Francis has worked in leadership (including CEO) roles across the private, public, university and voluntary sectors and retains a particular interest in SMEs, mid- sized ventures, civil society and inclusive enterprise and their roles and learning contribution to – and from – public service reform, innovation and entrepreneurship. His passions are community engagement, employee participation, complex and low income communities, and social care. He is the founder and co-founder of a string of award winning initiatives, social ventures and a public service mutual in the social and health care sectors and has undertaken member training and development for the LGA and councils. In 2017 he co-chaired the Mayor of West Midlands cohesion, communities and faith summit and in 2015 he co-founded the national Mental Wealth Festival.
Francis is a graduate of Ashridge and Warwick Business Schools and the Universities of Durham and Southampton and worked on leadership development , has lectured, held Fellowships and/or Professorships at Cambridge, Oxford, LSE, Portsmouth Business School, St Mary’s University, Twickenham and the University of Birmingham. Under the last three governments he has worked, first, as a specialist advisor at Secretary of State level at DCLG and then as a ministerial appointee at Department of Health and Department of Work and Pensions. He is a Non – Executive Director of a successful NHS Trust providing community services.
Media credits include The Economist, Radio 4, Radio 5, The Times. Policy publications and chapter contributions include Social Policy Association, Localis , Southern Policy Centre, New Local Government Network , Res Publica and Public Servant. Speaking engagements have included Local Economic Partnerships, local government and senior civil service away days, think tanks, county, unitary and district councils and civil society audiences.
Francis joined We Are C Co because of the team’s innovative approach to outcomes based reform, programme management and to build on long standing collaboration with the founding team.
Away from work Francis is a long distance walker and sustains a minor sideline in journalism on wild swimming and the national parks. He is also a carer.
