"Richard joined Ecctis towards the end of the first quarter to support a critical phase of strategic and commercial transition, with a clear mandate to strengthen financial sustainability and improve long term business resilience. He worked closely with senior leadership to sharpen commercial focus, strengthen financial discipline, and bring greater clarity to strategic priorities, translating intent into executable and measurable plans.

It has been a pleasure working with Richard. His contribution has been instrumental in establishing the robust commercial and operational foundations now in place across Ecctis. Throughout this period, his calm, considered, and collaborative approach enabled constructive challenge, confident decision making, and steady progress, even in complex or time sensitive situations.

More recently, he supported the Enroly team through the post acquisition transition, bringing his experience of startup environments and software led product businesses to help guide the transition process."

Catherine Winter - CEO

Testimonials

"Richard Wheatley made a highly valuable contribution to Ecctis & Enroly, bringing clear strategic vision alongside a strong commitment to a people centred approach. As the Ecctis Group HR Director, I worked closely with Richard and saw first hand his focus on ensuring that strategy was meaningfully connected to the organisation’s people and purpose.

He took time to develop a deep understanding of the organisation’s culture and values, and worked to align teams around a shared vision and clear goals. Through inclusive engagement and clear communication, Richard helped build alignment, momentum, and sustainable progress.

His strategic insight, empathy, and commitment to connecting people to purpose have helped lay strong foundations that will continue to support the organisation moving forward."

Frazer Richardson - HR Director

"Richard Wheatley provided invaluable support to Huru during the early stages of the company, bringing a logical, commercial, and highly pragmatic approach at a critical point in our development.

Richard has a rare ability to move seamlessly between operational detail and strategic perspective, often switching between the two in an instant. This allowed him to address immediate practical challenges while keeping decisions grounded in the longer term commercial and organisational context.

His clarity of thought, sound judgement, and focus on what truly matters made his input both efficient and impactful. Richard’s contribution helped provide structure, confidence, and direction at a formative stage for Huru, and his versatility is both unique and extremely valuable.."

Ed Shelton - Co-Founder

About

Richard Wheatley

Richard Wheatley is a seasoned technical leader with expertise in engineering, innovation, and product development across startups, scale-ups, and corporate environments. He excels in taking technology from concept to market, building high-performance teams, and optimizing operating models for efficient execution.

Blending startup agility, scale-up structuring, and corporate discipline, Richard drives clarity, accountability, and adaptability. Whether launching new ventures, managing rapid growth, or refining established organisations, he ensures businesses have the right strategy, structure, and execution to succeed.

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Start up

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Scale up

Corporate

As CEO & Co-Founder of HeadX, Richard built a company from the ground up, tackling the challenges of lean infrastructure, securing funding, and navigating product-market fit. Developing a smart headband to mitigate brain trauma, he combined technical innovation with a strategic go-to-market approach. His experience highlights the ability to define success, create clear execution strategies, and adapt quickly in a fast-moving environment.

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At Vertical Aerospace and DEEP, Richard played a pivotal role in rapid growth phases, establishing structure while maintaining agility. As Programme Director at Vertical Aerospace, he translated strategy into execution, leading a team of 15 Programme Managers. As Product Director at DEEP, he shaped the submersibles business, overseeing engineering, sales, and financial performance. His expertise in balancing structure with innovation ensures organisations can scale efficiently while preserving an entrepreneurial spirit.

Large Scale

Richard’s tenure at Dyson saw him manage Global Programme Management operations as the company scaled from UK-focused development to a global operation. Leading teams across multiple countries, he optimised processes, quality management, and governance in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment. He later served as Interim Managing Director of Ecctis, overseeing strategic direction and operational performance during a period of transition. His experience in evolving operating models and governance ensures businesses can remain agile while implementing the right structures for growth.

Richard’s early career in BAE Systems and Siemens reinforced the importance of tailoring business structures to different corporate environments, particularly in highly regulated industries. Managing Eurofighter Typhoon and Tornado support contracts and delivering safety-critical railway telecoms projects, he developed a keen understanding of compliance, risk management, and scalable operations—ensuring organisations have the right frameworks in place to operate efficiently and effectively.

Get clear on what success looks like and how to get there.

What you get: A simple, action-focused plan that sets out your priorities, next steps, and key milestones.

Areas of Speciality

Goals

Operating Model

Define how your business runs so decisions get made, people are accountable, and work efficiently.

What you get: A clear structure for decision-making, role clarity, and streamlined ways of working that improve execution and accountability.

Team

Make sure everyone knows their role and how they contribute to the bigger picture

What you get: Team workshops, better ways to track progress, and tools to boost collaboration.

Governance

Keep things under control without slowing you down.

What you get: Simple structures to help you track performance, manage risks, and make informed decisions.

Execution

Move fast, adapt quickly, and get things done.

What you get: Clear processes, practical guides, and a step-by-step approach to turning ideas into action.