Chair and Non Executive Director

Chair and Non Executive Director.

I support companies navigating challenge or change, bringing calm authority that helps management align priorities, protect focus, and steer through turbulence.

I’m Trevor Parker, a Chair and Non-Executive Director who has actually held the leadership chair. I don’t believe in ceremonial governance. My role is to create the conditions for management to lead effectively, ensuring the board process supports rather than distracts, especially when pressure builds.

Why Real-World Leadership Matters in the Chair

Because I continue to take on interim roles in high-pressure situations, I stay close to the real challenges management teams face. My role as Chair is to bring calm perspective, cut through noise, and help align board and management priorities so the business can move forward with clarity.

My focus is on enabling the CEO and executive team to lead with clarity, supported by a board that adds value rather than burden.

Experience that Keeps Me Grounded

Interim CEO, Executive Chair, and Operational Advisor across multiple sectors

Turned around underperforming businesses ranging from £10M to £100M+

Successfully led a company rescue as Executive Chair, stabilising and exiting the business profitably

Raised over £80M in growth capital (£30M from private investors, £50M from institutions)

Grew an AIM-listed business from £50M to £150M

Led restructures, growth strategies, and crisis interventions across multiple sectors

Worked with family-run firms, VC/PE-backed companies, and high-growth scale-ups

Led refinancing processes and covenant negotiations with banking and lender stakeholders

How I Help Boards Stay Focused Under Pressure

I keep the board agenda focused on what matters, so management can spend time leading the business rather than producing endless papers

I focus on clarity in reporting – today’s position, critical risks, near-term actions – so executives and non-execs are working from the same page

I maintain proportion in funder relationships – ensuring engagement is transparent without overwhelming management with second-guessing

I protect the boundary between oversight and execution – keeping accountability clear while supporting the CEO and executive team to deliver

More about Trevor

Trevor Parker is a board-level business leader with deep expertise in growth, turnaround, and operational performance. He has scaled an AIM-listed company from £50M to £150M, led successful rescues as Executive Chair, and supported businesses through refinancing, restructuring, and operational disruption.

Where I Add the Most Value

Boards and leadership teams of mid-market, PE/VC-backed, and entrepreneurial companies who are:

Navigating growth, turnaround, or restructuring

Facing tighter liquidity, rising costs of capital, or increased stakeholder scrutiny

Managing board dynamics or executive teams stretched by circumstances

Preparing for refinancing, covenant negotiations, or potential exit

Looking for a Chair or NED who can bring clarity, focus, and calm discipline while supporting the CEO and their leadership team

I don’t focus on large, blue-chip boards where systems are already mature and layers of governance are well established. My value lies in firms where the boardroom must engage directly with operational reality, where clarity, speed, and judgement make the difference between recovery and decline, and where supporting the CEO and executive team is central to success.

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What Boards Face in Turbulent Times

When conditions are stable, a Chair can stay at arm’s length. But when pressures mount, the role changes. This is when a Chair earns their keep – when governance either holds its shape or collapses.

You might be experiencing:

A boardroom tense with pressure, edging toward fracture

A lack of clarity from management – too much information, but little focus

None Executive Directors leaning too far into operations, blurring boundaries with management

A sense that board meetings consume energy rather than add value

This is where the Chair makes the difference. Not by taking over, but by providing calm authority that helps management align, maintain focus, and steer the business through turbulence.

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Why Some Chairs and NEDs Might Miss the Mark

Too many Chairs operate as figureheads, leaning on profile rather than presence. In fair weather that may suffice. But in difficult times, it adds no value.

It’s no good if a Chair gets flustered under pressure and the only tool in their box is authority. That style might carry weight in a large corporate, but in a mid-market or PE-backed firm it rattles the board and undermines the management team at exactly the point they need calm support.

What makes the difference is not just governance knowledge, but real and appropriate leadership experience, and the ability to balance calm authority with practical discipline while enabling the executive team to perform under pressure.

Because I continue to operate in executive and advisory roles, my perspective stays sharp. I understand both the governance and the operational realities. That balance is what keeps boards effective and helps CEOs stay focused when pressure builds.

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When Oversight Isn’t Enough

Some moments demand more than ceremonial leadership. They call for a Chair who brings perspective, focus, and clarity, while supporting management to deliver.

Resetting the board’s scorecard and near-term mission

Protecting key stakeholder relationships

Coaching reporting discipline into the executive team

Ensuring the board remains aligned and constructive under pressure

Safeguarding directors’ duties when insolvency risk is near

These are not abstract responsibilities. They are the realities of pressured boards – and the areas where I add value as Chair and NED.

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Why Stressed Companies Need the Right Chair

When a business is under strain, the boardroom dynamic changes. Pressure exposes gaps in focus, confidence, and alignment. Decisions carry more weight, and the line between governance and management can easily blur.

In these moments, the Chair’s role becomes critical. The right Chair brings calm authority and practical experience, helping management align priorities, maintain focus, and steer through turbulence. They support the CEO, protect governance, and ensure the board process adds value rather than distraction.

Boards that work well in tough times give the business its best chance of resilience and recovery. That’s what the right Chair makes possible.

Contact Me

Based in the UK, I’ve scaled an AIM-listed business from £50M to £150M, stabilised distressed companies as Executive Chair, and supported PE and lender-backed boards through refinancing, restructuring, and recovery.

Get in touch

Many CEOs tell me they do not need another consultant. What they need is clarity, calm direction and a trusted sounding board who understands both investors and operations. That is where I step in. I work alongside leaders to bring focus, steady the team and move the business forward when the pressure is on. If that sounds useful, the next step is simple: book a short call to see if we are a fit.

Chair and Non Executive Director