Open Water

What Open Water does

Open Water Development Ltd is a privately held, bootstrapped leadership development and culture transformation consultancy exclusively serving the life sciences sector — pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and clinical research organisations (CROs). Founded in 2007 by Ben Shoshan (CEO) and Marika Cysouw (Managing Director), the firm designs and delivers bespoke programmes built on behavioural science, cognitive behavioural science, and neuroscience, channelled through its proprietary Mindset Inside™ methodology and the DANCE framework. The company's offering centres on a portfolio of "Connected Programmes" — Connected Leader, Connected Mid-Level Leader, Connected Partner, Connected People, Connected Culture, Connected Narrative, and Connect to Your Story — supplemented by Connection Events (leadership summits, sales conventions, town halls, product launches).

A defining technical and commercial asset is the Cyclorama Broadcasting Studios, a proprietary two-location studio infrastructure in London that supports in-person, virtual, and hybrid delivery of large-scale global leadership events. Delivery is run by an in-house multidisciplinary team of psychologists, executive coaches, master facilitators, broadcast production specialists, and creative staff — approximately 17 named team members per the public team page. Programmes are sold and delivered directly to enterprise clients (C-suite, VPs, Presidents, senior leaders, mid-level managers, and customer-facing teams) via a long-cycle, bespoke, multi-year engagement model.

Open Water reports engagement with 7 of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies, 100+ global clients across 50+ countries, and approximately 30,000 people developed through its interventions, with a self-reported 97% global client satisfaction score. Documented client outcomes include a $1B-to-$13.3B anticoagulant franchise transformation (Pfizer alliance), 100% EMEA sales uplift over three years for a leading pharmaceutical, and a 16% sales lift on a previously stagnant 7-year-old product. The firm is registered in England and Wales (company #06571756), headquartered in Newport Pagnell, with delivery operations centred in London. No external funding rounds, acquisitions, or parent company relationships are disclosed.

Name

Open Water

Legal name

Open Water Development Ltd

Website

https://open-water.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Open Water is a bootstrapped, UK-based leadership development and culture transformation consultancy exclusively serving the life sciences sector, delivering bespoke neuroscience- and behavioural-science-grounded Connected Programmes and Connection Events to global pharmaceutical, biotech, and CRO clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Consulting

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Change Management & Transformation Leadership (EDABAAAD)

Keywords

• Leadership development consulting
• Culture transformation services
• Executive coaching programs
• Life sciences consulting
• Organizational change management

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Leadership and Culture Transformation Programmes: Open Water designs and delivers bespoke leadership development and culture transformation programmes for life science organisations. Programmes are tailored to each client's context, priorities, and people. Delivery formats include in-person workshops, virtual sessions via Cyclorama Studios, and hybrid formats. Revenue is generated through programme fees charged per engagement or cohort.
2. Connection Events: High-impact, all-team events (leadership summits, sales conventions, town halls, product launches) delivered both in-person and virtually via Cyclorama Studios. Billed as part of culture transformation engagements or as standalone event mandates.
3. Executive Coaching: One-on-one executive and leadership coaching services provided by certified coaches and facilitators, often as a component of broader transformation programmes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Open Water designs and delivers bespoke leadership development and culture transformation programmes exclusively for life sciences organisations. Its portfolio of Connected Programs — including Connected Leader, Connected Mid-Level Leader, Connected Partner, Connected People, Connected Culture, Connected Narrative, and Connect to Your Story — is built on the proprietary Mindset Inside™ psychological framework and delivered through in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats via its Cyclorama Broadcasting Studios.

Product overview

Open Water is a leadership development and culture transformation consultancy, not a software platform. Its offering is a portfolio of Connected Programs delivered through in-person facilitation, virtual broadcasts via Cyclorama Broadcasting Studios, or hybrid formats. The core programs include Connected Leader (senior leadership), Connected Mid-Level Leader (managers), Connected Partner (customer-facing roles), Connected People (foundation for all staff), Connected Culture (culture transformation), Connected Narrative (strategic storytelling), and Connect to Your Story (personal narrative). Mindset Inside™ is the core psychological methodology underpinning all interventions. Connection Events and Cyclorama Broadcasting Studios are supporting service/technology offerings enabling global delivery. Programs are tailored to each client's context, priorities, and people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Connected Leader: Leadership development program focused on empathic, extraordinary, and empowering leadership — building collective vision, purpose, and cohesion across leadership teams.
• Connected Mid-Level Leader
• Connected Partner
• Connected People
• Connected Culture
• Connected Narrative
• Connect to Your Story
• Cyclorama Broadcasting Studios
• Connection Events

