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December 21, 2020

Black Lives Matter: Paul Monekosso Cleal & Jonathan Bowman-Perks: Inspiring Leadership interview

Podcast Details

Paul Cleal Former PwC Main Board Partner & Portfolio Career – Diversity & Inclusive Leadership Paul Monekosso Cleal acts as an advisor, board member or mentor to organisations and individuals who want to make positive change happen. He brings a wealth of experience in leadership and strategy gained from 30 years working in both private and public sectors. During 16 years as a partner at PwC, the global professional services firm, he held a range of leadership positions including at main board level in both the UK and Africa practices. He’s led and grown successful businesses within PwC such as the Government & Public Sector practice and Africa Business Group.

Alongside his client work in corporate finance and consulting Paul also led PwC’s Human Resources function through a period of substantial change. Paul has been widely recognised externally for his work promoting diversity in business and as a senior role model and been a member of the UK Government’s Social Mobility Commission, among other non-executive roles which currently include Kingston University (Vice Chair of the Board), National Citizen Service Trust and Sainsbury’s Foundation Advisory Board. He’s also a member of the Premier League Equality Standard Assessment Panel and has a variety of other informal advisory and mentoring roles. He holds an MBA from London Business School.

Paul’s latest appointment is as a NED at Guys & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust which is the most significant NED role he’s had. Its special as that was where his father did his medical studies from 1948 to 1955. Paul Monekosso Cleal is highly successful by anybody’s standard – promoted at 40 onto PWC main board as People Partner. Deputy Chair, University of Kingston & Board Member, National Citizen’s Trust – community, social mobility & higher education.

Paul’s Leadership Tenets: 1. Integrity – being honest with people. Is there a good reason not to share information? 2. Clarity – Create & communicate the vision so everyone understands 3. Inclusive Leadership. Stop exclusion. Teaching Diversity, Equality & Inclusivity Premier League. 4. Lack of Understanding. People who don’t think like you do. Paul has great courage & humility. Looking back on when he got it wrong & he could have communicated better: 1. I should have checked – do they really understand and have you listened? 2. Making it logical doesn’t account for people’s emotional reactions to change. Paul and his wife Suzanne Cleal use mentoring & coaching. Paul‘s Inspirational father was a leader & key figure in Africa’s World health organisation (WHO). Paul got advice from his Father before he died – “always take people with you”.

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