Hello!

I’m Dr Alex Rhys OBE

I’m a charity CEO, leadership coach and speaker with a background in science, health and social change. I’ve led national programmes, founded and grown a UK-wide LGBTQ+ charity, and now balance leading two organisations while supporting others to lead with clarity, courage and compassion. I know what it’s like to step up – and I also know what it’s like to lose yourself in the process. My work is all about helping people reconnect with their values, their voice and their direction. 
Dr Alex Rhys smiling in a grey jumper, resting their head lightly on their hand against a dark background.

I’ve spent over 15 years working in and alongside senior leadership – from public health and national education programmes to inclusion, community building and systems change. I founded and grew one of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ charities, taking it from an idea around a kitchen table to an organisation repeatedly named one of the top 10 LGBTQ+ charities in the country. Alongside this, I was honoured to be personally recognised as one of the top 10 outstanding contributors to LGBTQ+ life.

At a different point in my leadership journey, I also came face to face with burnout. It didn’t come from the charity I founded – but it did come from a relentless culture of urgency, responsibility and overwork that many leaders will recognise. That experience reshaped how I lead, and how I coach. I now work with others to build more sustainable, values-led leadership – where ambition and wellbeing can co-exist.

Alongside my coaching practice, I’m currently the CEO of two charities. I bring to my work a scientific grounding (my doctorate is in cancer biology), a leadership mindset (I’m a Fellow of both the Institute of Leadership and the RSA), and a deep belief in the power of thoughtful, inclusive conversations to change things – for ourselves and the people we serve.

My Approach

Coaching

I create a safe but stretching space for leaders to think more clearly, reconnect with their values and move forward with purpose. Coaching is a partnership – focused on your growth, your goals and the questions that matter most to you.

Facilitation and Training

I design and lead workshops, strategy sessions and team development days that are engaging, inclusive and grounded in real-world leadership. Whether in person or online, I focus on connection, clarity and meaningful outcomes.

Speaking

From keynotes to panels, I speak on leadership, inclusion, wellbeing and the realities of change – weaving together professional insight and lived experience. I aim to spark reflection, invite challenge and leave people feeling seen. 

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Qualifications

My coaching practice is built on both lived experience and professional training. I hold an NLP Diploma and am currently completing my ILM Level 7 in Executive Coaching and Mentoring. I’m also a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership (FInstLM) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).

Before moving into coaching, I trained as a scientist and earned my doctorate in cancer biology. That background shaped how I think – curious, analytical, always learning – and continues to inform how I support others in complex, real-world leadership.

Dr Alex Rhys seated in a leather and wood chair, wearing a blazer, striped shirt, and jeans, smiling confidently.
The Leadership Nook logo – an illustrated arched doorway with soft earth tones, a plant, and sunlight, symbolising calm, reflection, and growth.

The Leadership Nook

I chose the name The Leadership Nook because it reflects the kind of space I believe leaders need – somewhere quiet, grounded and personal, where you can step away from the noise and reconnect with yourself. So many of us spend our time holding space for others – teams, organisations, causes – and rarely give ourselves the same space to think, breathe and just be. A nook is small but significant. It’s a place of safety, reflection and depth – a corner of calm where you can pause, put down the weight for a moment, and find your own direction again.

The Leadership Nook exists to offer that space – not as a luxury, but as a necessity for thoughtful, sustainable leadership. It’s not about stepping back from responsibility, but about stepping into it differently: with more clarity, intention and self-awareness. For me, the nook is also a gentle act of defiance – a rejection of the idea that leadership has to be relentless, performative or always available. It’s a space for depth, not just direction.

Whether you’re navigating change, facing a difficult decision, or simply finding your way forward, The Leadership Nook is here to offer the time, space and challenge to lead in a way that feels true to you.

Success Stories

"Alex created a space where everyone felt heard – even the people who don’t usually speak up. His approach was calm, well-structured and quietly challenging. We left the session with more clarity, more alignment, and a genuine sense of shared direction."

TEam Facilitation Feedback

"Working with Alex was like being given permission to slow down and actually hear myself think. He didn’t offer quick fixes – instead, he asked the kind of questions that stayed with me long after the session. I came away with more clarity, more confidence, and a stronger sense of who I want to be as a leader."

Coaching Feedback

"Alex’s honesty brought something rare to the room. Sharing personal experiences with such clarity and care created a space that felt deeply human. It sparked reflection, connection, and the kind of conversations we don’t often make time for."

keynote speaker feedback