And There’s More…..

Stepping down from the role of Chief Executive at IMPOWER is one the hardest decisions I have taken. Since I come back as CEO three years ago, the company has grown by 30%, we have elevated our offering within the local public sector by focussing more on delivering change (moving beyond diagnostics), and we have redefined how to address public sector reform through EDGEWORK. My team has grown, networked across the sector; and we are now a source of insight and ideas for central government.

Why go now when things are going so well? As ever, the answer is complex:

• Personal motivation – each of us has a different set of personal characteristics and drivers that, when deployed effectively at the right time, can have a hugely positive impact on an organisation. I am by nature a fixer, a person who wants to constantly improve things.  This was the challenge when I joined IMPOWER nearly 13 years ago: to take the raw potential that existed and turn it into a great organisation.  IMPOWER is now a successful and well-respected business, and a new CEO will take it to the next level.
• Time is right – I suppose you get the sense of when the time is right for a change.  I am fortunately at a stage in my life when I am in reasonably strong health, I have built a wealth of experience to draw on, and I believe I have the energy and drive to take on a new challenge.
• I’ve got more to give – I’m very lucky to work with senior officers and Members across local authorities, advising them on how to tackle their most complex challenges, sharing new insights on their organisations, and giving them proof that change can be sustainably delivered.  I suppose for the last decade I have tried to tread a fine line of being a friend and confidante while also giving some hard feedback and evidence of the need to improve.

For the last year, therefore, we have been looking for the right person to lead IMPOWER into the 2020s, and I believe we have found him. Pooven Maduramuthu comes with a strong track record of delivering services in the public sector, and particularly in the health economy.  He will bring new insights to help our clients address the complexity of delivering services in a more networked world where the impact of change will be scrutinised more than ever.

I will remain connected to IMPOWER as a Non-Executive Director, and will continue to support the company grow from strength to strength.

I intend to stay very connected not just to my wonderful team at IMPOWER but to all of my good friends and colleagues in local government.  In finding the right words, I think back to one of my late father’s favourite comedians, the legendary Jimmy Cricket, who could have said about my future – “And There’s More”.