Certified Professional Coach

wabya

Co-Founder

Founders Law

Senior Marketing Manager

Amazon

Senior Brand Manager (EU)

myPeak Vegan

Director

Consumer Insights Manager

Digital and Media Manager (United Kingdom and Ireland)

Brand Manager (GTR)

Brand Manager

Brand Executive - Southern African Markets (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe)

Grosvenor Branding Solutions

Head of Sales

01M-OneMoment

National Marketing and Sales Manager

Sports Performance Academy - Penzance

Founder

Umlilo Brands

Account Manager

I don’t just enjoy strategy - I deconstruct it. I’ve always been drawn to how people think, how decisions are made, and the unseen forces that drive behaviour. I’ve built brands with no budget, with limited resources, and at global scale. Whether it’s been hustling to grow a startup with organic, high-leverage tactics or managing multi-million-pound marketing budgets at Amazon and BAT, I’ve learned that strategy always beats spend when done right.

I’m an INFJ, known for being visionary, strategic, and deeply intuitive - the same as Nelson Mandela, which probably explains why I value insight, integrity, and meaningful impact over surface-level success.

I’ve worked with CMOs, founders, billionaires, artists, investors, and creatives. I’ve shaped global brand strategies, negotiated high-impact partnerships, and launched campaigns that drive real-world impact.

Beyond my work, I’ve been in the top 1% of all Spotify listeners worldwide, consuming over 5,800 artists in 2024 alone. Music is more than just a passion - it’s a way I experience the world, much like branding and consumer psychology.

I don’t just want to build - I want to build things that matter.

Craig Leslie

Co-Founder & Chief Vision Officer

Qualified and accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)

Professional Coach

EZRA Coaching

After quitting my high-paying corporate job of 14 years in Q4 2020, my focus was on a full personal and professional reset 💪

Over seven months, this meant:

- Exploring meditation and mindfulness;
- Resetting exercise and eating habits / patterns;
- Learning Arabic and financial investment;
- Discovering social media marketing and supporting my partner's new online business venture;
- Setting the foundations to start my own business; 
- Gaining a Professional Coach certification with Full Circle Global.

It's been a life-changing experience that's allowed me to realise my true Purpose and start putting it into action.

Sabbatical

British American Tobacco

Managed Corporate Engagement efforts for the plc; maintaining the relationships with government, business organisations, NGOs and think-tanks while ensuring strategic Board of Director-level engagement with relevant entities. I also coordinated the corporate drafting and production of group financial reporting (financial results announcements, the Annual Report, and AGM) - and delivered the plc charitable strategy.

Senior Corporate Engagement Manager (Global)

Managed all aspects of Internal Communications for the plc, leading a team of outstanding professionals in ensuring employees around the world clearly understood - and were engaged by - plc-level strategies and priorities.

Senior Internal Communications Manager (Global)

Managed internal communications for the global Marketing function and HQ both while coordinating BAT's Global Communications Community. Provided strategic direction and implemented tactical initiatives that ensured clear employee understanding of BAT's various business imperatives.

Internal Communications Manager (Global)

Development and execution of proactive media engagement campaigns on a global scale, for roll-out in specified local markets, based on the key focus areas of the business that are likely to resonate externally and help to enhance BAT’s reputation. 

Ensuring projects (in the proactive media engagement campaign space) are managed efficiently, with all relevant work-streams and key internal stakeholders included, as well as contributing creative ideas throughout the planning process and supporting the Senior Media Campaign Manager on the creation of relevant materials required.  

Principal Accountabilities

•  To contribute to the development and roll out of innovative and creative proactive media engagement campaigns, at an above market level, on key issues that will help BAT enhance its reputation externally.

•  To be the first point of contact for end markets who require support on external communication issues.

•  To ensure all campaigns are project managed and run efficiently from start to finish.

•  To build good working relationships with communications colleagues in priority end markets.

