I have been working with business leaders in tech, business, and academia for almost thirty years. It is hard not to notice patterns. Not least because I am usually the one to point them out.

People have brilliant ideas. Sometimes the same people will rise, or drag themselves, into a leadership position and have yet more great ideas. Some will get noticed, applauded and executed. But, all too often, other ideas, opinions and innovations of equal value will be lost into notebooks, Otter.ai recordings, minutes of meetings and pitch decks. Never really used, these ideas are lost to the mists of time.

This sort of thing rarely happens to great writers. They obsessively hoard notebooks, be they paper or electronic. They go back, they cross reference, they dig. So many social media posts are talking about AI ‘second brains’ right now, but most top level writers and authors already have one. I like to think I am in that number. At least my pile of notebooks says that I am.

My background in journalism taught me to keep my notebooks for legal reasons, but it is a habit I did not give up as I transitioned into a role as a thought leadership consultant, corporate ghost-writer and media consultant. I know that something from an ‘Iain Aitch for the Financial Times’ byline could be rejigged later for a piece in the Daily Telegraph, or serve as research and clues to a piece for the Guardian. The same was true for my books, for publishers large and small.

As a ghost-writer who sometimes elbows my way into meetings, I see so many of these great ideas zooming by uncaptured. It is something I sometimes ask to do when I work for a founder or leader, so I can capture their character. But where most of my material comes from is interviews. I am an expert interviewer. I listen. I am quiet. But then interviewing isn’t all about machine-gunning questions at someone. I don’t like pulling teeth. I am great at extracting information gently, like a good pickpocket.

This is where I usually find these ideas. The ones that got away, but lingered and nagged at leaders. Or maybe they just come back in a ‘oh, hang on a minute…’ moment. It could be a regret about seeing that idea lost in a Friday morning stand-up turn out to be a $1 million idea for someone else five years later.

Sometimes those ‘ideas’ are opinions or perspectives. Disruptive or contrarian approaches that seemed too radical at the time that may just about be ready for now. It could also be ideas that entrepreneurs thought were too silly, radical, dangerous or controversial to express. Something that went against their own business or brand. What I do, is to take all of this and turn it into structured, publishable material, helping them to build authority around ideas, around personal brand and commercial position. It is a skill that has come from authoring two books of my own and appearing in a dozen more.

If you would like to find out how this might work for your, or your CEO, then contact me on iain@thisidea.co.uk for an informal chat.

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My work takes me all over the globe without ever leaving my office.

The clients for my copywriting, ghost-writing and thought leadership work come from all around the world. Yes, it is nice when they are in London and we can discuss ideas over a coffee (or something stronger), but I have largely been working virtually for the last 30 years. I have clients in the US, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and a few more that slip my mind.

As a native English speaker (and writer) I find that the world often comes to me when clear business messaging, campaign ideas or work on the personal branding of founders and C-suites is needed. Improvements in video conferencing and translation software has made everything a lot easier nowadays, but it is reputation, skill and a recognition as one of the best thought leadership and corporate copywriters in the UK that keeps the work coming in.

I enjoy the challenge of embracing new cultures and lingual tics in my writing for other nations, whether that is a speech for US clients for a tech conference in Italy (where they are speaking English as their second language) or a sponsored item on a celebrity for German clients in an international publication. Knowing a lot about style, tone of voice and lingual expectations is vital for this work, whether that is simplifying technical details in plain English without removing the message or the impact or penning a keynote with global appeal and the agreement of six other international partners across Japan, Canada, Italy and France.

No matter where you are in the world, do get in touch if you would like to discuss what I can do for you.

Contact me on iain@thisidea.co.uk to arrange an online chat.

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I always work on personal branding as a part of my thought leadership work, carrying out in-depth interviews of the CEOs, founders and leaders that I work with globally.

This work allows us to create a clear narrative about who they are, what they offer and the added value that they bring to their role, business or sector. It also gives them confidence, presence and a sense of their true worth.

Whilst this works fantastically well for anyone already in the senior role they want, I have found that it is an invaluable tool for those looking to move up, especially those not at the level that they believe they should be at by now.

For this reason, I have recently begun to offer this as a service in its own right. It has been a revelation for those looking to be the kind of leader that head hunters are on the lookout for, as well as those who don’t necessarily need to establish a profile as a thought leader, or aren’t ready to yet.

This personal branding goes over everything from career to date to desired roles and touches on life history, passions, successes, failures and drive. It sits somewhere between coaching, counselling and a kick up the arse.

