Mike Thomas

Biography

Mike has worked in academia and the health sector for nearly forty years in a variety of senior academic roles, including Vice-Chancellor, and holding various professional chairs across four universities. He remains research active and a practising clinical psychotherapist. For many years he carried out clinical research to enhance mental health support for individuals who experience severe and enduring eating disorders whilst, simultaneously, over the last fifteen years he has been working with research colleagues across the UK investigating issues that impact on compassionate leadership in both the public and private sectors. He has written three books and numerous articles and chapters on these two subjects. 

More recently he has been providing an advisory service to public and commercial sector organisations supporting staff engagement projects, cultural change programmes and strategies for enhancing good governance.  

Mike is committed to the voluntary, charity and public sector and has been continuously involved in charitable work for his whole working life. Prior to entering academia, he served in the Royal Navy, working for five years in HM Submarines before employment in the engineering sector and then qualifying as a mental health nurse and later a psychological therapist.