About
David McQueen
Clarity, judgement, and composure for leaders under pressure.
Advisor to CEOs, founders, and senior executives navigating critical decisions, capital strategy, and leadership moments that carry real consequence.
What this page is for
- How I think about leadership under pressure
- The posture behind my advisory work
- Where this perspective is most useful
- How leaders typically engage
Context for serious conversations — not a biography.
How I work
I work with leaders at moments where certainty is unavailable, pressure is high, and the cost of poor judgement is real.
My role is not to motivate, reassure, or provide off-the-shelf answers. It is to help leaders clarify thinking, surface risk, and make decisions they can stand behind as scrutiny increases.
At senior levels, most challenges are not technical. They are behavioural, systemic, and existential. That is where my work is concentrated.
Alongside my advisory work, I hold directorships and governance roles across multiple organisations. This keeps my work anchored in the practical realities of board accountability, capital allocation, and organisational risk — not abstract theory.
I have worked with leaders across six continents, operating in varied cultural, regulatory, and economic contexts. That exposure has reinforced a simple truth: while context changes, the consequences of poor judgement compound quickly at senior levels.
A note on decisions
I believe the quality of leadership is revealed less by intention and more by the decisions made under pressure.
When context shifts, incentives distort, and information is incomplete, leaders are forced to rely on judgement rather than expertise alone. My work helps leaders slow thinking at exactly those moments — before second-order consequences take hold.
Chairs and non-executive directors often engage with this work when the question is not what should we do, but what can we responsibly stand behind.
What shapes the work
- Executive decision-making under pressure
- Second-order consequences and risk accumulation
- Behavioural patterns at senior levels
- Culture as a strategic and financial asset
- Systems thinking over simple fixes
- Ethical leadership when trade-offs are unavoidable
Foundational work
The BRAVE Leader
I am the author of The BRAVE Leader, which codifies much of the thinking behind my work with senior leaders — particularly around clarity under pressure, ethical courage, and leadership judgement.
The ideas introduced in the book underpin my speaking, coaching, and advisory work today, providing a shared language for leadership behaviour and decision-making.
This is not a motivational book. It is a practical framework for leaders carrying responsibility.
How leaders typically engage
Coaching & Advisory
For leaders navigating critical decisions, growth, or complexity — individually or with senior teams.
Explore coaching →The Premium Lounge
A private thinking environment for leaders who want continuity, perspective, and depth between decisions.
Explore the Lounge →Speaking
Strategic keynotes and leadership interventions designed to shift judgement when it matters most.
View speaking →Selected contexts: Board advisory • Executive leadership • Founder-led organisations • Scale-ups and established firms • Cross-border and multi-jurisdictional environments • Public-facing leadership roles