The person behind Forge Strategy Group
30 years. Multiple industries. Multiple countries. One consistent thread — getting things done at the highest level.
A career defined by delivery
Michael Gough founded Forge Strategy Group to bring genuine, board-level experience to UK businesses that need more than theory and frameworks. His career spans three decades, five industries and two continents — and in every role, the common thread has been the same: get in the room, understand the problem, and fix it.
Michael joined the British Army at sixteen. The discipline, leadership and operational rigour of thirteen years in regular and reserve service — combined with a natural ability to communicate with people at every level — laid the foundation for everything that followed.
Building in the UAE
Michael’s first role in the UAE was as General Manager of a multi-site food and beverage operation that included an eighteen-hole golf course and several restaurants. He was subsequently headhunted to establish a chain of seafood restaurants — and it was during this period that he identified a commercial opportunity that would change the business entirely.
His early advice to the owners to pivot from restaurants and concentrate on food trading laid the founding idea for what is now Admirals Trading LLC, a leading UAE food distribution business with over twenty years of trading history. This ability to spot opportunity, challenge conventional thinking and advise owners to make bold decisions became a defining characteristic of Michael’s career.
Security, operations and world-class events
Michael joined Transguard Group — now the UAE’s leading facilities management and security provider, with a turnover of $517 million — initially as Business Development Manager. He left to found Proguard Security Services, which he built from zero into one of the fastest-growing security companies in the UAE.
Michael promoted a strategic alliance with Transguard Group and laid the foundation for the eventual acquisition of Proguard. Transguard subsequently invited Michael back as a shareholding director, recognising the calibre of what he had built.
As Security Director at Transguard for nine years, Michael was responsible for 3,200 personnel and delivered 400% revenue growth over three years — an achievement that remains one of the standout commercial results in the group’s history.
Alongside his executive role, Michael served as Spectator Safety Consultant and Safety Officer at the Yas Marina Formula One Grand Prix circuit over four years — one of the most demanding safety environments in world sport. He also spent three years as a Consultant for the Race to Dubai on the European Tour, and served as Head of Security at the Dubai Rugby 7s International for several years.
Back in the UK
Michael returned to the UK in 2014 with his family, settling in Solihull. He studied for and obtained his Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning through the Chartered Insurance Institute, and established himself as a qualified financial adviser — building long-term client relationships grounded in trusted advice.
In 2018 he was elected as a Borough Councillor for Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, where he has served in the Cabinet and also Chairman of the Children’s Services, Education & Skills Scrutiny Board — scrutinising policy, financial and contract decisions and chairing a board of senior officials.
In 2023 he became a Trustee of TroopAid, a charity supporting serving and former members of the armed forces — a cause close to his heart given his own military background.
Why Forge Strategy Group
Forge Strategy Group exists because Michael believes that the businesses which succeed are the ones that act decisively — and that too many organisations try to solve their problems by sending emails between departments rather than getting the right people in the room to fix them.
The consultancy is deliberately small and selective. Michael works with a limited number of clients at any one time, ensuring every engagement receives the full attention of someone who has genuinely been there — not a junior team member working from a framework.