About Me

Margaret Chan

Certified Executive Coach

I’m a Certified Executive Coach experienced in career transitions, leadership development, and preparation for board candidacy. With 25 years in executive search, including 18 years at Spencer Stuart and Korn Ferry, global executive search firms, I assessed over 3,500 executives on their qualifications, skills, competencies, and leadership styles as they pursued the next stage of their careers, leadership development, and board directorships. As a trusted strategic advisor to senior executives, including Chairmen, Boards of Directors, CEOs, and C-suite executives, I understand their perspectives and expectations, and leverage this knowledge in my coaching practice.

Career Coaching

I work with professionals seeking career advice, and who are changing, relaunching, or starting careers. By helping them identify their skills from both their corporate and volunteer experiences, we target fulfilling careers that match their strengths, skills, and values.

My range of experience includes:

Assessments
Career strategies with step-by-step action plans
Target careers
Resumes/LinkedIn profiles
Career narratives/positioning

Interview preparation
Returnships
Offer negotiations
Support and confidence building
Accountability throughout the process

Executive Coaching

I work with executives to identify their strengths and gaps that need to be addressed to reach their next leadership level. Partnering with clients, we build coaching strategies and plans designed to help them increase their self-awareness and self-reflection. Gaining insight helps them to practice new behaviors to be more effective leaders.

I coach clients on a range of coaching goals, including:

Transitioning to new roles
Increasing influence
Demonstrating greater confidence and executive presence
Building more consensus

Expanding collaboration skills
Using more strategic communication
Being a more mindful and active listener
Gaining more visibility

Board Candidacy

I have coached middle management and senior executives preparing for board opportunities. This includes joining their first and additional boards, or transitioning from a not-for-profit, advisory, or private board to a public one. I help them demonstrate their board readiness, prepare for board interviews, and create bios focused on their governance competencies. With a deep knowledge of board governance, trends, and best practices, I leverage this experience in coaching my clients.

Coaching Goals

My clients have a range of coaching goals:

Building stronger consensus
Influencing without authority
Improving conflict resolution skills
Assessing board readiness
Identifying their value proposition

Developing a networking strategy
Creating a board bio — with governance competencies
Preparing for interviews — with confidence

Multiple Industry Experience

Financial Services
Private Equity
Insurance
Consumer Goods
Cosmetics/Luxury Goods

Retail
Media
Technology
Consulting
Nonprofit

Deep Functional Knowledge

Board Directorship
General Management
Finance
Investments
Strategy/Corporate Development/M&A
Marketing

Merchandising
Communications
Sales
Operations
Consulting
Technology
Nonprofit Development

Alumni Coach for Top Tier Business Schools and Universities

I’m a recommended coach — featured on alumni websites — for Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, Cornell, and University of Chicago.

I’m an Executive Coach for The Leadership Lab at Columbia Business School and its Developing Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals.

Honors and Recognition

As a recognized expert on women relaunching careers, I have led webinars on Strategies for Relaunching Careers for multiple universities, including Columbia, University of Chicago, and UCLA. Working Mother magazine featured an article that I wrote on key strategies for women before taking career breaks.

Marketing Career and Education

My early marketing career was at General Foods, Citibank, and Oppenheimer Management. I earned an MBA in Marketing from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University where I completed an accelerated one-year program and was a Johnson & Johnson Leadership Fellow. I hold a BS with honors in Management from New York University.

Certifications

I am a Certified Executive Coach (highest level) by Columbia Business School and earned a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). I hold certification in Hogan Assessments Leadership Forecast Series.

Personal Life

I live in New York City with my husband and two children.

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