Outstanding Global: a different kind of leadership development
Reimagining leadership for a world in flux
We are living in an age where the ground is constantly shifting. Trust is frayed. Division is rife. The pace of change is relentless, and the path ahead often uncertain.
In this kind of world, traditional leadership models fall short.
Outstanding Global exists to meet that challenge.
We work with leaders and organisations who want to do more than survive disruption: they want to thrive through it.
Our clients have included multinationals such as PepsiCo, Deloitte, Deutsche Telekom, Barclays and Capgemini, as well as governments, NGOs and entrepreneurial scale-ups. What unites them is the recognition that incremental change is no longer enough.
Our philosophy is simple and radical
These aren’t corporate values. They are verbs. Actions that define how we work. We believe that leaders only realise their full potential when they’re able to inspire others.
inspire
We help leaders reconnect with who they are and what they truly care about. Sometimes that means stopping to breathe: walking in the woods, joining a story circle, or stepping out under theatre lights — all aimed at igniting purpose, not just performance.
ENGAGE
We challenge leaders to show up fully. To be who they really are. To listen bravely, embrace contradiction, and lead with presence, integrity and the courage to connect across difference.
EMPOWER
We create conditions where people can step into their full potential. We’ve climbed mountains with pharmaceutical teams, sung in choirs with scientists, and helped global banks find their heartbeat again.
Outstanding Global blends the rigour of boardroom experience with the creative spark of the arts and the regenerative power of nature to prepare your leaders for change but also to enable them to lead through it.
Working With
Stories that travel further
Not everything we do happens in a boardroom or workshop. Some of our most powerful work has taken shape as stories, captured on page and on screen.
These books and films from the world of Outstanding Global explore the same themes that run through our leadership practice: courage, transformation, and the human drive to leave something meaningful behind.
From award-winning environmental dramas to memoirs of activism, loss and renewal, they offer a deeper look into the values and experiences that have shaped Nigel and the Outstanding Global ethos.
Nigel Hughes – Founder and CEO
Nigel’s career has been built on creativity, impact and change.
His reputation as one of the UK’s most distinctive voices in leadership development has been recognised through several award wins and nominations, most recently being recognised as Best Leadership Development Business Leader 2023 (East of England) by CEO Monthly and as a current a finalist in the 2025 Great British Entrepreneur Awards, where he has been shortlisted for Global Entrepreneur of the Year.
Alongside his consultancy work, he is the founder and CEO of two NGOs: the Green Light Trust, which has protected 2,000 square miles of rainforest in Papua New Guinea and inspired 62 community-owned woodlands across the UK, and Northern Lights Trust which helped thousands of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
His path has never been conventional.
Beginning as a professional actor, Nigel moved into leadership, sustainability and cultural change, bringing the creative energy of the arts to the rigour of boardroom life.
He has worked internationally with organisations including Deutsche Telekom, HSBC, Sprinque, Deloitte, Capgemini, Barclaycard and PepsiCo, helping them reimagine how their leaders think, connect and perform.
Career Highlights
- Directing cultural transformation programmes for global corporations
- Co-creating a global transgender policy for Deutsche Telekom and leading “Breaking the Glass” for senior women
- Supporting the Indian Government with his ‘From Lethargy to Legacy’ leadership programme
- Guiding 85 SMEs to cut their carbon emissions by an average of 19%
Nigel’s work blends creativity, challenge and compassion. Whether he’s reshaping corporate culture, inspiring future leaders, or coaching senior executives through pivotal transitions, his approach is rooted in humanity — and proven to deliver results that last.
Our Associate Team
Outstanding Global is powered by a hand-picked network of experienced associates who share Nigel’s belief in open-hearted leadership and bold thinking. They bring diverse expertise with a shared spirit.
Each brings their own specialism, from coaching and cultural transformation to the arts, education and sustainability, but they are united by a common approach: deeply human, fiercely creative, and relentlessly committed to making a difference.
