Paul Brothwood

Paul Brothwood has always enjoyed exploring the stories behind influential music. Meeting musicians such as Oritsé Williams, founding member of JLS, has strengthened that interest. One recording I return to is The Jubalaires’ 1946 performance of “Noah”. Its rapid, rhythmic delivery sounds remarkably close to rap decades before hip-hop emerged. Paul Brothwood with Oritsé Williams, founding member of JLS. A gospel performance ahead of its time The Jubalaires were an African-American gospel vocal group known for close harmonies, storytelling and rhythmic vocal passages. “Noah” retells the biblical story through alternating lead vocals and group responses. The lead lines follow a tight rhythm, with repeated phrases and carefully timed rhymes driving the performance forward. The recording has the structure and energy of gospel music, but parts of the vocal delivery sound familiar to anyone raised on rap and hip-hop. That resemblance has introduced The Jubalaires to new listeners decades aft...

Paul Brothwood has lived with type 1 diabetes since the age of three. Long before I studied project management or led operational teams, managing the condition taught me to plan ahead, monitor risk, communicate clearly and respond when circumstances changed. Paul Brothwood speaking at the United Nations. Living with type 1 diabetes since age three shaped his approach to preparation, risk and resilience. My first project started at three Type 1 diabetes stops the body producing insulin. Daily management requires insulin, blood glucose monitoring and close attention to food, activity and changing circumstances. As a young child, I learned about injections, blood glucose levels and carbohydrate intake. At one stage, I managed around five injections each day and recorded everything I ate and drank. Each day required a plan. Food, exercise, illness, stress, travel and temperature affected the result. A plan that worked yesterday sometimes needed adjustment today. I did not know the language...

Paul Brothwood began his career through HSBC’s Graduate Management Trainee Programme and later held senior management roles within the bank. That experience makes HSBC’s recent restructuring especially interesting to me. The organisation I joined promoted international integration and the strength of one global network. HSBC is now preserving that reach through a simpler structure and sharper accountability. Paul Brothwood began his career through HSBC’s Graduate Management Trainee Programme and later held senior management roles within the bank. From global integration to four businesses At the start of 2025, HSBC reorganised around four businesses: Hong Kong, UK, Corporate and Institutional Banking, and International Wealth and Premier Banking. During my time with HSBC, the emphasis was on connecting markets across East and West. The bank’s international network gave customers access to trade, capital and financial services across borders. That strength also brought organisational we...

Paul Brothwood believes useful leadership lessons often come from unexpected places. During a visit to the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya, Thailand, I found myself thinking about Bushido and whether its familiar principles still hold value for modern small businesses. Paul Brothwood at the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya, reflecting on discipline, leadership and responsibility. Bushido is usually translated as “the way of the warrior”. It refers to ideas about conduct associated with Japan’s samurai, although it was never one fixed code followed unchanged across every period. One of its best-known interpretations came from Inazo Nitobe’s 1899 book, Bushido: The Soul of Japan. Nitobe wrote about rectitude, courage, benevolence, politeness, sincerity, honour, loyalty and self-control. Bushido is not a modern management manual. Its value for business lies in the questions these principles raise about decisions, responsibility and personal conduct. Gi: doing what is right Gi refers to rectitu...

Paul Brothwood believes business process re-engineering should strengthen health and safety rather than treat it as a separate compliance task. Across construction, utilities and operational leadership, I have seen stronger results when safety, productivity and employee involvement are designed together. Paul Brothwood discussing leadership, sustainability and operational performance Business process re-engineering is often linked with efficiency, productivity and lower costs. Those goals matter, but lasting improvement also relies on safer work, clear responsibilities, faster reporting and stronger workforce engagement. A quicker process is not an improvement if it introduces extra risk. Start with the work, not the paperwork Health and safety is sometimes reduced to a compliance exercise. Training records are checked, forms are completed and policies are reviewed. Compliance sets the minimum standard, but good safety management goes further. Re-engineering starts by examining how wor...

Paul Brothwood riding his Suzuki Hayabusa 25th Anniversary Edition. Paul Brothwood has travelled thousands of miles across Europe and the United States by motorcycle, riding everything from high-performance sports bikes to large touring machines. After long-distance journeys on both the Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide and Suzuki Hayabusa 25th Anniversary Edition, I found two motorcycles built for completely different types of riding. One puts comfort and stability first. The other puts speed, control and rider involvement first. Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide: built for distance The Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide represents the luxury end of long-distance American touring. Its Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 engine produces 115 hp and 183 Nm of torque, with strong pulling power available low in the rev range. On my 3,000-mile journey to a Harley-Davidson rally in Senigallia, Italy, the Road Glide’s strengths became clear. It felt settled on motorways, offered strong wind protection and covered ...

By Paul Brothwood  I believe the construction industry will be stronger when it attracts and retains more women in technical, operational and leadership roles. Throughout my career, I have seen how diverse teams improve collaboration, decision-making and problem-solving, helping organisations build a stronger pipeline of future talent. Diversity brings fresh ideas and different approaches to a sector built around solving practical problems. During my time working in construction, we changed our recruitment processes to encourage greater gender diversity and inclusion. Reviewing our recruitment practices One of our first steps was redesigning the recruitment process to make it more accessible and appealing to women. Construction job descriptions have often used language that discourages people without experience in a traditionally male environment. We revised our job advertisements to use gender-neutral language. We placed greater emphasis on skills, attitude and potential rather th...