Narrative and Risk Advisory at Leadership Inflection Points
I help senior leaders manage narrative and reputational risk upwards (boards), outwards (media & customers) and downwards (talent). When judgement replaces performance.
Discreet advisory for PLC leaders, Partners, founders and executives in transition.
"When it's a big gig. When it really matters, you call for Peter."
CFO, FTSE 100 firm
"You're brilliant because, you're annoying because, you instantly bore in on the ONE THING..."
CEO
"...unafraid to challenge... thinks in broader terms... more ambitious and less constrained..."
Senior Military Officer
"Peter, I can honestly say that I learn from you, which I can only say about two or three people in our field. Good luck with your upcoming work. Your clients are lucky to have you.”
John Shosky, speechwriter in three U.S. presidential administrations
"Peter’s ability to help me communicate more effectively and with greater clarity has had a real impact. What sets Peter apart is his honest, robust feedback - something leaders know is extremely rare and incredibly valuable. I absolutely recommend him...."
Nadhim Zahawi, Founder and CEO YouGov PLC
Strategic Narrative and Leadership Risk
Is your narrative working for you?
Which leadership situations apply to you?
People hire me in the following narrative situations:
Defining Moments
C-suite transitions, Senior career changes and promotions, IPOs, board presentations, or national conference keynotes. You need strategic clarity, situational awareness, and emotional precision, not generic off-the-shelf confidence training.
Complex Strategically Important and Politically Sensitive Messaging
Layoffs, restructurings, crisis communications, or controversial initiatives. I help you shape strategic communications messages that acknowledge complexity without losing control of the narrative.
Signature Thought Leadership Initiatives
Launching a new corporate strategy, a high-profile TED-style talk, book, or platform initiative that defines your intellectual footprint. I specialise in bringing out your unique point of view and translating it into high-leverage narrative assets.
Reframing or repositioning a Personal or Corporate Brand
Shifting from founder to CEO or a move to another more senior role, pivoting your firm’s strategy, or repositioning your value proposition. I help you sharpen how you articulate the next chapter.
When You’re Too Close to Your Own Story
I strip away noise, self-indulgence, and emotional clutter to get to the story within you that actually moves people. You hire me to help you see the big picture and avoid stumbling or getting stuck in the detail. Then tell the story. Powerfully.
I can help if you're looking for high-stakes storytelling with message rigour; if you're not just trying to be charismatic - you're trying to move the minds and trigger the actions of decision-makers; if you need to enhance and define your leadership narrative; if you want to shape perceptions.
Strategic Narrative and Leadership Risk Adviser Peter Botting
Over 3 Decades of Executive Coaching Experience ~ More than 32,107 Coaching hours
10,217+ speakers ~ 300+ TEDMED Speakers ~ 16 PLCs ~ 175+ Members of Parliament
Advised business leaders in diverse industries in 21 countries
Storytelling (WHAT you say) Coach and Speaker Coach (HOW you say it) in one person
TEDMED Storytelling and Speaker Coach
SXSW Storytelling and Speaker Coach
StartX Mentor
Real P&L experience (not just teaching theory): Turned around and ran a group of three manufacturing companies with 135 staff
Delivered results under extreme pressure (ask why I own a bulletproof vest)
Worked on business and coaching projects in 21 countries
The Stories Behind EVERY Business Success
- Imagine you could improve just ONE of your key P&L numbers by 2%, 7% or even 11%...
- What if you could change more than one?
- What if you could improve your bid/win ratio by 5%?
- What if you could recruit and retain more "A players"?
Whatever vehicle you believe you are, I believe we are all stuck in gears that limit our potential.
Some are stuck in second gear, while others are stuck in fourth. I help people move up the gears.
Stop losing deals because "they didn't get it."
My clients improve their bid/win ratios and attract and retain top talent.
One client doubled their turnover in 5 years and slashed their unwanted employee churn rate.
Successful Leaders are Continual Learners
Everybody wants to be a leader. Everybody wants to be a success.
But not everybody wants to do the work to become, be or remain a successful leader.
They think, "I want to be the leader, I want the rewards - the money, the office, the car, the lifestyle."
They do not think, "I wish I had the early starts, the 10-hour days, the risk of failure."
