Hugh Frank Ltd – International business consultancy

Two ways I can help

Whether you need a fresh perspective on a specific challenge or an experienced hand at the top table, the approach is the same: see the whole picture, think laterally, keep it simple.

International business consultancy

For businesses facing complex challenges across borders

Independent, practical advice on the problems that don’t have an obvious answer, drawing on experience across North America, Europe and Asia.

Growth and expansion into new markets
Strategy and organisational change
Untangling complex operational or cross-cultural challenges

Discuss a consultancy project

Board, chair and advisory roles

For ambitious SMEs ready for their next stage

An experienced, independent voice for founders, owners and leadership teams, bringing international perspective and a steady hand to growth.

Non-executive director
Chair of the board
Trusted advisor to founders and managing directors

Discuss a board or advisory role

How I work

Complex problems rarely have one cause. The answer usually starts with seeing the whole picture.

A holistic view

I look at your business as a connected whole: people, markets, operations and culture. That way, a fix in one area doesn’t create a new problem in another.

Lateral thinking

The obvious answer has often been tried already. I approach challenges from unexpected angles to find options others have missed.

Keep it simple

Good advice should be easy to understand and easy to act on. I cut through complexity to recommendations your team can put to work straight away.

“Keep it simple” isn’t a slogan here. It’s how every piece of work is done.

Experience across three continents

Doing business internationally means understanding how markets, regulations and expectations differ from place to place. I bring first-hand experience of working in each of these regions.

North America

Practical insight into one of the world’s most competitive and fast-moving business environments.

Europe

An understanding of operating across many markets, languages and regulatory frameworks at once.

Asia

Experience of the relationships, pace and cultural nuance that shape success in Asian markets.

Worth your time

Books and podcasts that have shaped how I think about business, problem-solving and working across cultures, including a European selection and a few unexpected favourites.

Books

Lateral ThinkingEdward de Bono
The book that gave lateral thinking its name, with practical techniques for escaping the obvious answer.
The Fifth DisciplinePeter Senge
A classic on systems thinking and seeing an organisation as a connected whole.
The Culture MapErin MeyerEurope
An INSEAD professor’s clear guide to how culture shapes the way people communicate, decide and lead.
EssentialismGreg McKeown
A persuasive case for doing less, but better. Keep it simple, applied to work.
Hidden Champions of the Twenty-First CenturyHermann SimonEurope
How Germany’s Mittelstand firms became quiet world leaders. Essential reading for ambitious SMEs.
When Cultures CollideRichard D. LewisEurope
A practical guide to doing business across cultures, with a strong focus on European differences.
The Value of EverythingMariana MazzucatoEurope
A sharp challenge to how we define value in business and the economy, and who really creates it.
The Passage to EuropeLuuk van MiddelaarEurope
An insider’s account of how the European Union really works and makes decisions.

Podcasts

HBR IdeaCastHarvard Business Review
Short, focused conversations with leading thinkers on management and strategy.
The Knowledge ProjectShane Parrish
Long-form interviews about decision-making and the mental models behind good judgement.
Cautionary TalesTim Harford
Stories of things going wrong, and what they teach us about thinking more clearly.
Brussels Playbook PodcastPOLITICO EuropeEurope
A short daily briefing on what’s moving in Brussels, Monday to Thursday.
The Week UnwrappedThe Week, with Olly MannEurope
A weekly look behind the headlines at the under-reported stories most likely to matter in the long run.
World in 30 MinutesMark Leonard, ECFREurope
A weekly look at Europe’s place in the world, with leading voices from across the continent.

Something unexpected

Not business titles, but they’ve taught me as much as any. Valuable ideas often come from the most unlikely places.

My favourite book

The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho

A simple fable about a shepherd who follows his dream and learns to read the signs along the way. It’s proof that the most powerful lessons are often the simplest, and a reminder that the journey matters as much as the destination.

AlchemyRory Sutherland
A brilliant case for ideas that seem illogical but work. Lateral thinking straight from the world of advertising.
The Little PrinceAntoine de Saint-Exupéry
A children’s story about seeing what really matters. Short, simple and wiser than most management books.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle MaintenanceRobert M. Pirsig
A road trip that becomes an inquiry into quality, and a reminder to look at problems as a whole.
MeditationsMarcus Aurelius
A Roman emperor’s private notes on calm, principled leadership. Surprisingly useful for anyone who chairs a board.

99% InvisibleRoman Mars
The hidden design behind everyday things, and a masterclass in noticing what others overlook.
No Such Thing As A FishThe QI Elves
Four researchers share the strangest facts they’ve found that week. Great fuel for lateral thinking.
La Vie est un ArtBénédicte DraillardIn French
A positive psychology podcast on kindness, gratitude, altruism and forgiveness. A gentle reminder that how we treat people shapes everything else.

Start a conversation

Tell me a little about your business and the challenge you’re facing. I’ll reply to you personally.

You can also find me on LinkedIn.

Enquiry sent

Thank you for getting in touch. I’ll reply to the email address you gave.

Clear, practical answers to complex international business challenges.