Professional Practitioner Diploma / “I wanted to take advanced training to refine my coaching”

After three decades in senior leadership roles at global tech giants including Amazon Web Services and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Nick Brown made the leap from corporate life to coaching. Now an ICF-certified executive coach and chartered director, he brings deep expertise in strategy, leadership, and transformation to his work with senior leaders and teams. In this candid Q&A, Nick shares what led him to train with the AoEC, how the Professional Practitioner Diploma in Executive Coaching helped him evolve his coaching practice, and why he founded Clarity Bridge to help leaders lead with clarity, confidence, and impact.

You’ve previously worked in senior leadership roles with brands including Amazon Web Services and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Who or what introduced you to coaching and led you to sign up for coach training with the AoEC?

I think I have been on the path to coaching for many years. My leadership journey was shaped at Hewlett-Packard, where I was nurtured in the “HP Way” - a strong coaching culture rooted in ethical responsibility, trust, collaboration, open communication, empowerment, and developing others. I was fortunate to have some inspiring managers at HP and later HPE, especially Andy Isherwood (former UK and EMEA MD), who role-modelled these values, shaped my growth, and fuelled my passion for empowering and developing people.

As part of my own development, I also had the opportunity to work with a professional executive coach, a transformational experience that supported my move into strategic leadership roles. Later on, I completed a Master’s in Positive Leadership and Strategy, which deepened my passion for leadership, strategy and people, and led me to consider a future as both an executive coach and strategic adviser. Formal coach training felt like the natural next step.

By coincidence, my brother, then a global HR director at Maersk, was also exploring executive coaching training. He had shortlisted the AoEC based on network recommendation, applied experiential learning model, and triple accreditation. That led me to reach out for a coffee chat with James Woodeson at AoEC Switzerland, who convinced me to sign up for the Practitioner Diploma.

You originally did the Practitioner Diploma in 2018. What prompted you to pursue the Professional Practitioner Diploma in Executive Coaching, and why was it the right time?

A few months after the Practitioner Diploma, I joined Amazon Web Services to take on a new business leadership role. Like HP, Amazon has a strong focus on developing leaders. In addition to coaching my own team, I became a business sponsor, coach, mentor, and lead facilitator for AWS leadership and culture programmes across EMEA, work I found deeply fulfilling.

After four years at AWS and three decades in leadership roles, I kept asking myself, “If not now, when?” It felt like the right time to start my next chapter. Professionalism and continuous learning are important to me, so I wanted to take advanced training to refine my coaching and be the best I could be for clients. Returning to the AoEC was an easy choice after my positive Practitioner experience. The Professional Practitioner Diploma was the logical next step, as it offers advanced ICF Level 2 (PCC) accredited training that builds on the Practitioner Diploma foundation.

What were some of the positives and challenges you experienced on the Professional Practitioner Diploma?

My experience on the programme was overwhelmingly positive. I was particularly impressed by the quality and diversity of the global coaching faculty. They are all expert, enthusiastic, and engaging coach practitioners, and it was inspiring to see how each faculty member embodied the curriculum, bringing a completely unique coaching presence or approach. John Gray, as faculty lead, did a fantastic job of creating a safe and collaborative learning environment while holding us to high ICF standards.

Learning alongside a diverse, international cohort was definitely another highlight. The group mentor coaching and peer practice sessions created some of my biggest growth moments. I also valued the programme’s flexible design, which helped me balance learning with work and family.

The biggest challenge, and ultimately the most rewarding, was the need to “unlearn.” Each module challenged my self-awareness and coaching model. At times, it felt like everything was up in the air, as I was trying to make sense of all the new perspectives and how to best integrate them into my practice. It wasn’t until the end of the programme that the pieces started to fall into place.

How would you describe the transition from the Practitioner to the Professional Practitioner Diploma?

I would describe the transition as moving from transactional to relational. The Practitioner Diploma aims to provide a strong foundation in executive coaching skills, frameworks, and techniques, and helps participants develop a personal coaching model. The focus is relatively more on the ‘what’ of the client, helping clients address specific goals or challenges.

