About the Author
John is a highly motivated leader, practitioner, and educator with a career spanning more than three decades in the fields of digital technology and strategic management. Currently serving as an Associate Professor of Digital Strategy at Leeds University Business School, John balances deep technical expertise with a pragmatic industry viewpoint, making complex strategic concepts accessible and actionable for students and professionals alike.
His extensive industry background is headlined by 17 years at IBM, where he held several senior leadership positions. As Director of Blockchain, John was at the forefront of identifying business use cases for distributed ledger technology, leveraging IBM Design Thinking and Agile methods to demonstrate transformational value to global clients. During his tenure as Director for Defence, Intelligence, and Public Safety in Europe, he managed a portfolio that generated in excess of $100 million in annual sales, establishing a market-leading profile through white papers, government blog posts, and international client conferences.
John’s leadership experience extends across a variety of challenging business climates in the UK, Germany, and throughout Europe. He previously served as the Managing Director of Data Sciences GmbH in Germany, where he turned around the subsidiary to achieve profitable performance by implementing focused market strategies for the finance and industrial sectors. His earlier career includes foundational roles in systems engineering for Electronic Warfare and Submarine Command and Control systems at organisations like Marconi and Software Sciences.
In the academic sphere, John is a dedicated educator involved in course design, lecturing, and research. His teaching portfolio includes Strategic Management, Digital Business Transformation, and Strategic Agility for BSc, MSc, and MBA cohorts. He also designs and delivers modules for Mini MBA programmes in Digital Innovation, Leadership, and Operational Excellence. Beyond the classroom, John is the Founder of Palfreyman Ventures, providing consultancy in IT strategy, cyber security, and Design Thinking.
A prolific author, John has published several influential texts that serve as foundations for modern strategic study. These include the Digital Transformation Handbook, which explains a systematic approach to digital journeys while addressing sustainability, and Business Blockchain, which focuses on unlocking the technology’s potential for business practitioners. His work on governance, the Non-executive Director’s Playbook, stems from his experience as a Non-Executive Director in both public and private sectors.
John holds an MSc in Applicable Mathematics from Cranfield University and is a frequent speaker at industry and academic conferences. He remains committed to motivating the next generation of leaders to excel in highly complex, networked business environments.
