Hello

I’m Ian Waddelow.

  • Business consiglieri to CEOs, worldwide.

  • Educator and Advisor on board performance.

  • Speaker at events.

  • Strategist and brand marketeer.

Most clients I meet are not sure what they need, but they know they need something. In an increasingly noisy, complex and time-compressed world, they realise no individual has all the answers.

That’s why every great leader throughout history found their consiglieri. Someone they could trust, rely on, always in the foxhole with them, cutting through the noise, sharpening their thinking, and escaping the tyranny of the urgent to focus on what mattered.

After all, as the captain of the ship, if you are not steering everyone towards a bright, prosperous future…who is?

Clients

Merrill logo featuring a stylized blue bull and the text 'MERRILL, A BANK OF AMERICA COMPANY' in blue
Business card for William Jackson Food Group with gold seal indicating 'Proud to do Business'
RBS logo with the text 'The Royal Bank of Scotland' underneath.
Chippindale Good Eggs logo, established in 1930
Logo for Bibby Financial Services, featuring bold black text and a yellow lion's paw on a red shield
Logo with the letters 'fhm' in blue and orange, and the name 'Frank Haslam' below.
Vickers logo with a blue checkmark and the company name in black text.
Daredevil logo with a stylized swirl around the text "daredevil" and the tagline "Collaborate & Evolve" underneath.
Jersey logo with a stylized gold fish symbol.
Black and white illustration of a group of animals sitting together, facing each other.
The word 'AMP' in dark blue letters next to a stylized snowflake design in shades of blue.
Close-up of the Amazon logo in orange text with a black background.
Bendelta logo with lowercase teal text and a stylized circle around the letter 'b'.
The Google Global logo with a stylized lowercase 'g' inside a blue rounded-square background
Warner Home Video logo with gold and blue shield design and text

What the clients say…

  • "Running a small business is a little like piloting a boat. You think you know where you are going, but the true situation is only revealed when Ian shines his arc light on your boat and transmits your position & compass bearing to you. His insight was the key, dispelling limiting perceptions and revealing possibilities I never even dreamed of."

    Julian DRIVER
    CEO of Vickers

  • "My time working with and being coached by Ian Waddelow has yielded some of the most important personal insights that I carry with me today. Ian is a truly gifted facilitator of personal growth. His style is both intuitive and pragmatic. Working with Ian was an enormously rewarding experience for me, I would not hesitate to recommend his services."

    Natalie ARCHER
    Director of Bendelta

  • "Thank you for what you helped us achieve. Your clarity of thought and constructive challenge were invaluable at this critical stage in our development. Your deep, yet incisive, understanding of people helped us see through the fog, remove compromise, and see the bigger picture – finally working on the business rather than in it."

    Christopher OUGHTRED
    Group Chairman and CEO of William Jackson Food Group

  • "If you don’t get ‘it’, then everything is impossible. When the penny drops,’ it’ suddenly becomes simple, obvious and eminently do-able. Ian unlocked spectacular growth for us, while the competition were happy standing still. This is a rare talent, which you should grasp firmly with both hands. Don’t believe me? Buy him a coffee and you, too, will be writing one of these testimonials very, very soon."

    Fraser MERCER
    MD of Frank Haslam Milan

  • "Ian is a breath of fresh air. Quite apart from his massive energy levels, endless enthusiasm and vast business experience, he has a unique ability to tell you “just how it is” – straight talking. Our business had a very real (and welcomed) wake-up call from Ian and we now have a strategy that is delivering growth. Without his input we would still be in the dark ages."

    Simon LE HURAY
    Marketing Manager at Jersey Tourism

  • "You always emerge looking through a brand new lens, suddenly very clear on what you need to consider, what you need to change. He just “gets it” and creates the whole deal – for you, with you, inspirationally and with a great sense of humour. It is hard work, mentally exhausting, but good fun, and you will have a great time as everything unfolds. bibbyYou not only secure growth and a great future for the business but you also become a better person by taking the journey. I took up the challenge twelve years ago. I still go back, as there is so much more to give and so much more to gain."

    Miriam KOLLER
    Global HR Director of Bibby Financial Services

  • "The Buddha of Business"

    Martin ALLISON
    Head of RBS International

‘Whatever it is that got us to where we are today, it won’t be enough in the future.’

Richard Teerlink, the turnaround CEO of Harley Davidson.

If you value any of the following, we should talk…

  • Historical illustration of King James I and Queen Anne in royal attire, depicted in a blue tone, with a bridge in the background.

    Unflinching Honesty

    While others tell you what you want to hear, I will tell you the truth.

  • Two men dressed in tuxedos, one taking notes and the other holding a plate, standing around a table with silverware and cloth napkin in an elegant setting.

    Strategic Challenge

    It is time to zig while others zag.

  • Two men look through a door, one dressed as a businessman with a hat and bowtie, the other with glasses and a star painted on his face.

    Unwavering Presence

    When the pressure is on and the stakes are high, you need someone in the foxhole with you.

  • Two men having a lively conversation at a restaurant table, one wearing a white shirt and the other in a striped shirt, with glasses of wine and tea on the table.

    Clarity out of Chaos

    Escaping the tyranny of the urgent to focus on the important.

  • Two elderly men in business suits sitting and smiling during a conversation in a professional setting.

    Creative Problem-Solving

    More than just the bleedin’ obvious.

So, what next?

Like most clients, you probably don't know what you need, but there is something.

You may have a strategy away-day planned that needs something fresh, the way ahead may be unclear, the team needs energy, a spark, or you might benefit personally from an experienced sounding-board.  The truth is, you don’t know what you don’t know, so let's talk.

No pressure.

No obligation.

So, nothing to lose.

Go on -  take the plunge.  Reach out and let’s share a virtual coffee.

I’d love to explore how I might help.

Let’s start a conversation.