Products and services

• Connected Leader Senior leadership development programme that builds trust, accountability, and cohesion through empathic, extraordinary, and empowering leadership pillars. Designed for senior leadership teams in life sciences organisations.
• Connected Mid-Level Leader Development programme for mid-level managers who act as the backbone of change, grounding in emotional intelligence, behavioural science, and best-management practice to bridge senior leadership vision and front-line execution.
• Connected Partner Stakeholder relationship development programme that transforms individuals into trusted advisors through self-awareness, empathy, and outcome-focused value delivery, with particular focus on customer-facing sales, medical, and market access teams engaging healthcare professionals.
• Connected People Foundation programme building collaboration, innovation, and engagement across organisations to reduce silos and align contributions to shared goals.
• Connected Culture Culture transformation programme using neuroscience and behavioural change theory to shape workplace environments of clarity, accountability, empowerment, and openness.
• Connected Narrative Strategic storytelling framework using expert writers and consultants to craft compelling, authentic narratives that unify organisations around purpose and direction during change journeys.
• Connect to Your Story Personal narrative programme empowering individuals to articulate their value, reconnect with purpose, and build confidence in stakeholder communications.
• Connection Events High-impact event experiences for leadership summits, commercial meetings, and corporate events, delivered in-person or virtually via Cyclorama Broadcasting Studios.
• Executive Coaching One-on-one executive and leadership coaching services provided by certified coaches and facilitators, often delivered as a component of broader transformation programmes.
• Mindset Inside™ Core psychological methodology embedded across all Open Water programmes, grounded in neuroscience and cognitive behavioural science to drive sustainable mindset shifts and lasting behavioural change.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% sales uplift in 3 years for a leading pharmaceutical in EMEA
• +12 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Storytellers (now part of Accenture)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Open Water partnered with The Storytellers (now part of Accenture) to co-create compelling narratives for leadership transformation programmes. The Storytellers brought world-leading storytelling methodology, while Open Water provided the behavioural science and facilitation expertise. This partnership was pivotal in crafting the '6-chapter narrative' for Pfizer's immuno-inflammatory business unit transformation and other cultural narratives for clients. The partnership enabled Open Water to offer narrative design as a strategic capability within its culture transformation methodology.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Center for Creative Leadership: CCL is a research-driven leadership development organisation offering programmes, assessments, and executive education. It is comparable to Open Water because both translate behavioural science into premium leadership interventions for senior executives.
• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey sells proprietary leadership and culture frameworks (e.g., The 7 Habits) globally through consultants and digital tools. Like Open Water, it monetises a trademarked leadership methodology through partner-led enterprise delivery.
• RHR International: RHR International is a boutique executive coaching and leadership development firm serving large corporates. Its bespoke, partner-led delivery model and behaviourally informed approach closely mirror Open Water's operating model.
• Development Dimensions International (DDI): DDI is a specialist leadership development firm that builds assessment-driven leadership programmes used by Fortune 500 companies. It mirrors Open Water's focus on behaviourally grounded leadership interventions sold at enterprise scale.
• BTS Group: BTS is a publicly listed boutique consultancy that designs leadership, sales, and strategy alignment simulations and programmes for large enterprises, including pharma. Like Open Water, it combines proprietary IP with bespoke facilitation to drive measurable commercial outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Huron Consulting Group: Huron is a broad management consultancy with dedicated life sciences and organisational transformation practices. Its enterprise transformation capability overlaps with Open Water's culture and leadership work for healthcare clients.
• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organisational consulting firm whose advisory work spans leadership development, culture transformation, and executive coaching. It is comparable to Open Water as a much larger incumbent offering overlapping capabilities to enterprise buyers.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global leadership advisory firm combining executive search with leadership consulting and culture transformation work. Its organisational consulting practice overlaps directly with Open Water's portfolio.
• Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder combines executive search, leadership advisory, and board services globally. Its leadership development and culture advisory practice overlaps with Open Water's enterprise consulting work, especially in life sciences.
• Slalom Consulting: Slalom is a mid-sized management and technology consultancy with a substantial life sciences vertical and culture/people change practice, making it a comparable incumbent competitor for transformation engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/open-water-development

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Open Water