Biography
Outreach Co-Chair & Board Member, ICF Central Florida (2026-27)
A native of Scotland and a US citizen since 2020, John speaks 5 languages and has lived and developed his career through the following phases:
He earned both a Master's (MA) and a postgraduate (MSc) degree in the UK, then spent 23 years living and working in Germany, with a three-year interim leadership to Jamaica, before relocating to the US in 2014.
With 3 decades of combined global experience in strategy consulting, organizational development, and transformation program management with Fortune 100 clients including Nokia, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, and AT&T, John moved to the US in 2014, where he co-founded the coaching firm Ceeyana. Since then, he has had the privilege of working directly with over 900 leaders and their teams through combined team facilitations and coaching sessions at firms including Marriott, Henkel, SAP, and Autodesk, as well as a CEO mentorship role in a Biotech Start-Up from 2019-21.
His approach blends Agile productivity methods with neuroscientific and holistic (Ontological) learning practices to help clients sustain and grow their business performance in rapidly changing market and operating environments.
John guides clients with a holistic approach founded upon three elements: Heartset, Mindset, & Skillset.
He believes the most effective leaders are able to switch their attention fluently across themselves, their team, and their wider organization. As a highly sought-after coach, facilitator, mentor, and sparring partner for entrepreneurs and start-ups, John is especially respected by his clients for his established track record in bringing about organizational change by cutting through complexity in a communicative style that balances grit and grace as the situation demands.
List of completed Coaching Certifications:
Ontological Coach (newfieldnetwork.com)
Solution Focus Professional (sfwork.com),
High-Performing Teams Facilitator (worldsviewacademy.com)
John's Assessment Accreditations include:
Integrative Enneagram, Gallup StrengthsFinder, and Leadership Circle Partners (LCP 360-Degree Feedback)