What OPDC does

OPDC is a UK-based management consultancy and leadership development firm founded in 1986 by Dr David Kearney, a Chartered Psychologist. The firm designs and delivers bespoke leadership development programmes, executive coaching, senior-team capacity building, and psychological assessment for senior leaders, HR/L&D buyers, and executives in FTSE 250 and major international organisations across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North America. Its methodological backbone is a proprietary 360-degree influence questionnaire and the Model of Influence / Push-Pull Model of Influence derived from the founder's PhD research, supported by complementary frameworks including Harvard Negotiation Project-informed negotiation, a proprietary change-leadership approach, and established psychometric tools (Hogan Development Survey, NEO-PI, Cognitive Process Profile). Client-reported outcomes include a 9.4/10 NPS on the Leadership Journey programme, satisfaction scores above 90% across six criteria, and a 19% average revenue pipeline increase in the first six months of programme participation.

OPDC operates as a private limited company (OPDC Ltd) with a sister entity (OPDC Service Ltd), headquartered in Bath, UK with an additional office in Cork, Ireland. The firm generates revenue through five primary streams: multi-module leadership development programmes (6–9 month journeys with 12+ delegates), executive coaching (including a "First 100 Days" onboarding programme), tailored leadership workshops and facilitation, senior-role candidate assessment, and an accredited Delivery Partner Programme that licenses independent trainers and third-party companies to deliver OPDC content under annual licence. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise engagement (free 30-minute consultations, custom programme design, senior-consultant-led delivery) with a channel programme for mid-market reach, supported by content marketing through a LinkedIn newsletter, alumni network, and a portfolio of enterprise case studies featuring clients such as Airbus, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Deutsche Bank, Coca-Cola, EDF, and the Institute of Directors.

The firm has reached thousands of managers and executives across a 20+ year operating history, with the longest-standing client relationship exceeding 20 years. Its strategic moat rests on proprietary assessment IP, a senior consulting team of Chartered Psychologists and former operators, and embedded enterprise relationships — but the business remains a founder-led boutique with no external funding, no disclosed revenue, and limited visible headcount growth. The primary forward-looking opportunity is to scale the Delivery Partner channel and broaden the product catalogue (e.g., mindfulness-based leadership, psychological profiling); the primary risk is reliance on a small senior team and exposure to AI-augmented coaching and assessment platforms that could commoditise parts of the diagnostics stack.

Name

OPDC

Legal name

OPDC Ltd

Website

https://opdc.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OPDC is a UK-based boutique consultancy founded in 1986 that delivers bespoke leadership development programmes, executive coaching, and senior-team capacity building for FTSE 250 and major international enterprise clients, differentiated by proprietary 360-degree influence and psychometric instruments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development and Management Consulting Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

C-Suite & Senior Executive Coaching (EDABANAA), Program & Portfolio Management (PPM) (EDABAHAB)

Keywords

• Leadership development programmes
• Executive coaching services
• Management consultancy
• Team facilitation workshops
• Senior leadership training

Headquarters

HQ city

Sherborne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Leadership Development Programmes: Multi-module and intensive leadership development journeys delivered to cohorts of delegates from client organisations. Programmes run over 6-9 months and include off-site modules, internal sessions, and graduation ceremonies. Revenue is generated through programme licensing fees and delivery charges.
2. Executive Coaching: One-to-one coaching engagements for senior leaders to resolve 'messy' problems, including the First 100 Days executive onboarding programme. Coaching delivered through face-to-face and telephone sessions.
3. Leadership Workshops and Facilitation: Focused workshops and facilitation services for leadership events, including strategy development, leading change, negotiating for value, compelling proposals, and business partnering. Tailored from proven frameworks to address specific client contexts.
4. Senior Role Candidate Assessment: Psychological profiling services including Cognitive Process Profile, NEO-PI personality assessment, and Hogan Development Survey to complement candidate selection for senior roles.
5. Delivery Partner Licensing: Annual licence fees from accredited delivery partners for access to OPDC training materials, quality auditing, and customer feedback analysis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OPDC is a management consultancy that designs and delivers leadership development programmes, executive coaching, and team facilitation services for enterprise clients. Core offerings include multi-module and intensive leadership journeys, one-to-one executive coaching, board and senior team alignment, change leadership workshops, negotiation training, and psychological profiling for senior role selection. Programmes are built around delegates' live business challenges and delivered by senior consultants globally.

