Podcast Ep 315: Louise Keenan Clarke left a 21-year banking career to teach communication skills with her new business Succeed With Confidence.
Louise Keenan Clarke spent two decades climbing the corporate banking ladder, leading global teams at Barclays and Citibank after starting her career at Bank of Ireland and AIB. But, she says, it wasn’t her technical expertise that earned her the most senior roles – it was her ability to communicate and inspire trust.
“I started to see whenever I went in and took on and led those teams, some of the people that I were leading had gone for the role too, and were really the subject matter experts,” she recalls. “The reason I was being afforded these opportunities was not because of my technical knowledge in these areas, but it’s how I can communicate and lead.”
“If we can level the playing field so that everybody feels confident in terms of how they are communicating as part of a core part of their leadership skills, then we actually hear all voices”
That realisation prompted Clarke to leave her corporate career in mid-2025 to establish Succeed with Confidence, a consultancy focused on helping senior professionals and entrepreneurs improve their communication skills. Her timing appears prescient as artificial intelligence transforms the workplace, potentially making soft skills more valuable than technical knowledge.
The communication gap in leadership
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Clarke’s transition from banking executive to business coach reflects broader changes in how professional success is defined. During her time chairing Citibank’s women inclusion network in Belfast, she noticed a recurring pattern among accomplished professionals.
“One question whenever we would go out to the members was: ‘I have the technical skills. I know how to do my job. I want to be more confident, be seen more as a leader,’” she explains. “All of those things that were going to help them move to the next level of their career.”
The gap between technical competence and communication ability became particularly evident when Clarke moved outside her comfort zone at Citibank, leading teams in market data, technology, and internal audit – areas where she wasn’t the subject matter expert.
“Because those areas were out of my specialist area, I really started to see that some of the people that I were leading had gone for the role too,” she says. “Actually some of the people that we get to hear from aren’t always those people that we really need to hear from, but they’re just the ones that are better speaking out.”
AI makes human skills more critical
Clarke argues that artificial intelligence makes communication skills more important than ever, as technical capabilities become increasingly automated. Her approach focuses on helping professionals articulate their unique value proposition in an AI-enabled workplace.
“With AI as an enabler of business and the rate of pace of technological change, it’s more critical than ever that an individual can clearly articulate their unique and differentiated value,” she explains.
Her methodology centres on three areas: mindset development, practical communication skills through her “Captivate model,” and executive presence. The approach recognises that professional communication extends far beyond formal presentations.
“Every time you’re speaking to a client or a prospective client, speaking to your leadership, speaking to peers, speaking within your industry, and the most important one, communicating to your team, you’re selling yourself and the organization that you represent professionally,” Clarke notes.
From corporate security to entrepreneurial uncertainty
The transition from a steady corporate salary to entrepreneurial uncertainty presented its own challenges. Clarke acknowledges the financial adjustment from “getting a salary on a particular date in the month to always generating your own business and your pipeline.”
However, her corporate experience provided unexpected advantages. When she tendered for an inter-parliamentary program across UK legislative bodies including the House of Lords and House of Commons, her banking background gave her credibility beyond that of a typical startup.
“I suppose I wasn’t maybe being looked on as a start-up, because I had this credibility from my corporate experience,” she reflects. “You actually bring your experience with you.”
The validation has been swift. Clarke recently learned she’s been shortlisted as a finalist for the Women in Business Awards in the Best Start-Up category, and she’s been accepted into a business accelerator program.
Leveling the communication playing field
Clarke’s work with entrepreneurs and corporate clients has revealed how communication skills can determine who gets heard in important decisions. She advocates for “levelling the playing field” so technical expertise isn’t overshadowed by presentation ability.
“If we can level the playing field so that everybody feels confident in terms of how they are communicating as part of a core part of their leadership skills, then we actually hear all voices,” she explains. “This person over here who has 20 years of experience, technically knowledgeable and capable – that’s the person that we’re going to probably retain within the business.”
Her client base spans from estate agents to technology entrepreneurs, many of whom possess deep expertise but struggle to communicate their value effectively. One client, she notes, built one of Northern Ireland’s top five estate agencies in under 10 years but initially insisted she had “no story to tell.”
The authentic leadership imperative
Clarke’s approach emphasises authentic communication over polished performance, focusing on building trust and inspiring confidence rather than theatrical presentation skills. Her philosophy stems from early exposure to public speaking – her mother put her on stage at age three in Derry’s Guild Hall.
“All of the work that I talk about can really be summarised in that you’re helping persuade and influence people to go along with the goal in a way that’s really authentic,” she says. “You’re breaking down barriers, and you’re helping people understand the vision, so that you’re all working towards that same common goal.”
As the workplace continues to evolve with AI integration, Clarke’s message for professionals is this: “Technical skills may get you in the room, but communication skills determine your level of success once you’re there.”
Her own career trajectory from banking executive to entrepreneurial consultant demonstrates that sometimes the most valuable expertise comes from understanding how to connect with people, not just spreadsheets.
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Listen to the ThinkBusiness Podcast for business insights and inspiration. Latest episodes are here. You can also listen to the Podcast on:
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