The Portfolio Executives

Matt Wilson

A picture of Matt Wilson
  • Specialism: Specialise in charities, foundations and social enterprises: Social impact, Strategic planning, Research & Evaluation, Outcomes frameworks, Managing & analysing data inc’ CRM systems.
  • Track Record: Lloyds Bank Foundation, Greggs Foundation, Age UK, MIND, YMCA, Rape Crisis, Safe Families for Children and many more
  • Offer: Helping organisations to maximise their social impact, to ‘do good better’. Mainly focussed on charity sector clients. Support also given to commercial sector clients with their CSR/Responsible Business efforts. Undertake strategic reviews and support leaders to become impact focussed, putting in place monitoring and evaluation frameworks that ensure reliability of impact reporting.
  • Matt says: “”Matt has an art for being able to unscramble an overload of information and turn it into a framework” Tracy Lynch, Director, Greggs Foundation”
  • Try me (www.goodlabs.uk)

My motivation in life has always been to make a positive impact on the world around me. For twenty years I did this by leading charities. The shift to being a portfolio executive means I can now make an even bigger difference by “growing my fruit on other people’s trees”

I was fortunate in being able to smooth the transition into portfolio working from my prior full-time work as an exec by negotiating a 50/50 split of my time with a previous employer. Six months doing half and half enabled me to build a client base prior to fully taking the plunge in 2017.

Working with two regional YMCAs I was able to secure £50,000 to fund a joint impact project for vulnerable young people requiring safe accommodation. We co-designed a new framework through which the transformational effects of the interventions could be evidenced much more clearly to funders and commissioners. This was my first success as a Portfolio Executive!

I spend a lot of time with the senior leaders of organisations and I find they often lack an impartial person that they can talk to in confidence about their organisational challenges. I confess I’m often surprised how open people are willing to be with me. I take that trust very seriously.

I have tweenage kids and a variety of voluntary commitments in my community so the flexibility of working pattern is really important to me.

I’m looking for clients who are willing to really innovate in order to increase their impact.