We go over things that can help you to rethink your career, role and even industry, but always with an eye on making you far more attractive a prospect for employers or clients. It can give you clarity over goals, values and direction of movement. You aren’t the same person who started out on your career, so why stick with the ‘brand you’ you had at 21? Some people come out roaring, some even cry, but everyone finds it unexpectedly revealing.

Your new brand can help open doors that were previously closed. Whether you want to be a CEO or the one who hires and fires CEOs, working in this way is a major way to clear obstacles from your path. It can help you be noticed, help you be chosen and, most of all, make you who you really should be.

It’s a flat-rate service that is eminently affordable as part of your personal or corporate development.
Email me to arrange a short introductory meeting.

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There is little doubt that the world of higher education is in turmoil. The big names are being knocked off their perch, others are plummeting down the various league tables while younger upstarts take their place.

Cuts are being made across departments, with the arts and social sciences often being impacted the most, as government ministers quote a singular trip to Stanford as a universal experience. Young people are being encouraged to become entrepreneurs, without being encouraged to think first about the wider world or the joy of learning.

Students are demanding more for their money, seeing the relationship as a transactional one, and AI is both saviour and destroyer of institutions and reputations. Never mind the problems it presents when grading work.

All of this is a problem for our universities. When rankings are in flux and the establishment is being usurped, young people will start to shop around, basing their decisions on value rather than academic rigour, location over reputation or history. We already have students who want to be close to the family home (and the bank of mum and dad) due to accommodation costs. Virtual learning and generational differences mean that even a trip to the library may be seen as an epic voyage.

Universities are going to have to think outside the box if they want to keep up. This sounds obvious for institutions that house our finest minds. But the wheels often turn slowly in academia.

For several years, I have been working with universities (very) old and new to examine ways in which they can stand out from the crowd. I collaborate with and consult with academics, marketers, Deans and PRs to explore the ways in which they and their institution can be front and centre when it comes to selection by students. I speak their language, as well as those who they want to buy their services, fund projects and leave legacies.

I cut through the REF and the footnotes to deliver ideas and words that will appeal to media, to young people or corporates. I have written keynotes that get press coverage, helped make research projects sing, showcased funding outcomes and explained just where funding will go and why that is so important. My work enhances the output of academics while making it understandable for those who do not have that same level of understanding.

I enjoy celebrating expertise, using my own to explain, enhance and embed in current thinking, be that in newspapers, journals or online. I ghost-write for leading thinkers, Deans, Principals and CEOS, as well as demystifying academic-speak for prospectuses and online explainers, working for universities and those who provide their research funding.

If you or your university needs to stand out from the rest then contact me on iain@thisidea.co.uk or browse thisidea.co.uk to see what I do, as well as the references from some of my satisfied consultancy clients.

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For several years, I have been working on personal branding with clients. This service – where I help CEOs, founders or C-suites to establish an identity, a voice and a distinct ‘character’ – has, until now, solely been a part of the thought leadership consultancy that I offer. But, when working with these leaders on their ideas and narrative for their businesses, it became apparent that other, different work was needed. It’s not work that I had anticipated, but it is definitely an add-on that people want.

These personal branding sessions fall somewhere between a coaching session, counselling, advice and an interview. Sometimes it can seem like I am assessing the client for their own job. But what this does is provide a free and open space for those at the top of their game to pivot, double down, shift or consolidate who they are in relation to their business and the wider world.

I have been shocked by the results that this work can conjure up, from new business ideas to a recanting of past ‘voice’ and from new social media accounts to actual tears. It is powerful stuff and also something that can often be neglected as leaders climb their way to the top, sacrificing financial security, home life or even health as they make a go of their business or their career.

I have worked with CEOs and founders of multimillion dollar companies and recent start-up founders, as well as honing the voice and character of aspirant CEOs who need that point of difference to take that next step on the career ladder. Sometimes it simply it leads to confidence and clarity, sometimes it leads to a five year plan, complete with exit strategy.

This is not business coaching or executive coaching and it is definitely not simply a box ticked on the personal development treadmill. It is all about the individual and how they realise the version of themselves that they want to show to the world. That may sound like an indulgence or exercise in saying ‘yes’ on my part, but it is far from that. I have established a reputation as a top interviewer and an attentive listener, but I am also honest with clients about who they are and what a voice and personal brand says about them.

This can include discussion about outlets for that voice, visuals and how to get noticed by those whose attention clients need. But it always leads them to a far better place, in which confidence is boosted, clarity reached and progress achieved.

If you would like a conversation about how a personal brand consultation could work for you (or even one or your C-suite) then please do contact me to arrange a call.

