Philippa Thomas

An independent professional coach, with years of experience helping executive clients achieve clarity in their thinking, make complex choices, and achieve significant change. Philippa has worked as an executive coach and coaching supervisor within a large media organisation; has worked together with coaching leaders from companies as diverse as GSK, John Lewis Partnership and the Civil Service; and has been published as an academic researcher on coaching psychology. She is an insured and accredited member of the Association for Coaching.

Philippa’s educational credits include a Masters in Science (2021, distinction) in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology from the University of East London, a Nieman Journalism fellowship at Harvard University (2010-2011) and BA from Oxford University (PPE, 1st, 1987).

Philippa is also internationally known for her high-profile career as a television & radio presenter and foreign correspondent with BBC World News – where she hosted daily live news programmes for many years before deciding in 2021 to single-mindedly pursue her passion for making a difference as a professional coach. She remains a key contributor to the BBC Academy for leadership development, training fellow professionals in skills including mentoring, coaching, and career development. She is also a professional host of events from panel debates to workshops to multi-day conferences, and looks forward to resuming her global travels in 2022.

What do I offer as a Developmental Coach?

  • The way we live can be exciting and meaningful. But what if it’s not?
  • Coaching is about getting more from life.
  • It addresses the gap between what you are and what you could be.
  • A coach – unlike a consultant – will not give you answers. They come from you.
  • But getting you there is what coaching is all about.

A good coach will:
LISTEN. It’s incredibly powerful to be heard, and not judged. As a coach, I am trained in active listening, and I hold my clients in “unconditional positive regard”.
ASK POWERFUL QUESTIONS. Coaches create clarity, sometimes even “lightbulb” moments.
TREAT YOU AS UNIQUE. Your coach helps to develop a greater understanding of where you are now, and an action plan towards where you want to be.

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Why now?
Do you want to make changes in your life? At work, at home, to who you feel you are?
Are you ready to invest time and money in a “thinking partnership” to help you get there?

Then why not?

Who with?
– There’s nothing more personal than opening up about how you’d like to change your life.
– You need a coach you can trust.
– You need a coach who will support you and challenge you.
– You and your coach need to “click”.
– I might be that person for you. I might not. Which is why I never take on a client without an initial chat and a “getting to know you” meeting – no cost and no commitment.

What other services do I offer?
Communication skills – shaping your narrative, building public presence, improving speaking skills.
Confidence building – a key theme for so many clients including individuals new to team management, recently promoted executives, talented women returning from maternity absence, senior figures feeling ‘isolated’ at the top.
Personal well-being – as an accredited Positive Psychology researcher, I follow and contribute to scientific research into concepts such as Personal Well-Being, Self-Efficacy, Resilience and Optimism. As a coach, I am always aware of the importance of physical and mental well-being within organisational cultures, and mindful that truly excellent performance can only be sustained given both a sense of purpose and a sense of well-being.