Inspiring Leadership with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE

GSM (Garrison Sergeant Major) Bill Mott was known as Her Majesty (HM) The Queen’s Ceremonial Warrant Officer. The Garrison Sergeant Major London District is the Co-Ordinator and SME (Subject Matter Expert), organizing all State Ceremonial Events. Some of the tasks he helped orchestrate included, HM The Queen Mother’s Funeral in 2002, HM’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in 2002 and 2012 respectively, the Royal Wedding in 2011 and the Funeral of Baroness Thatcher in 2013 as well as all annual State Ceremonial Parades. Since August 2025 he has served as the Deputy Commandant of Operations at the Missouri Military Academy.GSM Mott was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in The Queen’s Birthday Honors 2007. He was presented with a new insignia or badge of rank reviving the original one made for a select group of Sergeant Majors appointed to the Court of King William IV in the early 19th Century. He was awarded the MVO (Member of the Victorian Order) in the Diamond Jubilee Honors in 2012, for his personal service to HM The Queen, organizing the Armed Forces Parade and Diamond Jubilee. Lastly, GSM Mott was granted The Freedom of The City of London in 2013 for his significant service to The City.

Matt Alder is a futurist and strategic consultant who works with organisations to navigate the changing landscape of Talent, HR, and the future of work. He is the host of Recruiting Future, one of the world’s most influential podcasts in this space, and the author of two books, Exceptional Talent and Digital Talent. Over his 25-year career, he has advised global employers on foresight, technology, and strategic workforce capability. Matt is an experienced keynote speaker who has presented in 18 countries, known for offering clear, practical insight into the forces reshaping work and their implications for leadership.

A podcast that arose after a fortuitous meeting on a train, Air Commodore Rich Davies CBE is a retired RAF tornado pilot, Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty The Queen and now works as a Defence and Political Advisor (Air), providing strategic input across fast jet integration, future air combat capability, and defence engagement.   In this episode, Rich shares his journey and lessons learned along the way throughout his long and successful career in the RAF and now in the private sector. 

Nick started his career as a nightclub promoter, DJ, and recording artist in Leeds, later moving to his first corporate role at London Records in 1994. He co-founded NorthWestSide Records at BMG, where he signed Jay-Z for the UK market. He served as Managing Director of Epic Records UK and later relaunched London Records for Universal Music. Nick was President of Capitol Records UK from 2013 to 2021, signing and developing Sam Smith, 5 Seconds of Summer, and other major artists. After leaving Capitol, he founded NWS Music Group with Christian Tattersfield, focusing on records, publishing, and sync licensing. Impact and Current Activities - Raphael is recognised for signing and nurturing award-winning artists, with his roster achieving multiple UK No.1 singles and albums - He regularly serves as an executive advisor and mentor, for instance, joining the A&R talent group at Cre8ing Vision where he helps emerging music executives and artists - His entrepreneurial ventures continue to shape the UK and global music scene, with a focus on discovering new talent and maximising artist success Nick Raphael is widely regarded as a dynamic force in the music talent business, blending artist development, strategic vision, and A&R leadership across decades of executive roles

The 400th episode explores The CEO’s Compass as a practical framework of eight quotients – Moral, Purpose, Health, Emotional, Collective, Resilience, Brand and Legacy – distilled from over 400 leaders and 1,500 CEO conversations, to help leaders navigate uncertainty with clarity and courage. Jonathan and Leigh Bowman-Perks discuss vivid stories and tips from leaders such as Horst Schulze, Sherilyn Shackell, Anna Hemmings, Deanna Oppenheimer, Ankur Sinha, Gavin Patterson, Stuart Haire and Lord Dr Michael Hastings, showing how values, purpose, wellbeing, emotional intelligence, diversity, resilience, feedback and stewardship translate into everyday leadership decisions.The conversation closes by inviting listeners to see their legacy as already being written, to use the book as a compass for themselves and their teams, and to “go, live it, lead it” with Inspiring Leadership at the heart.Through the profits of this new book, The CEO’s Compass: How to Navigate Your Team Through Turbulent Times, Jonathan and Leigh Bowman-Perks are proud to support the Inspiring Leadership Foundation charity.This special 400th-episode celebration of the Inspiring Leadership podcast marks a major milestone in sharing stories of courage, authenticity, and service-driven leadership across the world.The conversation behind this episode captures Jonathan’s lifelong mission: to equip CEOs and their teams to lead with clarity and compassion in turbulent times, while directly giving back to vulnerable and disadvantaged communities through the Foundation’s work.

Nabeel Kaukab is the Founder and CEO of Jaan Health, a software company transforming chronic disease management with AI-powered virtual care. He brings over 25 years of experience bridging healthcare and emerging technology. Before starting Jaan Health, he spent a decade as a Healthcare Investment Banker at UBS & Barclays Capital, where he advised on and executed IPOs, acquisitions and other financings worth more than $50 billion. Prior to that, Nabeel was an early-stage hire and software developer at Viant Corporation, where he helped build some of the earliest Internet applications and open several offices in the US and Europe, leading to the company’s successful 1999 IPO. He has a BA in Neuroscience and Behavior from Columbia University and attended graduate school for Biotechnology & Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Stuart Atha is a Director with BAE Systems, responsible for the development and delivery of the Air Training Strategy, a remit that includes enterprise-wide multi-domain training.  He is a member of the Air Board, Chair of PPM, a high-tech entity, and Head of the UK delegation to the NATO Industrial Advisory Group.   Prior to joining BAE Systems in 2020, Stuart served in the RAF for 35 years.  His career centred on operations both in the cockpit and command, notably in the Balkans, Libya, the Gulf and Afghanistan.  He commanded at squadron, station and group level before serving as the Chief of Staff at the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters, Stuart completed his Service as Deputy Commander of the RAF, a tour dominated by the counter-ISIS campaign in Iraq/Syria and NATO’s response to a resurgent Russia.   Stuart is an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham, lecturing on contemporary air power, and patron of the Jon Egging Trust, a charity that seeks to inspire and develop young people. He is also the RAF Commissioner in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.  Married with 5 adult children, Stuart lives with his wife and a variable number of children in Teddington London. 

Kate Griggs is a dyslexic social entrepreneur and Founder of global charity Made By Dyslexia. Kate is the world's leading voice on Dyslexic Thinking, a best-selling author, one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices and hosts the chart-topping podcast - Lessons In Dyslexic Thinking. Kate is also a course instructor on LinkedIn Learning and the University of Dyslexic Thinking - in partnership with Open University.    Kate’s award-winning work is re-defining dyslexia and inspiring a global movement for change. In 2022, Made By Dyslexia saw Dyslexic Thinking added as a skill on LinkedIn and a noun in the dictionary. Kate’s innovative approach to social change and advocacy has garnered global recognition, with her powerful TED talk  inspiring countless individuals and organisations to rethink how they perceive dyslexia.