The Professional Practitioner Diploma aims to develop more transformational coaching by prioritising the nature of the relationship between the client and coach. The focus is more on the ‘who’ of the client and developing deeper, co-created partnerships.

The complexity and depth of learning on the Professional Practitioner Diploma reflect this shift. The emphasis is on building a deeper understanding of behavioural change and developing the ability to coach the whole person in their broader context, as well as developing greater self-awareness and coaching presence to foster deep, trusted partnerships.

What new tools or perspectives did you gain, and how have they elevated your practice?

The Professional Practitioner Programme has expanded my capacity as a coach, bringing more awareness, depth, and flexibility to my practice.

A key insight has been prioritising the quality of the relationship over the presenting issue. Coaching models and tools are helpful but holding them too tightly can hinder deep connection. My approach now focuses on partnering dynamics and creating a consistent, intentional flow and experience in conversations, which helps me build deeper trusted relationships and adapt to a wider range of challenges.

Another insight has been the importance of ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’ as a coach. I have cultivated my signature presence, strengthened core skills such as reflective inquiry, and added new approaches, including somatic coaching. This has improved my ability to hold space, lean into client emotions, and get to the heart of the matter.

What advice would you give to someone considering moving from the Practitioner to the Professional Practitioner Diploma?

Go for it. If you are serious about your growth as a coach, this programme will be transformative. Come with a growth mindset and be ready to unlearn, be challenged, experiment, and trust the process. Do not rush in immediately after the Practitioner Diploma, as you will gain far more value if you have a breadth of client experience to draw from.

Which elements of the Professional Practitioner Diploma resonated most with you?

I found all of the modules to be thought-provoking and relevant to modern coaching. Two elements stood out. The module on Coaching the Client in Context resonated strongly with my own experience of leading in complex organisations. It has helped me integrate a systemic mindset into my coaching, which is essential for both individual executive coaching and when working with leadership teams.

The module on Being Human was equally powerful. At its heart, coaching is a human-to-human relationship. This module explored self-compassion, authentic connection, and deep care, creating space where clients can be truly seen. This resonates deeply with my values and belief that a great coaching relationship is grounded in empathy and psychological safety.

Why was becoming ICF credentialed important to you, and what value has it brought?

Credentialing builds client trust and credibility and signals a commitment to professional standards. The ICF offers a robust framework for excellence, continuous professional development, supervision, and staying current with best practice. I am now building my hours toward PCC-level certification.

You founded Clarity Bridge in 2024. Who do you typically coach, and what do you support them with?

I partner with executives and senior leadership teams as a strategic adviser, executive coach, and mentor. As a coach, I support leaders to address a range of challenges. Core areas include helping clients to clarify purpose and direction, translate vision into strategy and action, enhance strategic thinking and decision-making, strengthen leadership effectiveness, build high-performing teams and cultures, and navigate change. I also support leaders with career development and leadership transitions.

Can you share a success story that illustrates the impact of your coaching?

I enjoy working with senior leaders to help them realise organisational and personal success. For example, I am currently working with the board and senior executives of an international next-gen technology company. They are a talented team that have built business momentum and are now focused on long-term growth and scale. I have been engaged as an executive coach to help them build the foundations for long-term organisational success, strengthen cross-organisational collaboration, and support them collectively and individually in their growth journey.

Through coaching, we have built a trusted partnership that has empowered them to create a unified global leadership team, establish shared purpose, vision, and values, develop a long-term strategy and plan, improve collaboration, and introduce new ways of working. I am also coaching individual executives to help them grow in their leadership roles, prepare for future organisational growth, and turn strategy into action.

What do you find most rewarding about your work as a coach?

What inspires me as a coach is being a trusted partner, helping leaders to grow, realise their potential, and create positive, lasting impact for their teams, their organisations, and the communities they serve.

Our deepest gratitude to Nick for sharing his personal journey and experience of coach training at the AoEC.