A PASSION FOR COACHING
Over many years as a risk manager in investment banking, from riding financial crises to landing fist-pumping deals, the greatest rush for me has always come when I see individuals succeed - often in adversity, when the odds are stacked against them - and surprise themselves with the incredible realization of what they have achieved.
I take great inspiration from seeing people amaze themselves with their incredible potential. They grow in confidence, pride and fulfillment. What is more, an individual's performance and capabilities will see transformational change when they themselves are inspired and passionate about what they do - when desire over-rides fear and inhibition.
This is where leadership qualities are discovered and realized.
My personal journey draws on over 30 years of commercial management experience, leading teams through technical change, cultural development and financial crises.
Starting out on Barclays International Bank’s graduate programme, I experienced a wide range of different roles. Each new role brought a different - and generally larger - team to manage, and it was during these years that I came to understand and feel the passion of helping people to develop and grow.
After a move in 1996 to Kleinwort Benson, I joined JP Morgan in 2004 as a Managing Director. The focus was risk management, but with a bandwidth that was mindboggling – especially following the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2007, generally regarded as the catalyst for the ensuing banking crisis of the next 5 years.
I found myself becoming increasingly focussed on the benefits of creating a culture for employees that supported their ambitions - these benefits worked equally for individuals and the bank, in terms of the improvement in performance and motivation.
With this inspiration, I championed the creation of career path reviews, mobility workshops and regular succession planning forums with other managers. I volunteered for mentoring and informal coaching programmes across the bank, and was a champion for devising and implementing a pioneering 360 degree employee review and support model. I also chaired the Risk People Committee, co-ordinating nine separate workstreams to run initiatives addressing key cultural issues (eg. training, diversity, succession planning, inclusive leadership, recruitment, communication).
While at JP Morgan I initiated a variety of career development platforms. For example, I was instrumental in establishing a graduate programme for Risk – a 3 year role-rotation which delivered the platform for a broad-based career in risk management, then running the programme for 4 years.
Working with company management on integrated programmes for specific change management and role modification projects, I help talented individuals to realize their true potential.
PASSIONATE ABOUT INSPIRING OTHERS
Reinforcing their own values
inspiring them to live and work upholding the principles they believe in and care about most deeply
Awakening their inner passion
so that they gravitate to work
that they love
and find most gratifying
My programmes incorporate an initial extensive psychometric assessment of each client which is used to gain a deeper insight into each individual case, and helps give focus to the coaching experience.
Recognizing their talent
and encourage playing to their strengths (de-focussing weaknesses) to stretch their personal capabilities
My programmes are designed to inspire people to maximise their own potenial, by...
My deeper personal reflections on my professional life - starting out as an aspiring graduate who progressed experiencing the challenges, opportunities and anxieties that accompany such a career journey, and then as a manager and leader - now provide me with a rich empathetic platform for my clients.
In 2016, with my first career break from investment banking in 30 years, my instincts turned me towards how I could engage with what I now realized was my real passion. I determined to gain a more technical understanding of coaching, studying with the Academy of Executive Coaching (AoEC) and graduating with a Practitioner Diploma.
