Ann Palmer has built her career on refusing to stand still. As founder and chief executive of Fig Tree International Ltd, she advises boards, coaches executives, and works with schools and corporations across the UK and internationally on leadership development, organizational transformation, and increasingly, one of the most significant challenges many of her clients now face: leading through artificial intelligence.
Drawing on decades of leadership experience, alongside international work spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa, Palmer believes AI is not a departure from her work. Instead, it represents the latest chapter in helping leaders navigate profound organizational change. Decisions that once relied primarily on experience now require cultural awareness, adaptability, and the willingness to guide organizations through unfamiliar territory. These realities, she argues, have increased the demand for advisers who understand leadership as deeply as they understand technological change.
“I’ve always described myself as a leader and a learner. The moment leaders believe they know everything is the moment they stop being effective,” she says.
Her own career reflects that philosophy. A three-time award winner and finalist for the Lifetime Achiever Award, Palmer has published two books, hosts podcasts, is currently writing a third book, and continually invests in her own professional development, including becoming bilingual. Her writing, she explains, focuses on addressing knowledge gaps rather than revisiting familiar topics.
“I don’t write about what people already know; I write about what they don’t know,” she says.
Continuous learning, Palmer believes, gives leaders the ability to encourage the same mindset in others.
“You can’t expect people to embrace change if you’re not willing to keep learning yourself,” Palmer adds.
That approach has become increasingly valuable as executives face technologies they were rarely trained to lead. Palmer believes many senior leaders carry significant responsibility while having limited opportunities to openly discuss difficult questions. Executive coaching, she argues, provides the space for those conversations before critical decisions are made.
“The strongest leaders are never the ones with all the answers. They’re the ones willing to say, ‘I don’t know yet, but I’m going to learn,’” Palmer says.
Leadership in an AI-driven era, in her view, rewards curiosity over certainty and requires executives to embrace uncertainty before confidence can develop.
Palmer often finds that leaders begin engagements focused on immediate operational challenges before expanding their ambitions significantly. Listening forms the foundation of that process. Rather than entering organizations with predetermined solutions, she studies people, culture, and behavior before challenging assumptions.
“Executives are still human. They carry great weight, and they don’t always have the right person in the room to carry that weight with them. It’s about asking the right questions. It’s about moving them through their discomfort into a more comfortable place,” Palmer explains.
Speaking engagements remain an important part of Palmer’s work, although she avoids suggesting that conferences alone create lasting organizational change. Inspiration, she argues, only becomes valuable when supported by continued implementation.
“I’m here to ensure that organizations have impact and great outcomes,” she says. “A keynote can inspire people for an hour, but lasting change comes from the journey that follows.”
Long-term partnerships, Palmer explains, allow organizations to measure progress and achieve meaningful transformation. She points to clients who have spent more than a year developing AI strategies before presenting their work within institutions as examples of what sustained leadership development can accomplish.
International experience also shapes Palmer’s advice. Having worked with organizations across different continents, she believes AI leadership cannot be separated from local culture, legislation, or organizational priorities. Strategies that succeed in one country often require significant adaptation elsewhere.
“AI may be global, but every organization has its own culture, challenges, and way of leading,” she says.
Palmer attributes much of her perspective to personally leading large-scale transformation programs. Having managed complex strategic and operational projects, served as a board member, and worked directly with executive leadership teams, she believes practical experience strengthens strategic advice because clients know recommendations have been tested in demanding environments.
Additionally, Palmer measures leadership by the people it develops.
“A great leader is measured by the leaders they create,” she says.
She often returns to what she calls the “ladder” philosophy, which suggests leaders should actively create opportunities for others to grow, strengthening organizations long after their own involvement ends.
“We are only as good as the leaders we create. It’s about putting the ladder down and bringing others up with you,” Palmer adds.
AI, in her view, reinforces that responsibility. Future-ready organizations will thrive because of leaders who build AI-capable teams that can think independently, exercise sound judgment, and adapt confidently as technology evolves.
“Nothing substantial comes from holding all of the control,” Palmer says. “Real leadership always builds people and champions the confidence to let go, knowing your organization is stronger for it.”
Ann Palmer emphasizes, “There is no transition period for AI. It has arrived, and it is reshaping the world at pace. The organizations that succeed will be those whose leaders have the courage to adapt, innovate, and lead differently.”
Learn more about Ann Palmer and her leadership work through Fig Tree International Ltd and her LinkedIn profile.