They are jealous of where you are. They are not jealous of how you got there.
They are jealous of what you have got.
They are not jealous of how you got it.
Work in private, "effortless" in public.
Success = persistent hard work + talent + learning.
Helping you learn, focus and succeed faster
Executive Coaching and Storytelling Coaching help you become a better storyteller, persuader, communicator, and:
- Cut the time to the top - accelerate your learning and growth.
- Navigate and avoid leadership potholes.
- Become a better communicator and leader, faster.
- Achieve more as a leader.
- Stay a leader for longer.
Want to accelerate, boost and protect your career?
You can: 1. stay as you are, 2. get kind validation from friends and family, or... 3. create noticeable change with feedback and counsel.
N.B. People do not hire me to be nice to them. They hire me because they want to be better. Fast.
Request a conversation if you want:
- High-stakes storytelling with message rigour
- More powerful delivery
- To polish your on-stage presence (theatre, podcast, All Hands)
One more thing: Your work is not limited to
weekdays 9-5. Neither is mine. I fit in with YOU.
"Everyone needs a coach"
- Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google
What Others Say About Me
Rainer Hettinger
Siemens Nixdorf
"Thanks a million Peter – or should I say $400 million?"
Marcus Webb
Chief Storytelling Officer
"Peter is one of the best practitioners of “tough love” I’ve ever seen. He’s direct and uncompromising. He “gives it to you with the bark off,” as they say – but you’ll love every minute of working with him."
Tim Montgomerie
Founder of ConservativeHome
“The genius political consultant Peter Botting.”
As Featured In
Discussing the MP selection process with Isabel Hardman on the BBC's "Week in Westminster".
Over 15000 words published in City A.M. on storytelling, leadership, interviews and careers.
Featured in a book by Isabel Hardman (interview preparation) & by Lionel Zetter (political persuasion).
Storytelling for Politics
Tired of political leaders who make promises but don't deliver? Me too! If you care about politics, get involved?
During over 20 years in politics, I have played key roles in:
- the Anti-Slavery Day and Human Trafficking legislation;
- conceiving and setting up the U.K. Anti-Slavery Day Media Awards;
- the landslide-winning (69%/31%) No2AV campaign in the 2011 United Kingdom National Referendum;
- Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's "historic" peace speech to the U.N. General Assembly;
- James Cleverly's leadership speech at Conservative Conference 2024;
- the founding of Policy Exchange - the ideas factory that fuelled David Cameron;
- helping people prepare for hustings, debates, selections and elections. 175+ were selected, elected and became Members of Parliament.
Storytelling for Startups
Founders. Do you want to raise money, recruit and retain "A" talent, build teams and secure new clients?
How do you attract and retain winning teams of "A" talent who choose your unknown startup over BigTech?
Are potential investors saying "keep in touch" instead of talking term sheets? You could organise 5 more pitches a week... Or you could fundraise faster and more efficiently.
Investors love winners, but hate losing. Your pitch and story need to trigger their imagination - what "could be".
You, your idea, team and business case; your market, scalability, and burn rate, your elevator pitch, pitch deck and, above all, your delivery and your story of "what could be" - these all count. These are all stories.
Raising capital, pitch deck narratives, investor presentation coaching, and team alignment workshops - all of these are based on storytelling.
Do you want to tell your story better?
The Stories Behind SAP
SAP is an unusual German corporate beast. A modern German startup that became a unicorn.
As part of a team of ten, I worked for this - then cheeky - upstart almost every week for four years.
I was there when it only had one building, and was there before, and when it made it onto the DAX.
Behind SAP's success are numerous revolutionary ideas, as well as innovative employment and management practices.
Practices that have since been copied by Silicon Valley startups - free food, relaxed working conditions, no clocking in or out and a very flat management structure. Why?
The reason and lots of fun stories...
If you are approaching a moment where misjudgement would be expensive, a confidential conversation may be useful. No bots, just Botting.
People bring me in when the utility of feedback outweighs the vanity of validation.
peter@peterbotting.com
07775 504299
c/o Peter Botting, Marsham Court, Marsham Street, London. SW1P 4JZ
Copyright 2026 Peter Botting Ltd, all rights reserved.