As the Centre for Public Impact’s (CPI) new Chief Executive Officer, Nick Thompson brings a unique mix of experience in government, international development, and leadership coaching. In this interview, he talks about his vision for CPI, why a human-centred, systemic approach to governance matters, and the significant challenges governments face today—from climate change to trust and AI.
With CPI entering an exciting new chapter, Nick shares his thoughts on what makes partnerships thrive, what history can teach us about leadership, and why reimagining government is critical. If you’d like to connect—whether to discuss partnerships, explore new opportunities, or just have a chat—reach out!
What’s your background, and how did it lead you to CPI?
I’ve done three main things to date; all of which, in different ways, have led me to CPI. My first career was in the UK government here in London, and I also worked in Brussels in the European Union. My second career was helping to set up and run the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative, which then became the Tony Blair Institute as it is now. Then, I worked as a leadership coach and strategy consultant for the last couple of years.
They’ve all brought me in different ways to CPI. First, working for and then advising governments. Second, working to build an organisation through a comparable phase to where CPI is today. Third, working as a leadership coach–particularly a systems coach and relationship systems coach. Hence, the three experiences have built on each other and informed my views on CPI today.
How do you explain CPI’s mission to reimagine government? Why is it important?
CPI’s mission is to reimagine government so it works for all. This is a big, audacious mission for a small, young organisation–but it’s extremely important.
Our approach is to bring a systemic lens to issues, be relational, be human-centred in how we approach policy issues, and to help the governments and the teams we work with to bring a learning approach to how they design services and policies.
This has always been important for governments because government, in its nature, is inherently complex, messy, and people-centred. It’s all the more imperative now when you think about the issues impacting governments worldwide.
For example, climate change, which is inherently systemic, impacts a range of policy areas and across traditional organisational boundaries. At the same time the emergence of AI is not just reforming but revolutionising how governments work and how services are delivered. Then bringing a more political lens, there is a trust deficit currently in what governments can do for people. For all these reasons, a systemic, human-centred, learning approach to delivering policy issues is now more critical than ever.
What phase do you think CPI is in right now?
Maybe I’m biased, but we’re in a really exciting phase. We are 10 years old as an organisation, have really strong foundations, a track record of success, strong partners, and as I’ve learned in my first month, we have a great team of fantastic people spread around the world. So, we have a solid base. From that, we can have real ambition for the future.
But real and new challenges are shaping and reshaping governments, and our job at CPI is to lean into those challenges and help governments work through them. So it’s a really exciting phase as we build the next 10 years of the organisation in a future-orientated way, helping governments to address the challenges of today and tomorrow, not just those of yesterday.
CPI’s next phase needs to be underpinned by thoughtful ambition regarding what we can do and how we can grow to help governments meet those challenges.
CPI collaborates with governments, foundations, and changemakers worldwide. What do you think makes for a successful partnership?
Firstly, CPI already has some really strong partners that I’m looking forward to meeting. Secondly, in the business of delivering government services and reaching communities, partnerships and collaboration are essential. Government delivery is inherently complex, and therefore, a range of actors working with governments are needed to ensure that services reach people as end users.
In my experience, good partnerships have always been based on three things: trust, reciprocity, and shared ambition. You bring different approaches and skills to a problem but share the ambition of where you’re trying to get to. Given the issues facing governments today, working together is ever more important. That’s why partnerships will form a key part of CPI’s strategy in the future.
What book, podcast, or article has recently impacted you?
I’m not very good at listening to podcasts, but that is something I want to change. The book that I’m reading at the moment is the third of the Hilary Mantel “Wolf Hall” trilogy: The Mirror & The Light, about Henry VIII and England in that period of the Reformation.
I’m finding them fascinating partly because her writing and ability to recreate history is astonishing. But also, as someone who has spent his career working in and around government, the way they explore issues of leadership, politics and power in England all those centuries ago. You see the echoes of similar issues in politics today.
What career would you be in if you weren’t working in this space?
The two things that I’ve always wanted to do, or always thought about doing, but I candidly don’t think I have the skill set for, are either being a teacher–which I think is an amazing career, but I don’t have the patience–or being a journalist–which I was fascinated by and wanted to be when I was a teenager but I don’t write quickly enough!
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Nick is stepping in as CEO at an exciting time for CPI as we take on new challenges and opportunities. With a focus on systems change, human-centred governance, and strong partnerships, he’s eager to collaborate with those who share CPI’s mission.
