Paul Sykes - I partner with entrepreneurs and leaders to empower them to move forward with fresh clarity, insight, and confidence.
Bio
Paul empowers ambitious leaders and teams to unlock their potential, gain fresh perspectives, and create meaningful impact in their communities. His clients are curious, eager to learn, and ready to grow personally and professionally.
Paul’s career spans technology leadership, global team and project management, and coaching entrepreneurs, with additional expertise in academia and university teaching. His recent shift from a senior tech role to a portfolio career—blending coaching, advisory work, and teaching—sharpened his resilience and adaptability, qualities he helps clients cultivate.
Paul’s coaching style draws on his professional and personal experiences, deep understanding of coaching approaches, and passion for emerging technology’s global impact. Sessions are tailored to individuals and their goals, fostering exploration in a non-judgmental, supportive, brave thinking space.
This work is dynamic and rewarding, equipping clients with calm, clarity, and confidence to navigate career transitions, leadership challenges, or community initiatives.
Recent client testimonials include: “Paul's calm and considered demeanour really helps me to work through my clouded thoughts and gain much needed clarity. I have come out of the sessions with a clear plan for next steps and a feeling of clarity and calmness."
“Paul helped me to define and implement a strategy to achieve my aim. He was very keen on me understanding the rationale and potential outcomes of each possible step along the way. The results were excellent. He was very friendly throughout the sessions.”
Paul SykesCertified Coach
My coaching is designed to help you maximize your potential and opportunity. You may be facing a specific challenge, seeking to lay down a framework for future growth or just looking for time to think things through in a non-judgmental space. You will leave our sessions with clarity and actionable next steps to move forward with confidence.
Experience
Paul's professional background spans academia, software development and innovation, global team and project management, university teaching, and coaching entrepreneurs and leaders.
After a period of researching applied mathematics (fluid dynamics) that led to a PhD, Paul sought more practical applications for his efforts.
Paul entered the technology sector as a software developer and enjoyed a 25-year career building global teams and leading innovative projects in the scientific and engineering domains. Paul spearheaded several transformative projects across teams, technology, and portfolios and saw first-hand the power and value of a coaching approach in guiding and creating opportunities for people to thrive through periods of uncertainty and change.
These experiences, allied with a desire to rebalance some personal priorities, led to a career transition. In 2022, Paul completed the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching at Henley Business School. Since then, he has worked with professionals across multiple sectors, geographies, seniority levels, and high-growth, innovative companies.
In addition to his coaching and advisory work, Paul teaches a university programme that enables entrepreneurial skills, mindset, and opportunities for graduate (masters-level) students.
Qualifications
2024 Senior Practitioner (EMCC, European Mentoring and Coaching Council)
2024 Associate Certified Coach (ICF, International Coaching Federation)
2022 Professional Certificate In Executive Coaching (Henley Business School)
Reviews
Paul was great to work with. He established a good rapport, asked good questions and gave me space to think and consider my answers. I wanted to do a specific piece of work around Values and he facilitated this expertly, leaving me feeling confident and excited about where I can now take things.
Standard Club
Paul helped me to understand what I want for the future and what steps I can take to get there. I felt the conversion was very smooth and reassuring so I felt I gained some valuable insight into my situation.
Perlego