Des O'Connell

Background and Experience

Des spent two decades in business roles. He began by working as a lawyer and worked his way up to managing partner of Biddle, a London City law firm. He then spent two years as a projects and operations director at Barclays Bank. He joined Sherwood Consulting in 2001, initially focused on training and consulting to professional service firms. That work led Des into coaching, and in 2005 he completed Mastered (the Meyler Campbell Business Coach Programme). He joined the Meyler Campbell teaching faculty in 2012.

Des has a particular interest in positive psychology and strengths. Barbara Fredrickson, a United States psychologist, has been an important influence on his work on positive emotions. For the past 10 years, Des has been studying with world-renowned writer, teacher and coach, Nancy Kline (founder of The Thinking Environment coaching approach) to experience the transformative effect of giving attention as a coach.

Qualifications

Faculty: Meyler Campbell Coaching Institute
Certification: Mastered, Meyler Campbell Coaching Programme
Assessments: MBTI: Basics, Strengths Profile
Founding Fellow: Institute of Coaching, Harvard

Your Success is Our Reward

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

The best athletes have coaches. As a CEO, I work with an executive coach from Berman Leadership to help me stay focused, help my team stay focused, help me communicate better, and help my team communicate better. I appreciate being able to bounce ideas off of them when I’m seeing issues from personnel to strategy. Their psychology based approach combined with business experience helps me navigate new problems and gives me great guidance for how to get from point A to point B when you don’t have a map.

CEO,
FinTech Software

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

Berman Leadership coaches make sure our leaders have a safe place to work through issues. Their coaches are highly intelligent, wonderful partners, who quickly get into a rhythm. I appreciate their flexible style and willingness to meet us in a place that works well for the organization.

Senior VP Human Resources,
Private Investment Firm

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

The coaches at Berman Leadership start with intelligence. I appreciate their ability to rapidly diagnose, then offer sets of solutions to choose from that are situationally appropriate for my organization. Their psychological insight and business experience across industry and across different levels of the organization is invaluable.

SVP Global Clinical R&D,
Pharmaceutical

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

Berman Leadership coaches are good at being able to strategize, manage a situation, and provide really good solutions. I appreciate their flexibility and the thoughtful, creative way that they bring insight into their advice. They find the right balance between what works for the individual and what the firm needs, and then marry them together.

Managing Director of HR,
Global Investment Bank

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

I trust the team at Berman Leadership to coach consistently with the organizational culture and business climate, and contextually with deep appreciation for the coache’s environmental challenges. Their incredibly deep approach, rooted in psychology, enables them to navigate incredibly complex and sensitive situations with our most senior folks.

Chief Talent Officer,
Vault50 Law Firm

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

I trust Berman Leadership to operate at the highest level. Their process starts off with clear goals and focuses on what we are trying to achieve from a business perspective. I appreciate their balance between business focus and a strong research mindset.

Chief Talent Officer,
Pharmaceutical Manufacturer

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

Every engagement I source, I look at the executive, the personality, the leadership, and the coach’s style, cadence, and approach to make sure they’re going to be the best fit. If I have a very senior executive in a critical, important role, I call on Berman Leadership for the high stakes assignment because the individual and the outcome are so important. I trust them to provide impact and seamlessly support cultural assimilation with their executive onboarding work because they understand our company so well.

VP HR,
Financial Services

Des O’Connell

Background and Experience

Businesses and Engagements

Industry Experience:

Areas of Specialization

Education and Training

Coaching Certifications:

Qualifications

Books

Berman Leadership Articles

Media Resources

Your Success is Our Reward

Your Success is Our Reward

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

When your senior leaders work together to take your organization to the next level, we both succeed.

Experience the Berman Leadership difference.

Get Started 🡢

Berman Leadership > Learnings & Insights

The Psychology of Executive Presence: Leading with Calm Authority

AI Is a Leadership Problem, Not a Tech Problem: Introducing the First 100 Days Framework

Where Is AI Good Enough? What Senior HR Leaders Are Really Saying About AI and Executive Coaching