Sam is an experienced transformational leader and adviser with 25 years experience in politics, government, policy-making, strategy, sustainability, financial services and running his own business.

Sam has undertaken some big roles in politics and Government. He was Sir Keir Starmer's Chief of Staff for the turnaround of the Labour Party and long-serving adviser to Chancellor Rt Hon Alistair Darling's during the Global Financial Crisis. Sam helped Starmer drive the political and professional transformation of the Labour Party in opposition; climbing from -10% in the polls when Sam took on the role to +30% when he left.

He has worked across Government: in Whitehall, in devolved administrations and with intergovernmental bodies, and covered briefs including the Treasury, transport, energy, business and trade during the last Labour Governments under Tony Blair & Gordon Brown.

Sam spent a decade as a senior executive at the FTSE100 Aviva plc, running a range of teams and advising the CEOs and Board. One of the projects he was most proud of is authoring Aviva's Net Zero 2040 plan, which remains one of the most ambitious and comprehensive climate plans for a major financial services company.

Today, Sam is Chair of Foundations: the What Works Centre for Children and Families, advising government on effective interventions in policies affecting children (for example children’s social care, family support etc). He has a long history championing causes including Living Wage Foundation, Climate Change, Gender Equality and Social Mobility.

He also acts as a Specialist Partner at the strategic consultancy Flint Global as well as MD of his own advisory business Next Chapter Strategy, working with senior leaders in business, charities and politics. He is on a number of advisory boards, including the Social Market Foundation think tank.

He is married, living in Yorkshire with two daughters. And is proud to have been one of the most senior job-sharing dads in the UK.

Sam regularly appears on the media to provide insight and commentary.

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Spencer Gore is the CEO of Gorely Group, an investment company with a mission to “create gold medal winners.” The group owns and operates businesses across healthcare and sport, including EMJ, EMJ Learning, AMJ, and Chelmsford City Football Club in the UK.

A serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience, Spencer has founded and scaled seven businesses across television, travel, publishing, recruitment, sport, and healthcare. In 2012, he founded EMJ, which has grown into one of Europe’s leading digital health communication companies, building relationships with all of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical firms and engaging an audience of over one million healthcare professionals. EMJ has been recognised in The Times 100 and the Financial Times 1000 lists of fastest-growing businesses.

Spencer has received multiple awards for his leadership and innovation, including the Queen’s Award, Entrepreneur of the Year at the BDA’s 50th annual awards, and recognition in The Times and LDC’s list of the UK’s 50 most ambitious business leaders.

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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.

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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. 

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Ash Alexander-Cooper OBE is a former soldier, world-championship athlete, award-winning international musician and artist.

During a 28-year regular and reserve career, Ash served as an airborne soldier, helicopter pilot, jungle warfare and counter-terrorist specialist, spending 82 months deployed on operations. Since retirement, Ash has been a Senior Partner at McChrystal Group, led international business development at Palantir, runs a Leadership Development firm and is VP EMEA & APAC for Dedrone by Axon.

Wounded multiple times in combat, Ash is passionate about giving back and is proud to support several veteran and mental health charities. To that end, he has committed to donate all author profits from the sale of his upcoming book - Mindful Soldier: Building Resilience to Overcome Life’s Challenges – which publishes in the UK on 22 January 2026 and is available worldwide from 27 January 2026.

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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

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

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