02
About
Twenty years inside the room.
I ran operations, sat on boards, got it wrong in public — and then spent thirteen years helping other people do it better.
London & remote
Twelve principals at a time
ICF PCC
The short version
How I got here.
2004
Operations, the hard way
I joined a 60-person logistics firm and left it, nine years later, as COO of 900. I learned what a bad Monday costs.
2011
Two boards and a redundancy
A non-executive seat, then a second. Then the company I helped build was sold and I was surplus. It was the most useful year of my career.
2013
Retrained, supervised, certified
An MSc in organisational psychology at LSE, ICF accreditation, and a supervisor I still see every month.
2016
The practice
Twelve principals at a time, three new places a quarter, and a rule: I only take work where the team will be asked whether it worked.
House rules
What you can hold me to.
01
I work for you, even when your company pays.
Sponsors hear themes and progress. Never content.
02
No advice unless you ask twice.
The first ask is usually a way of not thinking. The second one is real.
03
Your team decides if it worked.
Every engagement is scored by the people around you, before and after.
04
If I am the wrong coach, I will say so.
About half of chemistry calls end with a referral to someone better suited.
05
Twelve principals. Never thirteen.
Attention is the product. I do not dilute it.
References
The people who have been in the room.
Names are shortened at clients' request. References are available after a chemistry call.
05 voices
“
She is the only person who tells me the truth before the board does.
Priya N.
CFO — Series C fintech
“
Six months in, my exec team stopped managing me and started arguing with me. That was the point.
Tomas R.
Founder & CEO — climate hardware
“
I came for a promotion plan. I left with a different way of running a room.
Dana K.
VP Engineering — public SaaS
“
Helena does not give advice. She asks the question you have been avoiding for a year, then waits.
Sir Alan W.
Chair — national charity
“
The 360 was brutal and she made it useful. My team noticed the change before I did.
Marguerite L.
COO — retail group
Accepting three principals — Q4 2026
Start with
twenty-five minutes.
No deck, no pitch. You talk, I listen, and we both find out whether I am the right person for the next year of your working life.
Book a chemistry call
Executive coaching for founders, first-time CEOs and the leaders behind them.
Helena Marsh