Gary Thompson
Equipping your organisation to lead, not just survive, the next decade of disruption.
How do I bring value to you?
The strategy consultants have left.
The stack of slides has remained.
So... who is doing the work?
What you need is a pragmatic delivery partner who ships results, not invoices!
That tidy deck they handed to you explains what should happen. But nice slides don’t deliver. People do.
I help leaders translate strategy into pragmatic plans, clear accountabilities, and meaningful improvements teams can actually deliver, using short sprints that validate, de‑risk, and deliver measurable wins fast.
No oversized retainers. No PowerPoint reruns.
Just short, cost-effective engagements that prove impact and build momentum.
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I act as your transformation partner, helping you drive meaningful change, energise your workforce, and build the resilience your organisation needs for what comes next.
I work with leaders who want to be bold: to ignite innovation, shape opportunity-driven transformation, and avoid the trap of reactive, crisis-fuelled change.
Through my company, Rokaboat Advisory, I work across the UK, Europe, and the MENA region, focused on business transformation, innovation enablement, and emerging tech advisory, helping you bring that strategy deck to life by engaging your workforce to shape and deliver real change.
Unlike traditional consulting models, where junior post-grads run amok with frameworks, I believe your workforce should be equipped to lead the change. That means building capability, agility, and confidence in-house so you can ride disruption and reuse those skills time and again.
Now, you might be wondering:
“How does this good-looking lad from Yorkshire pull all that off?”
Fair question.
I’m proud to be part of a collaborative network of seasoned consultants – people I’ve worked with before or who come highly recommended, ready to bring the right expertise when needed.
It’s great to have friends.
What's behind the name...
Naming a company is rarely logical, and mine’s no exception.
When I was a kid, one song always stuck with me: "Rock the Boat" by The Hues Corporation.
The rhythm, the energy, and especially the lyrics still resonate:
“So I'd like to know where you got the notion…”
“Rock the boat, don’t tip the boat over!”
That’s the spirit behind Rokaboat.
I help leaders uncover the “notions” already inside their business – the ideas, perceptions, and untapped insights that fuel innovation and make change stick.
And when it’s time to rock the boat?
I make sure it’s done with purpose – guiding transformation in a methodical, objective way that builds momentum without capsizing the culture.
So that’s what I do. And that’s why the name fits.
ROKABOAT Advisory
Built to challenge. Built to guide. Built to deliver.
Transformation Support, Built Around You
Fractional Chief Transformation Officer
Fractional Chief Transformation Officer
Fractional Chief Transformation Officer
Wherever you are in your transformation journey, leadership benefits from an experienced, impartial partner who can accelerate change, challenge assumptions, and help shape what comes next.
As your fractional Chief Transformation Officer, I work alongside you to:
- Translate strategic intent into actionable transformation
- Foster innovation from within, not just bolt it on
- Bridge the gap between recognising the need for change and making it real across the organisation.
This isn’t about parachuting in with a playbook. It’s about building momentum, shaping culture, and delivering change that sticks.
A Framework for Change
Fractional Chief Transformation Officer
Fractional Chief Transformation Officer
Strategic clarity, delivery confidence, and momentum that sticks.
Fractional Chief Transformation Officer — senior-level guidance without the full-time overhead
Diagnostic Sprints — rapid assessments to surface blockers, align leadership, and prioritise action
Operating Model Design — structure that supports strategy and scales with ambition
Resilience & Recovery Programmes — post-crisis support and remediation with trust-building baked in.
A Framework for Innovation
Fractional Chief Transformation Officer
Change and Transformation Team Building and Support
From ideas to impact, without the theatre.
Innovation Enablement — portfolio shaping, pilot design, and experimentation embedded in the operating rhythm
Innovation Strategy & Governance — aligning innovation with business goals, not just tech trends
Culture of Curiosity — tools and tactics to foster bottom-up idea generation and cross-functional collaboration
Change and Transformation Team Building and Support
Change and Transformation Team Building and Support
Change and Transformation Team Building and Support
Capability, cohesion, and confidence across your change ecosystem.
Transformation Coaching — for leaders navigating complexity and building delivery muscle
Team Design & Role Clarity — shaping transformation functions that actually deliver
Embedded Support — hands-on guidance for PMOs, change leads, and innovation teams
Training, Workshops, Clinics and Coaching
Change and Transformation Team Building and Support
Training, Workshops, Clinics and Coaching
Practical, engaging, and tailored to your organisation’s needs.
Leadership Clinics — focused sessions on leading change, building trust, and communicating with impact
Transformation Workshops — interactive formats to align teams, define priorities, and build momentum
Capability Uplift Programmes — training modules for change agents, analysts, and delivery teams
1:1 Coaching — confidential, targeted support for senior leaders and transformation sponsors
How I Work
Change and Transformation Team Building and Support
Training, Workshops, Clinics and Coaching
Flexible formats. Focused delivery. Built around your needs.
I take on assignments in whatever format best fits your organisation — full-time or part-time, on-site or remote, domestic or international.
All training, workshops, clinics, and coaching sessions are available in-house or online, tailored to your team’s needs and rhythms.
So whether you need:
A fractional Transformation Director, one hour a week or “as needed”, to evaluate and accelerate your existing strategy, or
A deep-dive engagement to define, lead, and deliver a full-scale change programme,
I’ll help set your organisation on the path to innovation, transformation, and growth, with the flexibility to meet you where you are.
