As A CEO, I Don't Want To Let Anyone Down - Pete Maiden

Pete Maiden is the founder and CEO of CHEXS, a Hertfordshire-based charity that’s been making a quiet but powerful impact since 2011. His career began in the Royal Navy, where he developed the kind of discipline and leadership skills that would later shape his approach to community work. After leaving the military, Pete turned his attention to supporting young people and families, driven by a belief that small, consistent changes can lead to meaningful transformation.Through CHEXS, he’s helped hundreds of young people each year—particularly those aged 8 to 16—through a unique GROWTH programme that blends coaching, outdoor learning, and personal development. Alongside that, he’s built a robust family support service, offering everything from parenting workshops to one-to-one sessions tailored to each family’s needs.Pete is more than a charity leader—he’s a recognised champion of social mobility and was awarded the Broxbourne Civic Award for his outstanding service to the community. The work he does is really inspiring and so is his story, from humble beginnings, his adventures in the Navy, learning how to live with significant dyslexia, to founding and running CHEXS. It is full of twists and turns including some pretty frightening health issues! It made for a fascinating conversation, which I loved and I hope you do too.To find out more about CHEXS, go to www.chexs.co.uk