Hi, I'm Torsten de Riese

I help CEOs, founders and boards achieve growth in an increasingly challenging environment of rapid tech disruption, geo-political shifts and climate emergency.

Every challenge offers an opportunity. Organisations that are going to win will a) quickly translate threats into strategic advantages b) transform without losing control and c) build and maintain trust in a fast changing world.

The mission is critical and urgent. Our world is changing and whilst there are many parallels in history and our lived experience we can learn from, the pace of change is unprecedented. 

We need to know what this means for us, for our employees, for our customers, our products and services, our stakeholders, competitors, regulators and investors.

We need clarity. And in a fast changing world we need to know how to manage ambiguity. This is where I can help.

Why me

Over more than 20 years I have built digital products at the Financial Times, The Guardian and CNBC, scaled technology ventures, founded and sold a consultancy and led the transformation and sale of a multi-million pound political-intelligence SaaS business.

Now I work as an independent advisor, consultant, NED/Chair and executive thinking partner helping leaders make clearer strategic decisions, strengthen their organisations and govern technology, data and AI responsibly and sustainably.

I combine an operator’s commercial experience, a founder’s pragmatism and a board chair’s perspective. That means I can advise on the decision, help put it into practice and support the leader responsible for making it succeed.

Can we work together?

I work with founders, CEOs and boards of media, data, intelligence, SaaS and public-impact technology organisations facing growth, transformation or governance challenges.

These situations are a good fit:

  • A founder’s organisation has outgrown its informal way of operating.
  • A CEO needs an experienced, independent thinking partner
  • A board is struggling to govern AI, data or digital investment confidently
  • A business is moving from services to products or subscriptions.
  • A leadership team needs to align product, commercial and operational priorities
  • An organisation is restructuring, preparing for investment, sale or succession
  • A mission-led organisation needs commercial discipline without losing public trust

 

Problems I love solving...

My experience spans multinational media organisations, venture-backed technology, a PLC, government clients, civic infrastructure, charities and social enterprise.

So these are the competing priorities I'm good at cracking:

  • Growth versus resilience
  • Innovation versus governance
  • Commercial value versus public trust
  • Product speed versus information integrity
  • Mission versus a sustainable operating model
  • Organisational transformation versus retaining culture/mission

"I can't say enough about the outstanding service I received from your company. Their team went above and beyond to meet our needs and exceeded our expectations."

Oliver Hartman

I've seen all sides of the advisory conversation

Many coaches have studied leadership but have not carried comparable commercial, operational or governance accountability. Many consultants can recommend a transformation but have not had to lead one. I have as...

  • an executive receiving board challenges
  • a managing director with a multi-million Pound P&L
  • a founder who built and sold a business
  • a product and transformation leader
  • an advisor and consultant
  • a chair responsible for governance and executive support

 

I understand organisational inflection points

I am not simply a growth advisor. I understand what happens when an organisation must become a different kind of organisation.

My experience includes scaling, fundraising, new market entry, executive team building, platform launches, restructuring, delisting, disposals and a business exit.

I understand business,  information and communication

I began as a journalist and qualified news editor, then moved through editorial leadership, product, platforms, SaaS, commercial management and governance.

This enables me to ask important questions, such as:

Not only “Can we build and monetise this?” but also “Can people trust it?”

This is especially critical in the world of AI, data products, media, political and business intelligence and civic technology.

I translate between tribes

In my career I had to connect:

  • Editorial and commercial teams
  • Product and technology teams
  • Executives and boards
  • Founders and investors
  • Government, corporate and civic stakeholders
  • UK and European markets

How I work - from insight to implementation

Discover
I speak with key stakeholders and staff to understand the organisation, surface different perspectives and identify the real problem.

Explore
I develop credible options, making the implications, risks and trade-offs clear.

Plan
Together, we turn the chosen direction into an actionable plan with clear priorities, responsibilities and measures of progress.

Deliver
I stay involved to support implementation, strengthen the people leading it and help the organisation respond when reality challenges the plan.

I do not arrive with a predetermined solution or disappear after presenting a recommendation. I work with clients from clarity through to action.