Who am I?
Gary Thompson FCMA
Let me tell you a bit about me.
I’ve been in the thick of transformation since 1999, after stepping away from QSS, the company I co‑founded and the original developer of the DOORS requirements tool. That was my first taste of building something from scratch, scaling it, and seeing it acquired. Since then, I’ve stayed close to the front line of change.
I work with business leaders to turn strategy into action, translating vision into a clear blueprint, then rolling up sleeves to deliver it across the organisation. Always hands-on. Always pragmatic.
That experience spans commercial, operational, industrial, and financial services across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America. I’ve worked inside and alongside organisations of all shapes and sizes, helping them tackle:
- Business and tech transformation
- Innovation in the workplace
- Operating model design and transition
- Process optimisation, automation, and cost efficiency
- Shared services, outsourcing, and offshoring
- Regulatory change and remediation
- Building internal capability through centres of excellence
Along the way, I’ve partnered with clients including Barclays, Bank of Ireland, DS Smith, Holcim, First Group, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, and the Big Innovation Centre, through roles at The Hackett Group, Rokaboat and direct engagements.
And for my sins, I’m a Prince2 practitioner and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
But who am I really?
What Makes Me Tick
Business transformation wasn’t my first career choice. I wanted to be a lawyer. But I’m glad it turned out this way, because it led me into two areas I care deeply about:
- Helping organisations unlock the full potential of their workforce
- Ensuring that workforce has the support, tools, and clarity to thrive
That’s been my lens since day one. Too often, I’ve seen employees disengaged. Not because they lack talent, but because they’ve been left out of the conversation. And that’s a missed opportunity, because when people are invited to shape how things work, they bring fresh perspectives that can be the difference between growth and stagnation…
Especially in a market that moves faster than a Katy Perry costume change.
For me, transformation isn’t just about structures, processes, or tech.
It’s about people, the managers and teams who make change real. Successful transformation means guiding them to collaborate, take ownership, and connect with customers, suppliers, and each other.
And let’s be honest: change can be scary. What feels like smart efficiency to leadership can feel like job risk to someone worried about paying their rent. That’s why I stay hands-on, making sure change is delivered with empathy, clarity, and inclusion.
Because organisations don’t change. People do.
(I’d love to claim that line, but every consultant says it. And they’re right.)
What I Believe
I take inspiration from a few voices who’ve shaped how I work:
- Herb Kelleher, former CEO of Southwest Airlines, who proved that humour, positivity, and putting people first leads to happier customers and stronger performance
- Mark Twain, who said: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
- My Dad, who always said: “If it ain’t fun, don’t do it.”
Put them together, and you get a pretty good sense of me.
(And no, they didn’t actually know each other.)
Blueprints and Blindspots
Insights from the messy, meaningful business of transformation.
This is where I share what I’ve seen work… and what often gets missed.
From operating model pivots to innovation pilots, from resilience frameworks to cultural misfires, Blueprints & Blindspots is a collection of stories, lessons, and provocations drawn from 25 years on the front line of change.
Some posts are sharp and strategic. Others are reflective, even a bit irreverent. But all are grounded in delivery, not theory.
The Change Ledger: Strategic insights from the business of transformation. This series captures the patterns, pivots, and provocations that shape real change. It’s where I log the frameworks that work, the assumptions worth challenging, and the signals leaders should watch for. Less theory, more traction, drawn from boardroom debates, delivery dilemmas, and the occasional post-project pint.
Notes on What Works: Real-world lessons from the engine room of transformation. This series blends hands-on delivery stories with practical insights from 25 years in the thick of change. It’s not theory. It’s not hindsight wisdom. It’s what I’ve seen work, and where the wheels nearly came off. From operating model pivots to cultural curveballs, these are the moments that shaped my approach and sharpened my instincts.
Transformation, My Way: a pragmatist's take on what makes change stick. These are personal reflections on how I approach transformation – the principles, instincts, and contrarian views that have guided me across sectors, cultures, and crises. It’s not a playbook. It’s a perspective. One shaped by 25 years of doing the work and a belief that people, not technology or PowerPoint, make change happen.
These articles, posts, and blogs blend real-world case studies from my career with stories from the good, the great, and the gloriously flawed. I try to offer deep insight into transformation and innovation, though I admit, they may also be a cure for insomnia.
And I often borrow quotes from the likes of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, alongside more business-minded voices like Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, and Archimedes. If there’s a point to be made, I let them make it. They’re much better known than me.
Explore the series. Some pieces are published here on the site. Others live on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/innovation-transformation
Feedback is always welcome, especially if it’s constructive and full of praise.
On Stage and On Air
I’ve also had the pleasure of speaking at conferences, webinars, and radio shows across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, sharing thoughts on:
- Innovation in the workplace
- Operational excellence
- Process automation
- Building shared services for back-office transformation
These topics matter, especially in today’s fast-moving, disruptive, digital world. I do my best to inject humour and levity into what could otherwise be another patentable cure for sleeplessness.
That journey led to a five-year stint on the Global Advisory Board for the Shared Services and Outsourcing Network (SSON), representing the MENA region, shaping content and themes for IQPC’s SSON and OPEX conferences.