David is a leadership development expert with a first degree from Cambridge and an MBA from Warwick. His practice is built on a deceptively simple proposition: that understanding how the brain works is the most powerful tool available to leaders, teams and organisations. He is a trainer, coach, mentor and speaker at the forefront of applying neuroscience and behavioural science to drive real performance change. As Managing Director of First Ascent, which he acquired in 2006, David works with organisations from early-stage start-ups to multinational corporations across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas. First Ascent programmes are grounded in the latest research, tailored to each client, and are focused on ensuring lasting behavioural change. He is UK and Ireland Director for Emergenetics International, whose brain science-based psychometric tools underpin much of his development work. David leads the training practice at St John’s Innovation Centre in Cambridge, where he personally supports high-growth businesses with their leadership and management development. He is a Senior Associate of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and a Chartered Director, certified by the Institute of Directors, where he served as voluntary Chair for the East of England. David also competes in ironman triathlons and extreme endurance events, where high performance demands resilience and a clear understanding of how mind and body work together under pressure.