“Steven brings tremendous value to our board… a highly focused executor, who gets straight to the bottom line.”Jean-Philippe Perraud
CEO, NEDonBoard / Institute of Board Members
Principal executive · CEO · COO
Brought in when the existing modelcan no longer deliver the necessary future.
Steven Windmill is a UK-based principal executive, CEO and COO repeatedly selected for high-consequence mandates where the organisational model has ceased to fit the strategic environment.
He aligns with the Chair, board or sponsor, establishes the real condition, then leads the execution required to recover control, confidence and value.
Interim CEO · COO · Transformation · Turnaround · Special Situations
£18.6bnNational transformation programmeFormal OF5 Head of Plans, Risk and Integration; responsibilities developed into the COO function
£4.33bnCash releasedRealised outcome · c.23% of programme value
100 daysFrom c.£3m annual loss to positive EBITDACommercial turnaround
13 yearsPresident of Courts Martial
16UK economic sectorsExecutive, operating and advisory experience
1,200 → 6Projects consolidated into integrated programmes
Appointment proposition
Direct accountability without making the institution dependent upon the intervention.
Steven works to the outcomes, authority and constraints agreed with the Chair, board or sponsor. He uses existing leadership wherever capability and alignment remain sound, distributes execution through trusted leaders and intervenes directly where evidence shows material loss of control, value or institutional confidence.
The objective is a stronger institution: restored commercial and operating control, decision-grade governance, capable leadership and an orderly transition to sustained performance.
Principal identity and method →Third-party evidence
CEO, NEDonBoard / Institute of Board Members
Defence Training Rationalisation programme
Professional colleague
CEO, NEDonBoard / Institute of Board Members
“A strategic thinker with the pragmatism to turn strategy into detailed plans.”Fred Church
Defence Training Rationalisation programme
“Supportive and encouraging leader… would gladly work for him again.”Nigel Smith
Professional colleague
Formal reports and professional recommendations show a consistent pattern across employers, clients, commanders, board colleagues and peers: clarity of thought, commercial judgement, calm execution, high integrity and a leadership style that enables others to perform. Review the evidence →
Recurring mandate patternCorporate recovery Integration and transformation Governance and consequence
Performance without control
Value deteriorating despite apparent effort, requiring rapid diagnosis, restored authority and disciplined commercial execution.
Scale without coherence
Organisations, assets and programmes requiring a credible operating model, integrated authority and post-merger execution.
Information without foresight
Boards receiving data but lacking the predictive indicators and intervention architecture required before optionality disappears.
Current prioritiesPrimary commercial focus Permanent institutional platform
One external principal-executive mandate at a time
Selectively available for one high-consequence external mandate at a time, alongside a limited portfolio of principal, Chair and non-executive responsibilities.
Mandate fit and current focus →Windmill Family Office
A UK single family office providing governance, stewardship and succession architecture for family capital, assets, relationships and responsibilities across generations.
Visit WFO →