisory group created through the combination of Finsbury, Hering Schuppener, Glover Park Group and Sard Verbinnen. He provides personal counsel to board members and senior executives at the most critical moments for their companies. Prior to founding the strategic communications company Finsbury in 1994, he worked as a political and financial journalist at the Financial Times and The Times. Roland is also the Chair of Tate, which he has been involved with for the past 25 years, first serving as a Patron, Chair of the Business Advisory Group and then as Deputy Chair. He has also been a Trustee and fundraiser for the Royal Opera House and is currently a Trustee of the Bayreuth Festival, as well as a patron of Grange Park Opera and the Holburne Museum. He is currently Chair of the Governors for Millfield School, a Trustee at Speakers for Schools, an ambassador for Made by Dyslexia and an Honorary Fellow at the Centre for Corporate Reputation, Regents College, Oxford University. He also serves as a Specially Appointed Commissioner at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and is an Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society.Top Leadership Tip: Be focused: it’s so easy to waste time on things that have little or no relevance to what you are doing. Most people waste at least half their time doing irrelevant stuff.  Be effective: make what you are doing count, by making a difference. Don’t put things off; do them now. Have fun: you are best at what you are most passionate about. And in pursuing what you like best, it’s important to have fun.  Summary 1-line: “Be focused, be effective, and have fun – you are best at what you are most passionate about, and in pursuing what you like best, it’s important to have fun”.

Dr STEPHEN BARDEN, DprofDr Stephen Barden is a respected strategic, business and operational partner to corporate leaders and their organisations. After decades of experience at CEO and executive board levels across the media, technology, and communications sectors, Dr Barden established a thriving private practice in 2001, working extensively in the UK, Europe, the USA and Asia. Stephen is one of a few individuals who took up coach mentoring after having been at the top of the corporate ladder. And it is this experience of running entire organizations that has grounded his practice in both pragmatic wisdom as well as holistic strategy. His approach has helped his clients achieve strategic zenith whilst maintaining enough transparency “on the ground” to monitor ethical integrity. At an individual level, he empowers leaders and managers to wield their authority effectively, ensuring their true potential is harnessed. If his road to coach-mentoring was not via the usual HR-led path, neither was that to corporate leadership. Born in Tanzania, his parents sent him to what was then Apartheid South Africa after his birthplace’s liberation from colonial rule. His subsequent work in South Africa as broadcaster and political activist resulted in his being detained and then deported to Britain, where he landed with his wife, one year old son, a reel-to-reel tape recorder, 300 dollars and one contact. Realising that the on-screen/on mike star-roles were closely guarded, he focused on management in the media and later technology. Within 10 years he had reached the level of Managing Editor, then COO and finally CEO. He worked with, and for, such colourful characters as Rupert Murdoch, Jonathan and Tim Aitken, Bruce Gyngell and Guy Hands – involving projects in the UK, the US, mainland Europe and Asia. Dr Barden is also a writer and podcaster. His book, "How Successful Leaders Do Business with Their World," is a testament to his passion for fostering partnerships between leaders and stakeholders, arguing that the most successful leaders, partner with their stakeholders, to optimise access to the best ideas for both strategies and execution. As he puts it, “leaders who do not partner with their world risk shrinking their organisations to the size of their heads – and no one has a head that large.” Meticulously researched, very readable and strikingly insightful, his book shows how the experiences and assumptions, formed by children about the power balance they hold with their world goes on to help shape the way they wield authority and power as individuals. Drawing from interviews with top military, corporate, and educational leaders, Stephen’s book provides a wealth of practical wisdom for real-world application. Stephen presents and produces two podcasts: Migrant Odyssey, in which he explores the narratives of refugees and migrants; and The Power of Balance, which expands on the themes of his book. This extraordinarily rich experience has gifted Dr Barden with both the ability and appetite to shift perspectives, catalyse transformation, and empower organisations to not be left behind by the unforgiving changes sweeping the world. With a proven track record of driving success through ethical partnering leadership, Stephen is a sought-after speaker and partner for organisations and leaders dedicated to making a meaningful impact.