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London Tech Week opened with a tech problem-strewn speech by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer that had me thinking about why it is that tech leaders in the UK need to use thought leadership as a tool to excel. Whilst it is true that using it to simply stand out in a crowded market is a good thing for immediate commercial growth, it can also have a more long-term benefit. This is where having a thought leadership expert who is media savvy can be a real help.

On the most simple level, it works like this. A founder, CEO or C-suite member is asked (or asks) to write an opinion piece on their area of expertise for a tech publication, business title, website or even a national newspaper. They either have the time and ability to do this themselves well (both lining up is vanishingly rare) or they consult with someone like me, who is either on a retainer or is someone they have an existing relationship with. I/they then write the article, with current thinking and targeted topics (perhaps a new product release, or a report) in mind.

This is then edited, proofed and approved by any number of people, which may include the leader, the writer, a section editor, sub-editor and overall editor. It may also come back via the company’s legal department and pass under the noses of any partners or stakeholders before making it to publication. The whole company can then share it on socials, post it on the website and create content about it for LinkedIn. So far, so good.

What happens next is where the value is. Given correct timing and well-written content, which includes both ideas and opinions, then the leader will be invited to share those same opinions on radio, podcasts, TV or in other publications. This may be immediate, or it may mean that they go into a booker’s notes for next time they need an expert, it can also have impact when editors or bookers are searching for a guest a year down the road. As you can imagine, the subsequent coverage does the same. And so on.

All of this allows the leader (and the thought leadership writer, who hopefully also knows something about strategy) to expand and increase their influence and that of the business. It makes it easier to get them into/a higher position on the bill at influential industry conferences, it means that white papers will get more attention, new hires will garner more interest and that the media will come back to them for anything from quick comments to full profiles.

Thought leadership may seem like personal branding for a leader, but it grows interest in the business overall. As an investment, it is hard to pin a value on, but easy to see how much you can miss out on if you don’t use it.

I have helped position many tech leaders with thought leadership, from editorials and articles and speeches to conference keynotes and white papers. Do get in touch if you want to explore any of this, from first steps to media training, hostile interview practice or how to get a message across in broadcast media. iain@thisidea.co.uk

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Being a premium ghostwriter in the UK can be a strange job. For a start, no one quite knows whether the correct term is ghostwriter, ghost-writer or ghost writer. But that is a minor detail.

I write in the name of other people – usually experts in their field – and others often find it a bit strange.

There are two questions that people often ask when I tell them that ghostwriting for CEOs, C-suites and well-known figures is a big part of my work. The first is ‘how do you know what to say?’ and the second is ‘how do you get inside their personality?’. The answer to both of these is talking and process.

Ghostwriting, whoever you are doing it for, is a relationship and a learning process. It starts with an informal chat, as both parties get the feel for the other and examine the question of whether they could work well together. It can then move on to more in-depth conversations and/or interviews.

What I write is usually thought leadership in some form, although it can include more personal first-person articles or think pieces. It can also be speeches, white papers, or ‘about us/me’ sections for websites

Initial conversations will be followed by regular or irregular meetings, either conversing about potential articles, reports and presentations, or meeting to work on a specific opinion article (or op-ed, if you are American). It is as collaborative (or not) as the client wants it to be. Some like to work in shared document and throw edits back and forth, while others like me to become them. Often it sits somewhere in the middle. I write, they suggest some changes, I re-write and they then approve.

I find that the work leans towards me doing more on my own as the relationship develops. Some clients have trusted me to write or respond without even running copy by them.

The best thing about ghostwriting is the learning. I learn twice on a new job. First I learn about the topic (be it AI, large language models, construction techniques, business style, finance, education or health products) and then I learn about the person I am ghosting for. This means picking up on cadence, regularly-used terms, definite no-nos and the lingual tics that even they don’t know that they possess.

Before long, I know that their grand-daughter has a kitten called Mr Miaowface and that their aunt invented the metal piece that holds rubbers on pencils. Often, we never even meet in person, although it is great when we do. I try to not finish their sentences for them.

I find that the skills to parse complex information, recreate that as original thought, maintain a relationship with CEOs/C-suite and another with editors is neither for the faint-hearted, large language models or junior agency staff. If you or a C-suite member at your business or non-profit would like to see how this could work for you, please contact me on iain@thisidea.co.uk.

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Over many years of being a London-based thought leadership consultant, writer and ghost-writer, I have found that it can be a deeply personal relationship. You are taking a business leader, founder or C-suite and shaping the voice, mood and even opinions that are ascribed to their business or organisation. You become a trusted shadow member of the C-suite itself, and often a confidante to leaders, CEOs and Chairs. You know where they know the bodies are buried, so to speak.