•  To collate materials from end markets to ensure they can be used in the most effective way at an above market level.

•  To be responsible for all logistics needed to create and run proactive media engagement campaigns.

•  To capture feedback from the end markets to improve future work. 

•  To build good relationships with all members in the Corporate Communications team, and wider Legal and External Affairs,  who will be involved in the creation of proactive media campaigns.

Media Campaigns Manager (Global)

- Devised an intranet strategy, plan and long-term road-map for the Group’s intranet in line with the Group Internal Communications strategy and cycle plan.

- Ensured all digital communications projects contributed towards the overall aims and strategy of the internal communications function.

- Continuously identified and developed content opportunities to ensure that the intranet is up to date and relevant.

- Lead the redesign of the current intranet site to improve usability in conjunction with relevant IT partners, including:

o	 New information architecture and user journey experience
o 	Customised and customisable content modules
o	 Internal social media tools 
o	 Search engine optimisation

- Developed and introduced intranet governance mechanisms

- Mapped a governance model at global level that can be replicated at regional / functional level.

- Created and maintained a process for measuring usage trends at global, regional and local level and translating it into recommendations for continuous improvement

- Produced metric reports to support continuous improvement, inform stakeholders, and promote the intranet as a viable and a key communications channel.

- Liaised with IT on system upgrades and developments and ensure appropriate communications plans are in place to ensure little disruption to the business.

- Proactively recommended innovative ways of working and channels to contribute to the on-going development of internal communications at BAT.

- Developed processes to improve budget management and increase visibility across all IC budgets

Internal Digital Communications Manager (Global)

Imperial Tobacco Canada

Key results areas:
Supported the company’s business objectives and strategies by developing communications around corporate initiatives in a dynamic, relevant, and current manner.

Ensured that communications initiatives reflected the company’s objectives, priorities, and position as a consumer-centric organization.

Created and maintained the internal communications calendar, seeking input from all functions.

Developed and implemented new internal communications initiatives that were aligned with business needs. 

Developed and managed the corporate content of the company intranet.

Liaised with external suppliers and internal clients to manage the development and production of internal publications.

Wrote, reviewed, and managed the translation and approvals of corporate messages for employees.

Planned and managed the execution of internal corporate events.


Overall accountability:
Communicated corporate positions and performances to all employees – from the field to the head office.

Established the calendar of internal communications initiatives for Imperial Tobacco Canada, supporting the overall corporate communications strategy.

Developed communication plans for key business initiatives.

Liaised with the Marketing team to ensure that their activities and priorities were communicated.

Worked with the president and leadership team to develop and communicate corporate initiatives.

Liaised with Globe House (HO) and the Americas Region on Group-level communications.

Ensured on-line and new media tools were developed, up-to-date and relevant.

Managed the strategic development and execution of internal communications tools and activities.

Corporate Affairs Manager

Alternative Channel Account Representative

Trade Marketing Account Representative

Managed a team of 20 newly-recruited contractors delivering best-in-class remote sales services to thousands of clients across Canada.

Inside Sales Manager

Aquajoue Inc.

Responsible for the smooth operations of two public pools, the management of 16 staff members and the safety of thousands of swimmers.

Head Lifeguard

Lifeguard

I know what it’s like to feel there has to be something more to life than sleep - eat - work - repeat: I've been there.

Burned out. Quit my corporate job in the middle of the pandemic. Searched for answers.
 
Somewhere along the way, I discovered realising my own goals (not someone else's) was key to experiencing genuine fulfilment.

I also discovered coaching provides the perfect vehicle to achieve this. 

Three years on, I've teamed up with a community of amazing professionals and we're on a mission to make it accessible and affordable to 1 billion people by 2033.

Forget self-improvement: this is about self-realisation! 

Discover coaching. Discover you. 💫

www.wabya.com

taplio

The Battle

Craig Leslie

Jean-François Lappas, ACC

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