In the world of digital strategy, leadership is often associated with loud disruption. Sharold Palmer, the Founder and Chief Vision Officer of Seven Palms Consultancy, has built her reputation on a quieter, more potent principle: that the most sustainable innovation comes from a place of calm strength, clear thinking, and deep purpose. Her work today is about helping organizations navigate the complexities of the digital age, not with brute force, but with a nuanced understanding of how strategy, technology, and humanity must connect to create lasting value.
Seven Palms Consultancy was born from a desire to work differently. After a successful corporate career, Sharold envisioned a more agile, purpose-driven firm that could serve as a strategic partner, helping businesses gain clarity in an increasingly chaotic environment. This vision is the result of over twenty years of experience during the digital revolution. Throughout this time, she learned how to effectively balance commercial objectives with a strong commitment to inclusive growth.
A Foundation Forged at the Financial Times
Sharold’s career began in the nascent days of the dot.com boom, giving her a front-row seat to the seismic shifts that technology was bringing to the world of publishing. She worked across editorial, production, technology,design, marketing and commercial teams, watching as the old models of communication and content consumption were dismantled and rebuilt. This early experience gave her a holistic understanding of how technology, content, and customer behavior are inextricably linked, a foundation that would prove invaluable in her subsequent roles.
During her seventeen-year tenure at the Financial Times, Sharold rose to become the Head of Digital Publishing for the FT Specialist division. In this role, she was a true digital strategist, a leader responsible for the evolution of platforms that served a global B2B audience of C-suite executives, policymakers, and international investors. The stakes were high. She led brilliant teams, managed multi-million-pound revenue streams, and during typically difficult market conditions, supported over £2 million in advertising revenue through sophisticated commercial video and audio campaigns, which were delivered both locally and on the ground globally. In one notable success, she drove a 160% increase in product subscriptions, a pivotal achievement that contributed to the eventual acquisition of the business. She had developed a fluency in the entire language of digital business, from the architecture of a product to the nuance of a marketing campaign, and she understood how to make it profitable.
In addition to her commercial achievements, another current was running through her professional life. As the Co-Lead of FT Embrace, the Financial Times’ race and ethnicity network, she found herself channeling her strategic skills toward a different kind of growth. This initiative was not separate from her main responsibilities; rather, the two paths ran in parallel. Here, too, she was creating platforms and building community, only the currency was visibility and opportunity. She managed over twenty initiatives, including a landmark project that established the first Black Business Marketplace at the FT’s headquarters. It was in the fusion of these two realms—high-stakes commercial strategy and purpose-driven community building—that the blueprint for her next chapter began to take shape.
The Genesis of a New Venture
After years of navigating complex digital transformations at the Financial Times, Sharold began to notice a recurring pattern in the industry. “I realized that many organizations, especially those navigating change, struggled with product clarity and digital direction,” she recalls. They often felt overwhelmed by complexity, caught in cycles of overthinking, or unable to leverage their own momentum. This observation revealed a gap in the market for a strategic advisor who was not only commercially savvy but also deeply human in their approach.
Thus, Seven Palms Consultancy was born. Sharold imagined a different kind of partnership, one where she could be a true ally in the room, not just a consultant on the payroll. Founding her own company also gave her the opportunity to embed the things she cared about most, equity, responsible innovation, and supporting social good, into the very DNA of the business.
A Framework for Clarity
Seven Palms offers strategic consulting across a range of critical areas, which Sharold has neatly encapsulated in the acronym PALMS: Product Innovation, AI Transformation, Leadership, Multimedia, and Stakeholders. What makes the firm’s approach different is its ability to move between high-level strategy and practical execution. “We don’t just advise, we co-create and iterate,” she explains.
The firm is also one of the few consultancies of its size that brings deep, lived experience in both the traditions of legacy publishing and the fast-moving world of emerging technologies like AI. This hybrid expertise allows her to translate complex shifts, whether technological, cultural, or organizational, into practical, actionable next steps for her clients. And, crucially, every project is approached through an inclusive, people-first lens, considering the impact on customers, employees, and the wider communities her clients serve.
