In this episode of The Purposeful Strategist, Belden Menkus speaks with Dr. Peter Thompson, Chief Executive of the National Physical Laboratory, about leading an organisation whose expertise in calibration, testing, and measurement standards underpins almost everything in our society — and which must do so as a business, winning contracts on merit and demonstrating return on public money.

In their conversation, they discuss:

· How NPL acts as connective tissue between scientific expertise and the economy: providing the certainty in measurement that companies across sectors rely on as they innovate and scale.

· How Peter has reoriented NPL from a culture of excellent science for its own sake towards one that is externally focused on the needs of society, industry and government, including a restructure of the executive team and a deliberate effort to sharpen accountability and speed up decision-making.

· The challenge of balancing near-term delivery with research that requires long time horizons.

· Peter's approach to leadership in a rapidly changing environment, and how NPL is positioning itself now.

NPL: https://www.npl.co.uk/
Menkus & Associates: https://www.menkus.com/
Supported by Norman Broadbent: https://www.normanbroadbent.com/

Belden Menkus is the Managing Director of Menkus & Associates, a senior strategic advisory practice that provides strategic clarity for businesses with a public remit, where scrutiny is high, governance is complex, and the answers aren't obvious. His McKinsey training combined with more than 30 years working at Board and ExCo level gives him both the analytical rigour and the relational experience that complex, high-stakes leadership situations demand.

Belden hosts The Purposeful Strategist, a weekly podcast. It explores how senior leaders bring purpose to life through strategy and reflects the same questions that drive the consulting work.