Steve Lucas has long-ranging financial experience as an Executive and Non-Executive Director in the energy and extractive industries.
As CFO and NED roles in asset-intensive industries, including National Grid,Tullow Oil Plc, Essar Energy Plc and Shell International, Steve is described as being a calm and clear thinker. He is known for looking at the long term picture and making good decisions based on this.
The demands of analysts and investors to have company results and financial trends communicated effectively have to be met – authoritatively and consistently. Steve wanted to improve his results presentations to ensure that he was trusted and respected by the stakeholders at National Grid.
Once the generic work was completed, Steve Lucas’s presentations were always of the highest order and instilled investor confidence in his abilities.
Steve returned every six months to rehearse his interim and final results presentations – a policy he continued for eight years and which served him well.
“Even after 5 years, I was still learning. I would highly recommend the process to any rising Finance Director or CFO.”
Challenge
In the space of a few years Steve found himself propelled from the position of Group Treasurer to a fully-fledged Finance Director of major FTSE 100 business, National Grid.
The demands of analysts and investors to have company results and financial trends communicated effectively have to be met – authoritatively and consistently. Steve wanted to improve his results presentations to ensure that he was trusted and respected by the stakeholders at National Grid.
The Aziz Programme
Aziz Corporate coaches, led by Khalid Aziz, worked with Steve on his generic communications skills improving not only the content and structure of his presentations but also on how he could use his voice more effectively and employ influencing techniques to ensure key financial messages hit their targets.
Our Communication Coaching Expertise
Aziz Corporate is a boutique consultancy offering coaching and mentor expertise, along with top team development and Board effectiveness programmes, to senior executives both in the UK and internationally.
We offer expertise on all themes of communication skills through our team of subject matter specialists which includes experts in presentation skills, storytelling, difficult conversations, media training, written communications, influencing and personal impact.
Senior Leadership Challenges
Often we are asked to provide communication support in advance of a conference, a financial roadshow, a results presentation for an AGM. A typical client has often just been promoted into a bigger leadership role and finds themselves having to step out of their comfort zone, communicating with a broader range of audiences (and often more senior), with a more business critical agenda and in a more pressurised environment. The goal might be preparation and rehearsal for a set piece event, help with getting your voice heard around the Boardroom table or handling challenge and conflict without getting too emotional.
Presentation Skills and Public Speaking
Our presentation skills and public speaking coaching experts help senior executives deliver messages with more clarity, more impact and greater confidence.
Most of our clients are already experienced communicators but need to ‘step up a gear’ in their oratory. Often, they have strong technical abilities and now face the challenge of having to inspire, engage and influence a wider variety of (often more senior) audiences. We work regularly with senior executives to help them:
- present the numbers virtually
- rehearse for a results presentation
- prepare for an Investor roadshow
- develop stories for their repertoire
Our coaching programmes can be short – eg a dress rehearsal – or a broader programme aimed to polish skills in this area and which might include the support from a wider team of specialists. For example:
- media handling
- influencing and stakeholder engagement
- executive presence and impact
- handling challenging conversations
- emotional Intelligence, self-awareness of impact on others
- business writing
- winning pitches
Stepping up from a fairly narrow role to on which had me representing the whole company to the outside world was a big ask. What I needed was to rapidly feel comfortable communicating the company’s financial and operational performance to a range of sometimes very challenging audiences.
Getting the right messages over is critical to ensuring investor confidence. Aziz Corporate’s approach meant every aspect of my presentation style was addressed.
