Strategic advisory firms are sadly, a dime a dozen. Does the market really need a new agency?
Not if they’re more of the same.
There is no shortage of agencies in the region. Many have been here a long time. But the way most of them work has not kept up with the pace of change. The fly-in fly-out model stopped being effective years ago. The idea that value comes just from sitting inside a client’s business is also outdated.
Clients want proper advice. They want clarity, not spin. And they want people who can show up with focus, judgement, and a real understanding of the environment they are operating in.
We’re building Northbourne to meet that need. We are not trying to be the biggest. We are trying to be the most useful. We are based here, we know the region, and we work with clients to help them make better decisions when the pressure is real.
The market does not need more noise. It needs sharper thinking. That is what we offer.
I keep being corrected, that officials in the Arab countries do not listen. Yet, on the ground evidence is thin that they do. If you are in either opinions, can you explain where you stand?
That is a common misconception. It usually comes from people who have not spent real time here, or who expected a certain response and did not get it.
Processes here can be quieter, more considered and built on trust. If you are looking for public debate or immediate feedback, you will likely misread the room. Listening happens, but it happens on local terms. You need to show up prepared, understand the context, and know when to speak.
At Northbourne, we work with clients who know that being present is not enough. You earn the right to be heard by offering something timely, relevant, and useful.
So yes, they listen. You just have to be worth listening to.
The firm apparently has a global outlook but also is rooted in the GCC, can you tell more what this might mean to potential clients?
Qatar is a strong base for us. It moves fast, looks outward, and delivers. It has positioned itself as a regional hub for diplomacy, investment, and culture, and for the kind of advisory work we do, that matters.
We are not under any illusion that the Gulf, or the GCC, is one market. Each country has its own dynamics, and strategy only works when it is tailored to local context.
At Northbourne, we have worked with top global advisors, but we also invest in local talent and regional understanding. That balance helps us operate with focus and flexibility across markets.
And the truth is, most markets are complex in 2025. The difference is knowing how to navigate that complexity with experience, judgement, and the right people in the room.
The firm apparently has a global outlook but also is rooted in the GCC, can you tell more what this might mean to potential clients?
This region is now shaping its own narrative. You have sovereign wealth shaping industries, major climate and tech initiatives, cultural diplomacy that’s moving markets, and global policy ideas starting here. That’s not noise. That’s a signal.
We bring a global lens shaped by experience at the highest levels. We’ve worked on big stages, with leaders who are dealing with international scrutiny and high-stakes decisions. But we’re also firmly grounded in how this region works.
For clients, that means we connect the dots, between here and there, between policy and perception, between what’s said and what’s really going on.
One of the things you state is that your counsel is shaped by deep curiosity, organisational insight and global risk awareness. How does one balance all these, and where does the gut feeling comes in?
Insight and risk awareness give structure to how we work. We take the time to understand what’s going on, what’s at stake, and how best to help. That’s just good practice.
We want to work with people who ask why and those who don’t accept the first answer. That applies to our team, and to our clients. When you start with curiosity, you usually uncover something that changes the brief, or even the goal. Curiosity is what makes us ask the questions others don’t.
And gut instinct? Personally, I don’t think it’s magic. It’s the result of years of hard work, paying attention, learning the patterns, and knowing when to trust what you’ve seen before. It’s just experience disguised as intuition.
