Chris Paton Keynote Speaker

Lieutenant Colonel, The Royal Marines (1994-2012)
Strategic Adviser, Ministry of Defence (2008-2012)
Leading specialist in connecting strategy, culture and leadership

Chris Paton's Biography

Chris Paton has been the Managing Director of Quirk Solutions since he founded it in 2011. Quirk specialises in connecting organisational culture, leadership and strategy. He has delivered leadership development and culture change programmes with MBDA, HSBC, Drax Group, Mercedes, Unilever, Shell, Heineken and Waitrose, as well as with the NHS and the Home Office, and large numbers of mid-market organisations and SMEs. In the Middle East, he has provided programmes with The Dubai Expo, SILAL, GAMI, and the Saudi Central Bank. In his former career Chris was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Marines and saw active service for over 18 years. One of his senior roles was Head of Strategy on Afghanistan, where he was responsible for the extraction of all UK combat troops and their equipment from Afghanistan from 2010-2012. He deployed on combat missions in a wide range of places including Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Georgia and Afghanistan.

Chris has given keynotes and talks to C-suite groups from the Fortune 500 and FTSE 250, and at global conferences in Berlin, Istanbul, London, Manchester, Glasgow and Aberdeen. He uses 30 years of experience in team building and leadership, alongside storytelling from his military service and commercial case studies, in a highly personable approach, to give audiences rich learning experiences. You will find testimonials on Chris’ speeches on his LinkedIn Profile here.

He has been published in the Harvard Business Review, as well as Strategy Magazine and Business Continuity Magazine. Chris is also a Fellow of the Strategic Planning Society and has lectured on the London Business School’s Executive Education Programme.

‘Highly Reliable Teams’

How to use techniques such as ‘Freedom in a Framework’ and ‘Intent’ to drive accountability and empowerment throughout an organisation – leading to a team of teams, aligned through all levels, owning outcomes that are more nimble, adaptable, innovative and high tempo, with fewer bottlenecks.

‘Strategy in Uncertainty’

How to manage complexity and volatility through using strategic frameworks that are supple, and by making the most of the diversity of thinking in an organisation, to create a strategy that evolves with the situation. This topic can also include some planning techniques at the operational level, giving structure and clarity to accelerate successful implementation.

‘Gaming for Success'

How to apply gaming techniques, both military and commercial, to pressure test plans and projects, leading to an increase of on-time and within-budget outcomes, at lower risk, and creating greater understanding and buyin. Learn how to design gaming sessions and choose the right technique for the desired outcomes.

‘Culture and Transformation’

How to use the key principles of change, and a clear understanding of the culture and micro-cultures in an organisation, to drive successful change outcomes and build a ‘powerful coalition’ that creates unstoppable momentum, whether for growth, M&A or restructuring.

He has led Quirk Solutions since 2011, delivering leadership development and culture change programmes for global organisations including HSBC, Mercedes, Shell and Unilever, as well as major public sector institutions in the UK and Middle East.
He draws on 18 years as a Royal Marines officer, including serving as Head of Strategy on Afghanistan overseeing the extraction of UK combat troops, to translate high stakes strategy into clear, practical leadership lessons.
He connects organisational culture, leadership and strategy into a coherent framework that enables executive teams to align intent with execution and deliver measurable performance.
He combines military storytelling with commercial case studies and academic insight, including publication in Harvard Business Review and lecturing at London Business School, to give C suite audiences rigorous and highly engaging learning experiences.
His keynotes equip leaders to navigate complexity, lead through uncertainty and build resilient teams capable of sustained success in demanding environments.

Videos of Chris Paton

Culture Connect | Change

HR ANALYTICS

"Failure is being fetishised" Chris Paton on failing in business without losing everything

Articles, Media & Podcasts

Military principles for making better decisions and how to strengthen relationships through good leadership

The Okana Podcast

Comments & Testimonials

It was a privilege to have you with us yesterday. We hope to build on yesterday's wisdom and energy to achieve better future outcomes.

AboitizPower

Chris is brilliant to work with. He really listened and first sought to understand our business, the culture and how we work together, our objectives for the event and the audience he was presenting to. This ultimately made it a highly effective and relevant session which inspired some changes of perspective. His practical and highly effective framework, combined with his great experience, made his presentations memorable and brought the theory to life. It was a highly engaging and practical session which we received great feedback on. Thank you Chris - St James

Place Wealth Management