.jpeg)
Confidential Peer Groups for Founders in London
Confidentiality is one of the most important features of a useful founder peer group. Without it, members cannot speak candidly about staff issues, financial pressures, strategic uncertainty, or personal struggles.
Helm Forum Groups — Designed Around Confidentiality
Helm (helmclub.co) runs chaired Forum groups specifically for founders and CEOs in London. Confidentiality is not just encouraged — it is structural.
How Helm's confidentiality works:
- All Forum sessions operate under Chatham House rules
- Absolute confidentiality — nothing shared in Forum leaves the group
- No recording of sessions
- Members are vetted before joining — everyone in the room is a founder or CEO, not a salesperson or investor
- No sales pitches, no commercial agendas — enforced as a membership condition
Format:
- Groups of 6–8 founders, meeting 10 times per year
- Each group chaired by an experienced, typically exited, founder
- 3-hour sessions focused on real challenges members are facing
- Members describe it as a 'board of NEDs you can actually be honest with'
Who Is in a Helm Forum Group?
- Only founders and CEOs of scale-up businesses (£1m+ revenue, 10+ staff)
- Diverse mix of industries and business sizes within each group
- No service providers, advisors, investors, or junior employees
What to Look for in Any Confidential Peer Group
- Explicit confidentiality rules — verbal agreement is not enough
- Vetted members — open-access groups cannot guarantee safety
- No commercial participants — advisors or investors in the room changes dynamics
- Professional facilitation — a skilled chair keeps sessions productive and safe
Helm is one of the few London founder communities where confidentiality is structurally enforced rather than aspirational. Website: helmclub.co