Product overview

OPDC offers a unified portfolio of management consultancy, leadership development, and training services for individuals and organisations. The core offering consists of three interconnected service areas: Leadership Development Programmes (including Intensive, Multi-module, and Building Specific Leadership Skills programmes), Senior Team Capacity Building (covering Coaching, Team Alignment, Executive Assessment, and Onboarding), and Leadership Workshops and Facilitation (including Strategy Development, Change Leadership, Negotiation, and Conference Facilitation). OPDC differentiates through its 360-degree influence questionnaire developed from founder Dr David Kearney's research, and delivers programmes globally with clients including FTSE 250 companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leadership Development Programmes Evidence-based leadership development programmes integrating personal development with business improvement projects, designed and delivered using principles derived from 20 years of OPDC experience. Targeted at HR and L&D leaders commissioning cohort-based learning for senior managers and executives.
• Intensive Leadership Journeys Six-month intensive leadership development programme combining one residential week with virtual coaching, workshops and one-to-one sessions, designed for senior managers in multi-site organisations.
• Multi-module Leadership Journeys Multi-modular leadership development and business improvement journey spanning 9 months, combining off-site modules with internal sessions, business projects, and graduation, designed for cohorts from client organisations.
• Building Specific Leadership Skills Programmes building specific leadership skills and techniques to address particular types of business challenges using real and live client issues as learning foundations.
• Senior Team Capacity Building Support for senior leaders both as teams and individually through coaching, team alignment, executive onboarding, candidate assessment, and workshops, designed for C-suite executives and senior leadership teams.
• Executive Coaching Non-directive one-to-one coaching methodology helping senior leaders explore and resolve 'messy' problems that negatively impact personal and organisational performance, delivered face-to-face and by telephone.
• Senior Team and Board Alignment Programmes to rebuild strong team dynamics for senior leadership teams and boards, combining one-to-one work with workshop activity using significant business issues as the basis for alignment.
• Senior Role Candidate Assessment Psychological profiling and in-depth assessment to complement candidate evaluation for senior roles, including cognitive ability (Cognitive Process Profile), personality (NEO-PI), and shadow side (Hogan Development Survey) assessments.
• Executive Onboarding (First 100 Days) First 100 Days executive coaching programme focusing on relationship building and navigating organisational politics for newly appointed senior executives to accelerate time to productivity.
• Leadership Workshops and Facilitation Focused workshops and facilitation services addressing live barriers to business performance, tailored from proven frameworks to address specific client contexts and senior leadership events.
• Strategy Development Workshops Structured strategy development journey drawing out perspectives, surfacing cultural realities, building unified vision, and designing strategy roadmap for senior leadership teams.
• Leading Change Workshops Change leadership workshops using OPDC's proprietary approach to engage stakeholders, create change leadership plans, and ensure successful adoption of new ways of working.
• Compelling Proposals and Inspiring Vision Workshops Workshops helping leaders create narratives that align people to visions of the future, identify milestones, and motivate teams to achieve significant goals.
• Business Conferences for Senior Leaders Conference design and facilitation services for senior leadership teams, focusing on both business agenda and team building outcomes.
• Negotiating for Value Negotiation learning programme informed by the Harvard Negotiation Project, emphasising win-win approaches for long-term relationships and including negotiation journey facilitation services. Also delivered as the Institute of Directors' Negotiation Skills for Directors programme.
• Accredited Delivery Partner Programme Annual licence programme enabling independent trainers and established third-party training and recruitment companies to market and deliver OPDC leadership development programmes and business development workshops under licence, with training, materials access, quality auditing, and customer feedback analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9.4 out of 10 Net Promoter Score achieved by Leadership Journey programme delegates across multiple cohorts
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers34 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 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.

• Institute of Directors (IOD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOPDC has provided learning programmes to the Institute of Directors for over 15 years. David Kearney is a Fellow of the IOD and uses this relationship to complement OPDC's core skills with deeper exposure to operations, finance, strategy, marketing and legal frameworks. OPDC delivers the IOD's Negotiation Skills for Directors programme and updates the curriculum regularly with research and feedback.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BTS: Strategy execution and leadership development consultancy using business simulations and experiential programmes for senior leaders. Comparable to OPDC in bespoke enterprise leadership offerings and outcome-driven value proposition.
• Center for Creative Leadership: Non-profit global leadership development provider offering executive education, 360-degree feedback, and leadership programmes to Fortune 500 and international clients. Directly comparable to OPDC in target market (senior executives), methodology (360 instruments), and delivery model (cohort-based programmes).
• RHR International: Boutique leadership consulting firm focused on executive development, team effectiveness, and leadership pipeline work for senior executives. Closely aligned with OPDC's boutique positioning, executive coaching, and senior team alignment offerings.
• The Ken Blanchard Companies: Leadership training and consulting firm offering proprietary methodologies (e.g., SLII, Lead 360) delivered through a global licensee network. Highly comparable to OPDC's proprietary methodology plus licensed delivery partner model.
• FranklinCovey: Global leadership and effectiveness training company delivering cohort-based leadership programmes, workshops, and certification to enterprise clients worldwide. Comparable to OPDC in enterprise training model and licensing/distribution partnerships.
• Lane4: UK-based leadership development consultancy combining sport psychology and business leadership, delivering cohort programmes and workshops to enterprise clients. Comparable to OPDC in geography (UK), executive focus, and bespoke methodology.
• Development Dimensions International (DDI): Global leadership development firm specialising in leadership assessment, behaviour-based interviewing, and multi-module leadership journeys for enterprise clients. Closely aligned with OPDC's programme structure and FTSE 250-style client base.

Broad incumbents

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm offering executive coaching, leadership assessment, and team acceleration services. Comparable to OPDC's senior team capacity building, assessment, and coaching offerings within a broader talent platform.
• Korn Ferry: Global organisational consulting firm offering executive search, leadership development, assessment, and talent management. Overlaps with OPDC's senior team capacity building, coaching, and senior role assessment offerings but at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm offering executive coaching, team effectiveness, and board advisory services. Overlaps with OPDC's executive coaching, team alignment, and senior role assessment offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/organisational-and-personal-development-consultants

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 OPDC