Matthew Bennett: Willow Ethos

Matthew Bennett: Willow Ethos

Matthew Bennett is the Founding Partner of Willow Ethos. His work sits around culture, leadership development, and executive coaching, but what really drives it is an interest in how people behave at work and why. Over time, he’s seen how much culture influences performance, often in ways organisations don’t notice until something starts to feel off. In a fast moving environment, those small things tend to matter more than people expect.

Most of Matthew’s career has been spent working with organisations as they grow or change. Sometimes that growth is positive and exciting, sometimes it comes with pressure and uncertainty. What shows up again and again is behaviour. Not the theory of it, but the everyday decisions people make, the conversations they avoid, and the way leaders respond when things don’t go to plan. Matthew believes that when people have clarity, feel supported, and understand the bigger picture, work tends to function better. The link between a company and its employees is something he pays close attention to, because when that breaks down, everything else follows.

Willow Ethos was co-founded by Matthew in 2024 after a number of conversations with leaders who felt disconnected from their culture but weren’t sure where to begin. The work is evidence-based, but it’s also practical. Cultural insight is combined with coaching and development, so organisations can begin to adjust how they work without overcomplicating things. As founder, Matthew has focused on building long-term relationships with clients, offering support that evolves as teams and leaders grow, rather than stepping in briefly and moving on.

As an Executive Coach, Matthew works with senior leaders and people with high potential who want space to think clearly. His style is direct but supportive. He asks questions that encourage reflection and helps clients look honestly at their behaviours and the impact they have. Using behavioural insight, he supports leaders to make changes that are realistic and sustainable, not performative. Culture, in his view, isn’t a “nice to have”. It shows up every day, whether people choose to pay attention to it or not, and it has a direct impact on business performance.

Matthew’s thinking is supported by a strong academic background. He completed an MSc in Learning and Teaching at the University of Oxford and later an MBA with Merit from The Open University. These experiences deepened his understanding of learning, leadership, and organisational development, and continue to shape how he works. He also keeps learning alongside his practice, knowing the work is never really finished.

At the centre of everything Matthew does is a belief in people. Through Willow Ethos, he focuses on helping organisations create environments where individuals feel able to do good work, feel supported in doing it, and are able to thrive over time. The aim isn’t perfection, just progress that lasts.