Press Release
Boyden UK Names Richard Waddell as Managing Partner for Leadership Consulting Practice
Richard Waddell
Managing Partner, Leadership Consulting, United Kingdom
Richard Waddell brings two decades of experience in leadership consulting, focusing on leadership assessment, development, team performance and succession planning. With a background in the British Army and as a human capital consultant, Richard provides clients across diverse sectors with insights and actionable ideas to maximise leadership performance and develop high-performing teams.
Professional Focus
- Over 20 years’ experience in leadership consulting and team leadership, both professional and military
- Extensive record of leadership expertise, including succession planning, team effectiveness, psychometrics, leadership assessment and development, coaching, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
- Additional expertise in strategy, purpose, operating model design, and organisational structures
- Sector-specific expertise spanning financial services, aerospace & defence, industrial, technology, and government
- International experience in various European countries, the Middle East, and the U.S.
- Veteran British Army Officer with operational experience, including with the United Nations
Business Expertise
- Managing Director, Talent Solutions at an international executive search and talent solutions firm
- Director & Founder of a leadership consultancy later acquired by a bigger firm; hired for senior management role by acquiring company
- Senior Consultant, Leadership and Talent Practice at one of the world’s top global executive search and leadership consulting firms; worked abroad in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the U.S.
- Reservist in the Honourable Artillery Company based in the City of London; transferred from the Regular Army
- Royal Artillery Officer in the British Army; deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Cyprus; subsequently led soldiers and managed operations and training for a specialist reconnaissance and intelligence organisation
Areas of Expertise
- Onboarding & Integration
- Assessment & Profiling
- Leadership Development
- Executive & Team Coaching
- Succession Planning
- Private Equity & Venture Capital
- Boyden Tools
- Financial Services
- Fintech
- Insurance
- Retail & Corporate Banking
- Industrial
- Aerospace & Defense
- Automotive
- Energy
- Infrastructure, EPC & Transportation
- Family-Owned/Privately Held Organizations
- Global/Multinational Organizations
Education & Certifications
- Master’s degree from Coventry University
- Commissioning Course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
- ILM Level 7 Executive Management, PRINCE2
- Various assessment, development and psychometric qualifications
Case Studies
View All
From Innovation to Execution: Leadership in Power Semiconductor Development
How Boyden placed a strategic SVP to drive e-mobility growth
Cybersecurity Excellence: Strengthening Trust and Digital Resilience
A Caribbean financial and mortgage bank partnered with Boyden to recruit a strategic Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), enhancing cybersecurity governance and supporting digital transformation across the organization.
Bridging the Gap: Finance Meets Operations in Agribusiness
How Boyden partnered with one of the world’s largest nut and grape producers to recruit transformative operational-finance leadership.
Thought Leadership
View All
Articles & Papers
Succession Planning Strategies for CEOs and Boards: Ensuring Business Success
Key Challenges in CEO Succession Planning – Addressing Talent Gaps
and Strategic Misalignment
Blog Post
AI at the Apex: Evolving Leadership and Talent Management
Generative and agentic AI are transforming leadership, talent strategy, and organisational design. Explore what this means for UK senior leaders.
Articles & Papers
Succession Planning in Family Businesses: Challenges and Opportunities
Blog Post
Building a Culture of Empowered Leadership: Insights from the Military
Contact Richard Waddell today and let's get started