Often, I have carried out these relationships remotely for years, but I do find that even closer work can be done with in-person meetings, however irregular they may be. They help the thought leader themselves to build further trust with you as a consultant and enable you to draw out details that may otherwise be missed. It could be that their daughter is in the running for the Olympic swimming team, that they are caring for elderly parents alongside their job, or that they have strong views about something in the news that you have never discussed before.

Now, much of this may not be something that you or they want to use in speeches, editorials or opinion pieces ascribed to the leader in question, but it can shape some of the language, decisions and arguments that you make. Yes, it’s really nice to share a coffee, wine or dinner with someone you are working closely with, but chewing the fat rather than interrogating them in a Zoom call offers you a new perspective on their needs, strengths and, importantly, language.

I pride myself on being a top interviewer, but the casual chat can tell you things that you cannot pick up with questions alone. It shows you the wrinkle of an eye during a punchline, that they damaged their left hand in a football game as a teenager and that they are allergic to plums.

In a novel or a script you would call this back story: the insignificant details that could change how a character behaves, walks or holds themselves. It gives you insight into hopes, fears and loves. I find that these in-person meetings in London take the relationship to a new level, even with a recent client.

Obviously this offers a lot to the client, too. They get to know you, but, most of all, they can get across small points that may not seem relevant or appropriate in formal or rushed online meetings, especially in group settings. They can open up, express concerns or ambitions and shape their journey as a leader more informally. You can throw ideas around, reject what you both loved ten minutes ago and help take their organisation on a new journey backed by inspiration.

Sound interesting? You supply the coffee, I supply the biscuits: iain@thisidea.co.uk.

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It is easy to imagine that the members of your c-suite have reached the top of their game and will now dedicate the rest of their career to helping your business to run efficiently and profitably.

You would be wrong in this assumption.

Highly-ambitious and driven individuals with seniority are just as likely to be restless as any employee, and they are far more susceptible to perceived slights or disrespect from anyone within the business, no matter where they sit in the chain of command. Having worked extensively with c-suites I have seen this happen time and again, often becoming an external sounding board for their disquiet.

I work closely with c-suites, often providing their voice in the shape of ghost-writing or helping them develop their own brand via trade or national press editorials. Our relationship is always understood as one of equals. I am an expert in my field, they are an expert in the specialism they were hired for. I find opportunities for them, I suggest profile pieces that would benefit them and, without either of us mentioning it, build them the platform for their next career move.

Setting up your c-suite to leave is never my intention, but it is something that both keeps them happy and on top of their game. I don’t want them to leave (not least as there goes some of my income), but I get to see why they do, and the reason is nearly always the same: not feeling needed or respected. And there is nothing that will accelerate this process faster than them being saddled with either no opportunities to express themselves via thought leadership, or having an agency of staff junior to them for this purpose.

I have always been clear that creating and maintaining a thought leadership profile for leaders, founders and c-suites should always be a senior role, not least as it shows respect. But it also shows an understanding that thought leadership needs an authoritative voice that comes from discussion, disagreement and a sharing of expertise. This is not going to happen if you decide your account manager can do the job or your intern can take care of it. That is no way to form a relationship and just shows that an agency or an employer is undervaluing senior staff.

In short, if you want your c-suite to thrive and to stay, then treat them with respect and treat them like you are setting them up for their next move, up and out. If you want to know more about how then contact me on iain@thisidea.co.uk to discuss how to keep your c-suite and senior staff in post.

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I recently wrote an article for branding software leaders Frontify, looking at how fonts are being used as a part of the branding armoury. Perhaps unusually, this is a piece of thought leadership in my own name. I am more accustomed to writing thought leadership articles on the behalf of others, as I largely work as a ghost writer for C-suites and founders when creating articles in my role as a consultant.

Working as an expert in thought leadership in the UK, my work varies hugely. One day I can be in a meeting about a new piece of software, the next I can be offering advice on strategy for a CEO who wishes to establish a voice in their market. I can be suggesting ideas for a report that will help a brand gain traction in the media or poring over a white paper to draw out the best angles for a national press story.

My interest in branding mostly comes from some of my work, where those responsible for branding, ideas or words come to me, stuck. They need branding, ideas or words. Those who have worked with me in the past know and trust me for my ability to look at things differently. I love the challenge of something that another person has found helpless, unsolvable or frustrating. In fact, I like a challenge in everything that I do. Solving problems means I am learning. And that is what keeps me happy.

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