David P. Kasperson is co-author of the Wall Street Journal bestselling book, Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others. He has been building high-trust partnerships and innovative solutions for clients of FranklinCovey’s Global Trust Practice for more than 15 years, and has been instrumental in developingand teaching the Speed of Trust content. David is a collaborator with Stephen M. R. Covey, managing his speaking business and custom client solutions as the Director of Business Development. An expert on trust, he has served clients via consulting, coaching, program design, and keynote speaking in more than twenty countries.Prior to leading the Speed of Trust speaking business, David managed the Leading at the Speed of Trust Executive Workshop program held in Sundance, Utah, a premier senior-level leadership training, where he worked with hundreds of senior level and influential leaders from across the globe.His client experience includes work with multinational organizations, Fortune 500 companies, franchising, nonprofit, small businesses, educational and governmental agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and financial institutions, including Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, Adventist Health, Kash Group, Lockheed Martin, Nestle, Real Estate Board of New York, Chevron, Yale New Haven Health Center, Astellas, eBay, LinkedIn, Lend Lease Asia, and Utah Valley University.David graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA & an AA in Communication Theory & Practice from Utah Valley University. He recently served on the Board of Trustees at Mountainville Academy, a “Leader in Me” school that incorporates The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People into its curriculum.David resides with his wife and children in Utah’s beautiful Rocky Mountains.

Jim is the founder and Chairman of Afterburner Inc., a prominent management consulting and leadership training firm consisting of over 80 accomplished military professionals, both current and former. Having served as an F-15 Fighter/Instructor pilot in the U.S. Air Force, he established Afterburner in 1996. Jim is also the author of seven insightful books covering a spectrum of topics, from leadership and management development to veteran career transition. He stands as a globally acknowledged thought leader in agile continuous improvement, a pivotal aspect of Afterburner's acclaimed Flawless Execution methodology.Utilising Flawless Execution, Jim and his Afterburner team collaborate with numerous global corporations to foster results, bridge execution gaps, and expedite their individual, team, and organisational performance.Afterburner's excellence has been lauded with six Inc. Magazine's fastest growing company awards, and inclusion in Forbes Magazine's Small Giants List. They've engaged with 85% of the U.S. Fortune 50 and numerous Global 1000 corporations spanning 24 countries. The impactful work of Afterburner has graced esteemed publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Financial Times, Newsweek, and Meetings and Conventions Magazine. Their insights have also been featured on prominent national media networks including CNN, Fox News, CNBC, and Bloomberg News.Moreover, Jim holds the esteemed position of Co-Founder and former Chairman at Advanced Care Partners, an expeditiously advancing home healthcare company dedicated to the care of our nation's medically fragile children since 2010. The company has consistently secured a spot on Inc. Magazine's list of fastest growing companies each year since 2016 (6x). In a recent milestone, Advanced Care Partners joined forces with a leading private equity firm in the healthcare sector to propel their growth into the future.With a keen interest in start-ups, Jim is an active investor and board member in several ventures. Presently, he is actively seeking to expand his footprint in the realm of private equity, leveraging his expertise to guide companies through Afterburner Capital.

Saul brings almost 30 years of global clinical, commercial and governance experience in the healthcare and life sciences industries, having practice medicine in South Africa and the United Kingdom, been commercially responsible for the successful global launch of a $1BN+ annual revenue device delivered biotechnology product, and has led various advisory practices/firms focused on the regulatory, compliance, disputes and investigations. As an independent monitor and independent compliance expert to Life Sciences companies under government scrutiny and/or enforcement, Saul regularly interacts with the Office of Inspector General – Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Saul brings this unique experience of clinical, commercial and compliance experience to his support of governance within the industry. Speaking regularly at industry conferences, Saul has also published extensively on the role of the Board of Directors as it relates to their fiduciary responsibilities and healthcare compliance.

Pat is a retired Royal Marines Officer who lives in the Peak District with his wife Nicky. His mountaineering career began at school in the mountains of North Wales and since then he has climbed widely, made first ascents and led many expeditions to the Himalayas, Antarctica, North America, Africa and the alps. In 1980 he was awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze medal for saving the life of a fellow climber on a mountain in India. His career in the Royal Marines was long and varied; he ran the Nigerian Army Jungle Warfare Course and also commanded the Mountain & Arctic Warfare Cadre during Operation Haven, the Kurdish refugee crisis in 1991. He served as an advisor to the Kosovo Liberation Army and his last posting was in the Czech Republic where he commanded the British Military Training Team in Eastern Europe.Pat’s outdoor agenda was interrupted in 2018 when he suffered a serious climbing accident, sustained a spinal injury and was diagnosed as an ‘incomplete paraplegic’. At the accident site he was rescued by the Derby Mountain Rescue Team which, although not apparent at the time, was to open another chapter of his life.Pat enjoys Sea kayaking, mountain biking, motor biking, and boating. He is currently the Chairman of the Derby Mountain Rescue Team - the same team that rescued him in 2008.