Warm wishes for the man they call Saint

David Saint, founder and chairman of Action Planning, is handing over the tiller and stepping back into (semi) retirement, and we, his Associates, had come to wish him all the best.

David Saint, founder and chairman of Action Planning, is handing over the tiller and stepping back into (semi) retirement, and we, his Associates, had come to wish him all the best.

In a moving tribute, brilliantly compered by incoming captain Sean Tully, we heard three-minute speeches from numerous Associates, friends and clients of Action Planning, who spoke of David’s acumen and expertise as a charity consultant, but even more so of his kindness, resilience, positivity, compassion and inspiration as a human being and colleague.

David founded Action Planning in 1990 and, four years later, wrote his ‘2020 Vision’ for the company. With amusement, Sean read out some of the stated goals in that long-term strategy document. While David’s financial target may have been a trifle optimistic, and he had somehow failed to foretell the pandemic, his vision had largely come to pass.

Today Action Planning is one of the foremost charity consultancies in the UK, with over 100 Associates helping charities large and small with all aspects of their operations. This is as great a testament to the determination, vision and skill of David Saint as it is to his success in bringing people together and engendering a culture of fun and warmth.

After two years of careful planning and preparation, David officially hands Action Planning over to Sean at the end of this year. Being a semi-retirement, he will continue to take on some pieces of work for the company, but as the figurehead of this jolly ship, he will be (wholly) missed.