Her clients are typically founders, product leads, and leadership teams who are at a critical inflection point, such as a relaunch, a repositioning, or a period of rapid growth. Their challenges are often complex and interconnected. They might be dealing with internal misalignment, a lack of clear messaging for their products, inefficient development cycles that slow them down, or the disruptive impact of AI on their business model. Increasingly, they bring her in to help embed equity and inclusion more thoughtfully into their innovation strategies, not as a reactive add-on, but as a core design principle.
Sharold’s process for helping these organizations find a way forward when transformation feels overwhelming is one of distillation. “We always start by listening, really understanding the root issue behind the surface-level pain,” she says. “Then we simplify and prioritize.” She provides structure where there is chaos and a clear story where there is confusion, allowing teams to finally understand the “why” behind their work, making it much easier to unite behind the “how.”
The Quiet Power of Leadership
As the leader of her own firm, Sharold enjoys the variety and fluidity of her days. A day might include a mix of client strategy sessions, writing thought leadership pieces, and planning the next phase of the business. “I enjoy the ability to switch between the big picture and the small details,” she says. “That, and the fact I get to work with people who are curious, ambitious, and open to doing things differently.” Seeing things “click” for her clients, she notes, brings a great deal of satisfaction.
Her journey has not been without its challenges. “I’ve often found myself in spaces where I was the ‘only’; the only woman, the only person of color, or the only one offering an alternative perspective,” she reflects. “That can be isolating, but it’s also sharpened my ability to speak up and see patterns others might miss.” Staying grounded in her values has been her anchor through these experiences.
She does not have a single, fixed mantra for tough times, but relies on perspective and practice. She is conscious that while her work is meaningful, she is not saving lives. This understanding allows her to approach challenges with a sense of calm. Meditation has become a useful tool, helping her stay centered and productive, especially when navigating the rapid shifts in AI and managing the pace of her growing business.
Sharold’s leadership philosophy is a reflection of her personality: thoughtful, intentional, and quietly confident. “Leadership doesn’t have to be loud,” she asserts. “Quiet power is still power, and actions often speak louder than words.” Her approach is grounded in something more fundamental: respect. The simple, non-negotiable act of treating people with care, honesty, and fairness.
A Different Measure of Success
Since founding Seven Palms, Sharold has found a new way to measure achievement. While she is proud of the commercially successful outcomes she has delivered throughout her career, launching new commercial propositions, overseeing platform migrations, and supporting business acquisitions, her focus now is on building a values-driven, commercially focused business.
Sharold is especially proud that Seven Palms has stayed true to its purpose-led mission. The company gives 7% of its revenue to charitable causes, a tangible commitment to its values. She actively pushes her clients to think more broadly about their impact, considering not just what they build, but how and for whom they are building it. Her recent research exploration into AI ethics and inclusive innovation is particularly meaningful to her, representing a commitment to shaping a more responsible technological future.
The Path Forward
Looking ahead, Seven Palms is focused on deepening its impact. The firm is currently developing a set of digital diagnostic tools to help organizations quickly assess their innovation readiness, clarity of purpose, and digital positioning. Sharold is also expanding her collaborations with AI researchers, EDI specialists, and impact-driven organizations globally, with international collaborations on the horizon.
Beyond her work, Sharold is intentional about how she invests her time and energy. As a fellow of the RSA (Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), she takes an active interest in societal issues. She is deeply connected to her family, friends, the arts, and community work. She loves to travel, attend the theatre, and read. She practices yoga and plays tennis. And she has recently picked up an instrument from her childhood: the steel pans. She also dedicates time to mentoring and supporting younger professionals, a practice she sees as a way to give back and stay connected to the future.
Sharold’s final message to aspiring leaders is a distillation of her own journey. It is a quiet call to action, grounded in self-awareness and integrity. “Embody kindness, stay curious, and keep learning,” she advises. “You don’t need permission to lead or to innovate, but you do need clarity, intention, and a genuine enjoyment of the work. When you enjoy what you do, it shows, and it sustains you.”
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