Fifty years ago, when Britain was battling strikes, uncertainty and division, one small organisation dared to imagine something different: a Britain led by people of self-awareness and purpose. That vision became the Leadership Trust and half a century later, the company continues to transform how leaders see themselves and the world around them, having worked with more than 70,000 leaders across industries and continents.
Long before emotional intelligence became a corporate buzzword, the Leadership Trust was teaching it in the fields of Herefordshire. Its radical belief – that leadership begins with knowing yourself – changed how thousands of people lead, live and work. Today, that idea remains as bold and necessary as it was in 1975.
Sir David Gilbert-Smith, Leadership Trust’s founder, and Janet Richardson, behavioural psychologist, laid the foundations for Leadership Trust’s unique approach.
Leadership Trust recently celebrated 50 years of shaping leaders with an anniversary event at Chelsea Parkfields, where Leadership Trust hosts its programmes. It was a celebration of past, present and future with faculty and graduates, leaders and learners all invited.
A bold beginning
The Leadership Trust’s story is one of conviction and a different kind of leadership vision. In 1970s Britain – a time marked by economic crisis, industrial unrest and deep political division – ex-SAS Major and international rugby player David Gilbert-Smith saw that effective leadership was needed more than ever. As businesses faltered and morale sank, too many managers clung to rigid, top-down styles that failed to inspire.
Gilbert-Smith’s radical belief – that true leadership emerges from confidence, emotional insight and personal power rather than status or command – became the foundation of the Leadership Trust’s enduring legacy in 1975. A year later, the first Leadership in Management programme ran. Eschewing lecture-style teaching, it immersed participants in experiential challenges: leadership as lived, not taught.
By 1977, 114 organisations had sent 360 delegates on programmes. Over time, the Leadership Trust evolved, anchoring itself in Herefordshire – the home county of the SAS – and deepening the psychological sophistication of its programmes through collaboration with psychologist Janet Richardson.
In 2015, the Leadership Trust joined the Chelsea Group under the stewardship of Lord Westbury (Richard Westbury, MBE). Lord Westbury had first joined the organisation in 1988 as Deputy Chief Executive, helping to design and deliver leadership programmes for senior executives. A former Scots Guards and SAS officer with extensive operational experience around the world, he brought a deep appreciation for decisive action and resilience under pressure.
Lord Richard Westbury welcoming guests to the 50th Anniversary celebration at Chelsea Parkfields.
His belief in the Leadership Trust’s unique impact led him to bring it into the Chelsea Group, ensuring its legacy would continue to grow. Today, the Leadership Trust delivers residential experiences from its home at Chelsea Parkfields – a tranquil country manor in Herefordshire – as well as bespoke programmes for organisations anywhere in the world.
The work of Leadership Trust continues to facilitate lasting transformation – not just for attendees’ roles, but for their entire lives. “The Leadership in Management programme unburdened me of a deep-rooted fear that had been holding me back my entire career,” shared recent delegate Ben Turner of his programme experience. “That shift has changed my life immensely.”
The 50th Anniversary celebrations
As Leadership Trust’s CEO John English shared: “The anniversary event was a powerful reminder that leadership flourishes through shared experience – the energy, ideas and genuine connection in the room captured exactly what makes Leadership Trust so distinctive: our people’s passion.”
The first day opened with reflections on what it has taken to sustain 50 years of impact: courage to question orthodoxies, ongoing investment in human beings, and a willingness to adapt without losing identity. Conversations flowed as easily as the wine on night one, with ideas sparking across generations of leadership thinkers over plates of delicious paella. Lord Westbury captivated the room as he shared stories from the early days of the Leadership Trust and his vision for the next 50 years.
Leadership Trust’s network gathered from far and wide to celebrate this momentous milestone.
On day two, off-schedule faculty-led sessions revisited core Leadership Trust methods of experientialism, vulnerability as strength, and the principle that leadership is revealed, not taught.
“Attending the Leadership Trust 50th faculty event left me feeling truly energised,” shared Chelsea Group COO Alexander Bethell. “The room was brimming with innovation. To witness that same heat and hunger for progress still burning strong after 50 years is remarkable.
I’m confident the next 50 years will be just as impactful, different, yes, but driven by the same spirit of collaboration and leadership. I’m genuinely excited to see how these great minds continue to shape the future of this space.”
Here’s to Leadership Trust – born in the upheaval of Britain in 1975 with a daring vision to redefine leadership. To the pioneers who built it, the leaders it continues to ignite, and the unstoppable spirit of transformation and impact that will impact the leaders of today and tomorrow.
To find out more about Leadership Trust’s programmes head to www.leadershiptrust.co or email info@leadershiptrust.co
To read the Leadership Trust’s timeline celebration of 50 years, click here.