The Advisor Behind Thorp Advisory
Trusted counsel for leaders who shape legacies, not just organisations

For the past decade, I've occupied a unique position in the world of elite advisory - working directly with royal families, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, and founders across Qatar and the wider GCC region.
This isn't work you advertise for. It's earned through trust, proven through discretion, and sustained through results that matter across generations, not quarters.
My clients operate in environments most advisors will never understand: where family dynamics intersect with billion-dollar decisions, where cultural tradition must balance with global ambition, where a single misstep can echo across generations, and where the isolation of leadership is absolute.
I didn't begin here. This level of advisory work required a foundation most consultants lack.
From Healthcare to Human Performance
My professional life began in physiotherapy and healthcare management - work that taught me something most executive coaches never learn: how the body and mind perform under genuine pressure, how people rebuild after setback, and how transformation happens through structured discipline, not motivational platitudes.
I led clinical teams, managed complex patient cases, and learned that sustainable change requires understanding the whole system - physical, psychological, strategic - not just addressing surface symptoms.
That foundation proved invaluable. Leadership coaching without understanding human performance is theatre. I learned the mechanics of resilience before I ever coached a CEO.
Building, Scaling, and Exiting
Theory matters less than lived experience. So I left the security of healthcare and built ventures across finance, technology, real estate, and investment - experiencing firsthand the loneliness of founder leadership, the weight of payroll responsibility, and the complexity of building value in competitive markets.
I succeeded. I failed. I rebuilt. I exited.
Those years gave me something no amount of training could provide: the credibility to advise founders and investors because I've sat in their seat. I understand cap tables and term sheets, growth strategy and managed exits, because I've negotiated them myself.
A Decade in the GCC: Where Cultures Converge
But the defining chapter of my advisory career began when I was invited into the private circles of Gulf royal families and UHNW individuals across the Gulf region.
Here, I discovered that Western executive coaching frameworks fail spectacularly when applied to Middle Eastern leadership contexts. The cultural nuances, family governance structures, and the intersection of Islamic values with global business demands require not just understanding, but genuine respect and fluency.
I spent years learning - not from courses, but from immersion. I studied Islamic and Gulf culture deeply, built relationships based on trust rather than transactions, and earned the privilege of advising on matters ranging from succession planning to international investment strategy, from family office governance to personal leadership development.
This work required me to bridge worlds: British precision with Arab tradition, Stoic philosophy with Islamic wisdom, Western business frameworks with GCC family dynamics.
Why Leaders Choose Thorp Advisory
Today, my clients span three continents, but the commonality is consistent: they are leaders operating at levels where conventional advice fails them.
They choose to work with me for five reasons:
Cross-Cultural Mastery: A decade embedded in GCC royal circles has given me cultural fluency few Western advisors possess. I understand the unspoken rules, the importance of honour and family legacy, and how decisions must account for both tradition and transformation.
Lived Experience, Not Theory: I've built companies, navigated complex exits, managed significant capital, and advised at the highest levels. When we discuss strategy, succession, or leadership under pressure, I speak from experience, not textbooks.
Absolute Discretion: My entire client base has been built through referral, never advertising. Confidentiality isn't a policy - it's the foundation of how I operate. Many of my clients will never be mentioned publicly. That's precisely how it should be.
Philosophical Grounding: I approach leadership through a Stoic lens - focusing on what can be controlled, building resilience through discipline, and leading with virtue rather than vanity. This resonates particularly with leaders managing generational responsibility.
Selective Partnership: I work with a maximum of twelve clients simultaneously. This isn't artificial scarcity - it's the only way to deliver the depth of insight and availability that leadership at your level demands.
The Standard I Hold
I believe leadership is revealed in three dimensions: the clarity of your thinking, the integrity of your decisions, and the legacy you leave for those who follow.
My role is neither to flatter nor to fix you. It's to challenge your assumptions, sharpen your strategic thinking, and ensure that the decisions you make today are ones you'll respect a decade from now.
This work is built on mutual respect. I expect clients to be committed, honest, and willing to confront difficult truths. In return, they receive my complete focus, strategic insight refined over two decades, and a partnership grounded in trust rather than transaction.
Who This Work Is For
Thorp Advisory serves a distinct clientele:
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Royal family members navigating public responsibility alongside private ventures
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Family office principals stewarding multi-generational wealth across borders
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Founders transitioning from operators to investors or legacy builders
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C-suite executives operating in complex geopolitical environments
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UHNW individuals seeking strategic counsel without the noise of celebrity consulting
If your decisions affect generations, if discretion is non-negotiable, and if you require an advisor who understands both Western business dynamics and GCC cultural realities - we should speak.

The Principles That Guide Every Engagement
These aren't aspirational values posted on a wall. They're operational principles that govern every conversation, every decision, and every recommendation I make:
Clarity Above Comfort
I provide truth, not reassurance. If your strategy is flawed, if your leadership approach is undermining your goals, or if you're avoiding a necessary decision - I'll tell you directly. Comfort doesn't create transformation.
Trust Through Discretion
You will never be a case study without explicit permission. Your challenges won't become my marketing content. What we discuss remains absolutely confidential - a standard earned through a decade working with families where discretion isn't optional.
Honour in All Dealings
I conduct myself with the same integrity I expect from clients. I don't overpromise, I don't manipulate, and I don't engage in work that conflicts with my values or yours. If I can't help you, I'll say so directly.
Cultural Intelligence
Having worked extensively across Western and Islamic contexts, I understand that effective advisory work requires respecting cultural frameworks, not imposing foreign ones. Strategy must account for tradition, family, and values - not dismiss them.
Excellence as Standard
Mediocrity has no place in work at this level. Every engagement receives my complete focus, strategic rigour, and commitment to measurable outcomes. You deserve nothing less.
