Rory Davidson Insights

How Rory Davidson Pivoted from Corporate Strategy to Startup CEO

Hear Rory’s account of moving from FMCG leadership into the UK CEO role at Klim, an agritech startup. Discover the 5 strategies that made the leap possible — and the reality of startup life at the top.

GUEST SPEAKER PROFILE

Rory Davidson

Rory started his career in consulting before spending ~12 years in corporate roles within the FMCG industry - ultimately as Sales & Marketing Director for a global beer brand. In 2025, he successfully moved jobs to become Country CEO for a new market for an internationally expanding agricultural-tech start-up.

Rory will be our guest speaker on topics including "Startup - Pivoting your Career to Land & Succeed in a Senior Startup Role".

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Top Insights - From Consulting to Klim: How Rory Davidson Made the Startup Leap

When Rory Davidson stepped into the UK CEO role at Klim, he swapped corporate scale for startup speed — and discovered a completely new way of working. His move wasn’t scripted, but built on curiosity, calculated risks, and the grit to succeed in uncharted territory.

In our latest OnUpBeyond Q&A, hosted by Rich Rosser, Rory lifts the lid on what it really takes to move from strategy or corporate leadership into an early-stage business. His path wasn’t a neat, linear climb. It was shaped by curiosity, well-judged risks, and the willingness to navigate uncertainty at a senior level.

Here are five takeaways that stood out:

1. Make Your Intentions Unmissable

If you’re in a strategy role and want to move into operations, don’t assume people will guess. Rory made his ambitions clear from day one to the right stakeholders — and kept repeating them. Visibility is currency in career moves.

2. Build Your Network Before You Need It

Rory’s “chess move” into operational roles started by informally connecting with decision-makers and frontline teams long before any formal transition. Those conversations gave him both credibility and a crash course in commercial realities.

3. Don’t Fear the Sideways Step

Sometimes you have to go down or sideways to go up. Rory was willing to take a role that wasn’t a straight upward climb to gain operational experience — a short-term trade that paid long-term dividends.

4. Passion + Positioning Beats a Perfect CV

When moving into agritech, Rory didn’t have a farming background. What he did have was a genuine interest in the sector and the ability to translate his consulting and commercial skills into startup value. Every conversation — whether at an event or on LinkedIn — sharpened his pitch and deepened his market knowledge.

5. Startup Life is Messy, and That’s the Point

As UK CEO at KLIM, Rory discovered that there often isn’t a playbook or even an immediate answer to basic questions. The role demands comfort with ambiguity, a willingness to get hands-on across multiple functions, and a bias towards action over polish.