Driving Transformation in Heritage Organisations: Insights from Executives Who Deliver Results

Legacy organisations—whether family-owned, founder-led, or simply long-established—share a familiar challenge: how to evolve with pace and purpose without losing what made them successful in the first place. Transformation is rarely about one bold decision; it is the cumulative effect of clarity, alignment, and disciplined leadership applied consistently over time.  

At the Best Employers Eastern Region awards conference, two leaders—Samantha Stimpson, CEO of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, and Julius Walters, CEO of Sudbury Silk Mills—offered compelling insights into how to guide heritage-rich organisations into their next chapter. Their contexts differ: one leads a global cruise line with deep maritime history; the other is a tenth-generation custodian of Britain’s luxury textile craft, operating as a long-standing family-owned business. Yet both demonstrate leadership approaches that enable established organisations to evolve without compromising identity.  

1. Build on What Exists Before Introducing What’s New  

Transformation often falters not because strategy is flawed, but because leaders overlook the importance of honouring the culture, people, and practices that already exist. The impulse to immediately reshape can be strong—especially for incoming leaders—but real progress requires patience, listening, and the ability to recognise the strengths already embedded within the organisation.  

Julius Walters embodies this philosophy. As the tenth generation to lead Sudbury Silk Mills, his connection to the business is grounded in lived experience—from learning the craft on the mill floor to mastering the intricacies of luxury textile innovation. Rather than reinventing the business from the outside, Julius modernises from within. He champions artisan craftsmanship while simultaneously investing in weaving technology and responsible production practices.  

His approach preserves what makes the business distinctive—heritage, artistry, and exceptional quality—while equipping it for the demands of contemporary global markets. Transformation, for him, is not disruption; it is stewardship.  

Lesson for leaders: Respect the starting point. Transformation accelerates when you amplify what already works.  

2. Create Clarity Early—Then Repeat It Relentlessly 

When Samantha Stimpson stepped into her CEO role at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, she inherited an organisation with a long maritime tradition and deeply rooted ways of working. Her priority was not to restructure, but to create clarity—clarity of mission, clarity of expectations, and clarity of how decisions get made.  

With 25 years of experience in travel and hospitality, Samantha understands that people cannot perform at pace if they are uncertain about direction. Her leadership style is grounded in transparent communication, repeated messaging, and guiding people to understand why the strategy matters. By rebuilding leadership capability, establishing clear processes, and aligning the shore-based teams with the onboard teams, she created rhythm and consistency across the fleet.  

Clarity, in her hands, becomes both catalyst and anchor: enabling faster progress while strengthening confidence across the organisation.  

Lesson for leaders: Clarity is the foundation of alignment. Say it, repeat it, embed it.  

3. Pace Matters—But So Does People-Centred Leadership and Accountability  

Established organisations often wrestle with pace: how fast should they move, and how much should they change at once? Both Samantha and Julius demonstrate that increasing organisational tempo requires balance—holding people accountable while ensuring they feel supported and valued.  

Samantha has introduced structured frameworks around performance, capability, and leadership across Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. Her approach fosters accountability that feels fair and constructive, enabling people to grow while meeting clear expectations. She elevates performance without losing sight of humanity—recognising that engaged, empowered teams deliver the highest standards of guest experience.  

Julius drives pace differently. In a craft-based environment, speed comes from pride, mastery, and shared purpose rather than pressure. By working closely with artisans and production teams, he creates momentum through ownership—the team are part of the evolution of the mill, with clear visibility of their ideas and how they impact the future evolution of the business, creating their own momentum.  

Despite their different contexts, both leaders create environments where people understand what is expected and are motivated to deliver consistently.  

Lesson for leaders: Accountability is not about control; it is about creating the conditions for consistent performance. Pace is not urgency; it is momentum built through people.  

Conclusion: Transformation Is a Leadership Discipline—Not an Event  

Samantha and Julius demonstrate that effective leadership in legacy organisations demands more than charisma—it requires disciplined behaviours: deep listening, purposeful clarity, aligned teams, empowered people, and structures that support accountability.  

For leaders navigating founder-led or heritage-rich environments, their experiences offer a practical roadmap:  

• Understand culture before reshaping it.  
• Align people through clarity, not assumption.  
• Build systems that support accountability.  
• Balance purpose with process.  
• Lead with humanity, respect, and resolve.