One of the very first Sherpas to join the programme, Rory has gone on to achieve something remarkable: taking on the role of CEO at MPLC, the business where he began as a Sherpa in 2020.
Over the years, Rory has been generous in giving his time back to the programme, sharing his insights as both a guest speaker and a mentor. His approach to leadership reflects many of the qualities we admire and aim to foster in the Sherpa Programme: open, ambitious, human, and clear.
These reflections, drawn from one of our conversations with Rory, build on the thread we began with Stew and continued with Boris. In our last article, Boris described how to use operational cadence to drive pace and clarity, and to set your leadership tone. Here, Rory shares how tone evolves as a business grows, and how a well-set CEO cadence becomes the foundation of scale.
Reinventing to Stay Ahead
“I’m always asking myself, how do I push myself to stay ahead of the business?”
Rory continues to reflect deeply on what the business needs from him, and how he must adapt in response. For many first-time PE-backed businesses, the early focus is often on professionalisation and performance. As a company grows, those demands change, and the leaders who thrive are those who continually invest in staying ahead – like Rory.
Rory described his leadership evolution as one from a focus on immediate delivery (when he first stepped into the role) to looking further ahead, building for the future.
Rory’s advice is to reflect after every major milestone in your business and ask yourself: “What skills does the business need from me for our next stage?”
Designing the Operating System
“It’s about creating the right operating system to move quickly and stay focused.”
Like Boris, Rory has given real thought to cadence, or what he calls his operating rhythm. He acknowledges there is no perfect answer and is always evolving as the business and team grow.
His regular rhythm includes:
- A weekly CFO session to stay close to the P&L.
- Weekly leadership check-ins (60-90 minutes) including key sales metrics; giving decision makers the right context, space to debrief, and time to work together effectively. At busy or intense periods this can become shorter, twice per week calls.
- Bi-weekly 1:1s with direct reports.
- Quarterly OKR Alignment Workshops, personally facilitated.
To balance alignment and pace, while protecting his own capacity to think ahead, Rory tries to work on biweekly cycles: one week for internal meetings, the next with more space for deep work and reflection.
Culture as a Multiplier
“For nearly four years I’ve done weekly CEO videos. Consistency is crucial; it keeps trust high and the business informed. When you need to share tough news, that trust is critical.”
For Rory, culture isn’t separate from the operating system – it’s what makes it work. He has invested heavily in communication and engagement to sustain that culture.
Weekly CEO videos, regular town halls, leadership blogs, and constant feedback loops have become part of MPLC’s DNA. He has also introduced new benefits and created moments that reinforce confidence and openness.
This consistency pays off. When culture is strong, trust is high. And in Rory’s words, that trust enables accountability, pace, and resilience.
Building Long-Term Value Alongside a Differentiated Culture
“Long-term value has to be the focus – but you have to make the story compelling.”
Rory is clear that alignment has to be about creating true long-term value. But he also recognises that value creation on its own isn’t always motivating for everyone across the organisation.
This balance plays out in the trade-offs every CEO faces, but they are particularly heightened for PE-backed CEOs: driving growth today while making bigger bets for long-term growth. With the right operating system – and a culture strong enough to support important conversations – the business can handle both.
That’s why Rory has been deliberate in investing in culture and when he does, he focuses on ensuring his team:
- Feels supported.
- Has a voice.
- Has access to benefits that align with what they care about.
Rory’s story reflects the spirit of the Sherpa Programme itself: seeing each stage of your career as an opportunity to level up. His path from Sherpa to CEO, five years on, exemplifies how that mindset compounds over time – transforming not only individual careers, but the organisations they go on to lead.
The Sherpa journey is about stretching beyond today’s role, anticipating what’s next, and continually reinventing yourself to meet the needs of the business. Rory shows what’s possible when that mindset is applied with discipline, clarity, and ambition. If you’re inspired by Rory’s journey from Sherpa to CEO, now is the moment to take your own first step!
Cohort IV of the Sherpa Programme is open for recruitment. Learn more and apply here.
