Adrian Brown, living an entrepreneurial life with compassion

Adrian Brown wrote the foreword to the book Compassionate Leadership.

After running a series of design agencies, he joined his father's medical devices business. He deployed his design skills to reinvent the business, putting an emphasis on clinician education and training.

He has also deployed his communication skills internally, creating a culture that is open and engaging.

His leadership style involves trusting his team, empowering them and "a lot of listening."

He maintains that the written word can be a barrier to communication and extols the virtues of visualising, drawing and facilitating.

His advice to aspiring leaders is to live an entrepreneurial life and try new things. "There is no finishing line to your training and education." Stretch yourself and others: you can't settle for "it's good enough." Get good people around you and listen to them. Be passionate - it's contagious.

He takes long walks with his dog, both for exercise and inspiration.