Supporting you to plan, grow and thrive
Forum Strategy is a strategy and organisational development consultancy – with an emphasis on executive leadership training and coaching, organisational development, and strategic planning
What we Do
CEO Networks
We deliver six regional CEO leadership development networks and an annual national conference, as well as contributing to others’ events.
Being the CEO Programme
A programme providing cutting-edge training, networking and resources for aspirant and new CEOs. Based on the book ‘Being The CO’
Resources & Materials
We produce leadership development resources, as well as regularly contributing articles to neational press.
Executive Roles
We support executive leaders to apply for new roles – including application, interview and presentation coaching.
Networking
Resources
Opinion, News & Information
To merge or not to merge; just ask yourself the right questions first
Forum Strategy has supported trusts in choosing merger partners; and it’s no simple or easy business. Mergers sap senior leaders’ time, they can take longer than a standard organisational restructure, can lead to greater drops in staff morale, and can often lead to a...
A new narrative for academy trusts – one year on, what happens next?
Almost one year ago, Forum Strategy published 'a new narrative for a new decade: academy trusts at the heart of their communities', following extensive consultation with trust leaders about their hopes for the academy trust sector in the decade ahead. I have been...
Being The CEO – the power of time management
Michael Pain - founder of Forum Strategy and author of Being The CEO "Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves"Lord Chesterfield Last year, Rachael Gacs wrote a superb article on the central importance of goals and priorities to succeeding...
CEO Strategy Group 1 – Pupil and Staff Wellbeing
Forum Strategy has established 3 CEO strategy groups to focus on key strategic priorities amongst the reactivity and operational nature of managing the pandemic. These include groups on pupil and staff wellbeing; remote learning and working; and environmental...
Being The CEO – Marino Charalambous, Cuckoo Hall Academies Trust
"having an open-door policy where no problem is too small, and listening to people and really caring, has helped me change the culture of the Trust to one where we are ‘all in this together." Tell us about your career before becoming CEO I worked for some of the...
Being The CEO – Gavin Booth, Infinity Academies Trust
ultimately your role is to bring people together, not to be the sole point of direction and decision making. As part of the ‘#BeingTheCEO Report 2020’ we interviewed a number of serving CEOs of multi academy trusts. This interview with Gavin Booth, CEO of Infinity...
The importance of a purposeful communications strategy in otherwise reactive times
Katie’s half-term blog and hints and tips for a purposeful communications strategy Katie Whirledge of Papillon Communications urges trusts and schools to go beyond the noise of social timelines, and to articulate their purpose - and share their progress and...
#BeingTheCEO report 2020 – a summary
Rachael Gacs Rachael Gacs, author of the Being The CEO report 2020, summarises some of the key findings. Over the past few weeks I have had the pleasure of interviewing a number of CEOs about their experiences of, and reflections on, leading an academy trust. At the...
Being The CEO – Suzanne Horan, St Nicholas Owen MAC & St Catherine of Siena Catholic MAC
"As a CEO you must also always keep learning." As part of the '#BeingTheCEO Report 2020' we interviewed a number of serving CEOs of multi academy trusts. This interview with Suzanne Horan, is taken from the wider report, which is available to all #TrustLeaders members...
Testimonials
What people say about us
I have found the ‘Being the CEO’ programme invaluable as a newly appointed CEO of a Catholic multi-academy trust. The programme has offered the opportunity to explore whatbeing the CEO role means in practice as opposed to simply doing the CEO role. The residential, face-to-face days, conference and coaching have provided regular opportunities not only to reflect, take stock and evaluate but also to network and build professional relationships with other CEOS and Executive Leaders. As a participant on the ‘Being the CEO’ programme, I am much better equipped to ‘conduct the orchestra’.
Louise Wilson, CEO
This programme has been hugely beneficial in the development of my role as a new CEO. The structure of the course is highly effective in allowing space for meaningful professional networking amongst high-quality thought-provoking input from Forum Strategy and experienced leaders/CEO’s from a variety of sectors. The 1:1 coaching has really enabled me to challenge my understanding of the role and map out the next steps for our developing Trust. The concepts explored have resonated with all the participants regardless of their current role or experience and I would recommend it without reservation. It has had a huge impact on my leadership style, my role as CEO and the future direction of our Trust.”
“Thanks for all your work on the Headteacher induction over the last year – it has been really brilliant.”
“Thank you for the training you delivered this week. As somebody who is new to MATs, I was able to gather a great deal of relevant and useful information in order to develop my knowledge and thinking. I really appreciated the opportunity to be part of the training days and found them invaluable.”