Non-executive Chair · Former CEO · Mentor
I'm a non-executive Chair and former CEO with 25 years leading digital transformation, organisational redesign and international expansion across media, technology and purpose-driven businesses. I've scaled companies in the UK, US and EMEA, delivered commercial turnarounds at the Guardian and Bloomberg Media, and guided businesses through B Corp certification.
Now
Chair, Ecosurety — a B Corp
Qualified
IoD Chair of the Board Programme
Previously
MD EMEA, Bloomberg Media
Previously
Executive MD, Guardian News & Media
Trustee
Kehelland Trust
Work with me
Good business delivers growth for people, profit and the planet. I bring that view to every board, every founder and every decision.
01 · Boards
A steady, independent chair for businesses going through growth, investment or change. I help the board and CEO agree what matters, then hold the line on it.
02 · Advisory
Focused help on the questions boards find hardest, from someone who has sat on both sides of the table.
03 · Mentoring
I mentor young entrepreneurs and founders. Mentoring gives you a regular, private space to plan your business and your life together. For founders, they are the same plan.
How I work
People do brilliant things when they're given the right challenge. A good chair sets that challenge, then makes room for the team to meet it.
I chair a B Corp and help others certify. Impact belongs in the strategy and the scorecard, not the appendix.
From print to digital at the Guardian to workforce tech at Freeformers, I've led the change boards now ask for.
Clear reporting, clear reserved matters and incentives that reward the right things. Governance that helps a business move faster.
I've started businesses as well as run them. I know what the CEO's chair feels like, and when to support rather than steer.
Board strengths
I've launched businesses in the US and EMEA, delivered major commercial turnarounds and supported several companies through B Corp certification.
Chair, NED and governance
Strong stakeholder management across multiple ownership models.
Digital transformation
And organisational redesign.
International expansion
US, Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Commercial turnaround
And revenue growth.
Scaling businesses
Founder-led and PE-backed.
ESG and B Corp leadership
Purpose built into strategy.
Culture change
People-first leadership.
Brand and audience
Brand, marketing and audience strategy.
£250m
P&L led at Guardian News & Media
150,000
young people trained across Europe at Freeformers
300%
audience and revenue growth in two years at Bloomberg Media EMEA
100,000
member subscription base built at the Guardian
Board stories
Three moments that shaped how I chair: changing ownership, building a purpose-led business, and turning a business around.
Metropolis Music Group · Chair and investor
The challenge
A business ready for new ownership, and a management team who wanted to lead the next chapter.
What I did
Led the management buyout and the transition to a new majority shareholder, while advising the CEO on a strategic growth plan.
The outcome
A clean change of ownership, with management in place and an agreed plan for growth.
Freeformers · Co-founder and CEO
The challenge
Take a UK digital skills business international, on a model that could scale.
What I did
Secured Meta funding, expanded into six European markets, moved the business to a SaaS-led model and led it through B Corp certification.
The outcome
150,000 young people trained across Europe, by an international, certified B Corp.
Guardian News & Media · Executive MD
The challenge
A £250m P&L and 600 people facing the shift from print to digital.
What I did
Developed and delivered the turnaround plan, and led digital transformation and expansion into the US.
The outcome
Commercial operations back in profit, and a 100,000-member subscription base.
Experience
2023 – now
Non-executive Chair, Ecosurety
B Corp in packaging compliance and environmental data. Mentoring the CEO and supporting new digital products and market expansion.
2025 – now
Trustee, Kehelland Trust
Mentoring the CEO on a new organisational growth plan, and volunteering onsite and in fundraising.
2023 – now
Founder, Good Growth Consulting
Mentoring, board advisory and B Corp support for pioneering brands.
2020 – 2023
Non-executive Director, MediaVision
Supported the leadership team through rapid growth and advised on commercial strategy and international expansion.
2019 – 2022
Non-executive Director, Utopia Consulting
Board oversight of digital transformation and programme development, with quarterly performance reviews.
2015 – 2019
Trustee, United Way UK
Governance and fundraising strategy for the UK arm of the global charity. Member of the CEO recruitment panel.
2013 – 2018
Chair and investor, Metropolis Music Group
Led the management buyout and transition to a new majority shareholder, and advised the CEO on a strategic growth plan.
2004 – 2006
Non-executive Director, Development Hell
Publisher of Word and Mixmag. Board advisor as part of the Guardian News & Media investment.
2020 – 2023
Managing Partner, MediaVision
Doubled agency billings in 18 months and launched US operations. Won 20 new clients and 15 industry award nominations.
2016 – 2020
Co-founder and CEO, Freeformers
Built a digital skills and transformation platform, scaling into six European markets with Meta funding. Moved the business to B Corp status and a SaaS-led model, and trained 150,000 young people across Europe.
2014 – 2016
Managing Director EMEA, Bloomberg Media
Led editorial and commercial operations across TV, digital and print. Delivered 300% audience and revenue growth in two years and launched new propositions in the Middle East and Africa.
2013 – 2014
Founder, Mutual Media
Raised SEIS investment and secured major agency group partnerships.
2007 – 2013
Executive Managing Director, Guardian News & Media
Also Director, Consumer Media. Accountable for a £250m P&L and 600 people. Led the turnaround plan, digital transformation and US expansion. Returned commercial operations to profit and built a 100,000-member subscription base.
2000 – 2001
Sales and Marketing Director, eMagazineshop.com
Raised £3m investment and led growth marketing.
2023
Institute of Directors, Chair of the Board Programme
2023
Association of Business Mentors
2006
INSEAD, Advanced Management Programme
Degree
BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations, Coventry Polytechnic
2023 – 24
Mentor, Enterprise Nation
2018
Awards Judge, Business in the Community
2013 – 14
Chair, Advertising Association Media Business Course
2011 – 14
Board Member, Newsworks and IAB
Ongoing
NABS Mentor · Speakers for Schools contributor
Mentoring
The business needs your time, energy and ambition. Your life sets the limits on all three. Mentoring gives you a regular, private space to decide where both should go, and to build a team that lets you step back.
“Short, regular sessions beat occasional away days. Progress happens between meetings.”
Month 1: set the plan
A longer session to set your life and business goals and agree the first 90-day priorities.
Every week: 2 hours together
On video. About a day of focused thinking a month, without losing a whole day from the diary.
In between: quick answers
Short actions for you, and me on email or message for the live questions.
Every 3 months: review and reset
Check progress against the plan and agree the next priorities.
Who I am
I live on a 26-acre farm in Cornwall with my wife Andrea and our two dogs. We have three grown-up children.
I still build things. We run The Cornish Place, a sustainable holiday retreat on the farm, and I coach men getting back to fitness as a PT at Second Wind. Running small businesses keeps my board advice practical.
Away from the boardroom I mentor young entrepreneurs, and champion sustainable tourism and local Cornish businesses.
If you're building a board with digital, growth or transformation expertise, or looking for a Chair who can support a CEO through scale and change, I'm always open to a conversation. I live in Cornwall, travel often and am happy to meet.
Book an intro callOr use the form to tell me a little about what you're working on and I'll reply personally. Prefer email? awfreeman@gmail.com or find me on LinkedIn.