About Ellie
Clarity for your next chapter — grounded in real experience
From certainty - to uncertainty
Most of the people I work with aren’t looking to completely change their lives.
They’ve built successful careers, they’re capable, and things are broadly working. But at some point, they start to think about what next. Either professionally or personally.
They've had a plan their whole professional lives.
And now they don't.
That’s the space I work in.
Experience of change — professionally and personally
I spent over 30 years in global tech and cybersecurity leadership, working across behaviour, risk, and transformation. Much of my work focused — and still does — on how people make decisions, form habits, and respond under pressure.
I realised that having the right processes and systems in place is only part of it. People need clarity, confidence, and the ability to act. Especially during times of change.
That’s true in organisations — and in life.
Alongside my career, I experienced my own series of transitions — redundancy, relocation, illness, loss, and periods where things no longer felt as clear or certain as they once had.
Over time, I became increasingly interested in what helps people navigate those moments well — and what gets in the way.
Stepping back — and rethinking what matters
In 2023, my role was made redundant.
Rather than move straight into another leadership position, I chose to step back. I bought a 2nd hand sailing boat in New Zealand and spent over a year at sea in the South Pacific — followed by another year working out what came next.
What this means in practice
Since then, I’ve trained in neuroscience-informed coaching, focusing on behaviour change, what holds people back - and how to create sustainable progress.
I now combine my experience of leading teams and navigating change with practical, structured coaching — helping people make sense of what’s shifting, remove what’s getting in the way, and move forward with more clarity and direction.
This is what I bring:
Global leadership experience
30 years leading across cultures, teams, and complex environments.
Including work focused on behaviour, risk, and how people respond under pressure.
Lived experience of transitions
Not one moment — but a series of real-life shifts:
• redundancy and identity change
• menopause and its impact on energy and confidence
• loss and changing perspective
• navigating high-pressure environments
Neuroscience-informed coaching
Trained on:
→ how the brain drives behaviour
→ habit formation
→ creating change that actually lasts
If this feels familiar...
If you’re at a point where something feels like it’s shifting — even if you can’t quite define it yet — that’s usually the right place to start.
You can begin with the Ikigai Alignment Snapshot and get your personalised results — or book a call and talk it through.
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