The C-Suite Coach | I help senior leaders thrive in their roles by optimising their performance, energy and time to enjoy their careers once more (you deserve it). Book your discovery call today.

Most senior executives are technically brilliant but invisible.

I help C-suite executives build the executive presence and influence to get recognised as visionary leaders.

Why does this matter?

Despite your contributions, you're not getting the recognition you deserve. 
You're stuck managing tasks instead of leading strategically. 
Your boss wants you to be "more strategic," but you can't see the path.

Worst of all?

You're overlooked while others with less competence move ahead.
The problem isn't your intelligence or work ethic. 

It's your executive presence.

My Background: I've Walked This Path

I've spent 20+ years at the C-suite level at Citi and currently as GM at a Blackstone portfolio company. 
I know what it takes to command respect and lead with influence because I'm living it right now.
I coach from the arena, not the sidelines- which means I understand your current pressures and can help you carry the load. I'm also a Communications Professor at IESE Business School and have spoken at 50+ conferences globally.

The Transformation

I help senior executives who feel invisible become recognised leaders who:

→ Communicate with influence, not just authority 
→ Get recognised and advance their careers 
→ Command respect without demanding it 
→ Inspire teams instead of micromanaging 
→ Focus on strategy, not stuck in tasks

My Approach

Unlike coaches who only ask questions, I provide practical solutions based on C-suite experience.
I combine emotional intelligence with accountability to turn problems into action.
No corporate BS or cookie-cutter frameworks.

My methodology builds:

• Masterful Communication & Executive Presence 
• Authentic Leadership Identity 
• Resilient Inner Core 
• Strategic Influence

I integrate insights from marathon running, meditation, and Stoic philosophy for sustainable performance.

Who I Work With

C-suite executives across all industries who are ready to build executive presence that advances their careers.

What Clients Say

"Peter is a brilliant coach. He is a great listener, truly cares and freely shares his wisdom." 
Nora Tandberg, CFO, Papirfly

"Peter's unique perspective is very effective in a business setting and brings a fresh perspective to solving contemporary challenges." 
Guy Nicholas Mansfield, CFO, C-Quest Capital

Ready to Elevate Your Leadership Impact?

Book your strategy call today.

Peter McKenzie

Last Thursday I went for a carefree evening walk with my wife.
After a truly horrendous day.

Notification of a tax inspection, a leaking shower (with furious neighbours downstairs) and a curt response from the boss on a tricky subject.

Financial loss, a long drawn out dispute and a mail that makes you question your self-worth.

A triple whammy of despair.

But I realised during the walk that none were spinning round in my head!

Something that 10 years ago would have had me ruminating for a week.

I had taken it in my stride.

I wasn’t going to let it ruin my night.

After years of dealing with massive crisis in my head that never happened, I have learned how to be resilient.

The number one trait that leaders need to get through hard times: 

Because the shorter the length of time it takes you to return to your baseline state after a setback, the better your final response will be.

And the quicker you can shrug things off and get back to work, the better a leader you are.

People may spend billions trying to stay young.
But resilience and wisdom only come with age.

And the realisation that imagined disaster outcomes are worse than the actual problems you face.

You'll never recover the wasted time catastrophising.

But you can learn that lesson before you get too old.

-------------------------------
PS How long does it take you to bounce back from a setback? 
Do you put things in perspective or blow them out of proportion?
--------------------------------
I’m Peter McKenzie 🕺

Try my FREE Executive Presence quiz here:
https://lnkd.in/dQEr7KYG

The C-Suite Coach | Elevating Executive Presence for Greater Leadership Impact | C-suite at Citi, currently GM at Anticipa - a Blackstone portfolio company | I coach from the arena, not the sidelines.

When IKIGAI goes badly wrong.
You finally discovered your deep purpose in life... 

But keep doing something else anyway.

Funny!

Or not?

So, how do you score?

I've made money - but not always at the things I'm best at.
 
And I spent plenty of time outside of the important blobs.

So what do I do now?  

And you?

Happy Friday, all!

(The answer can wait until Monday).

NB Kudos to the great Colby Kultgen for this sketch, which made me laugh out loud.  
.---------------------------------- 
I’m Peter McKenzie 🕺
🐟 Dead fish go with the flow.
🎸Rockstars challenge the status quo.

Sorry to tell you this: 
Your tough boss isn’t the root cause of your problems. 

Your response to them is. 

People complain when they work for a hard boss. 
And that applies to senior execs as well. 

Because the majority of CEOs aren’t easy people. 
(It’s often why they got the job!). 

The first time I had a tough CEO, I completely flunked the exam. 

I complained to anyone that would listen. 
Thought things were unfair. 

And the worst of all:

Passed the pressure onto my team. 

It changed the day my number 2 broke into tears in a team meeting.
I realised it wasn’t my boss, job or life that was unfair. 

It was me. 

Instead of absorbing the pressure, I was passing it down. 
A bad moment for her became a valuable one for me. 

I realised it was all a test. 

It was my job to shield my team – and prove my worth. 
Not whinge, whine and push my people to their limits. 

Years later, as a coach, I hear clients complain of the same. 

And things only shift when the story shifts. 
When they stop feeling sorry for themselves. 

And start doing their job. 

It’s exactly what happened to me. 

A tough CEO forces you to choose.
Either learn how to handle pressure. 

Or to turn into the very person you’re complaining about.

<<<>>>

PS Have you ever had a tough boss?
How did you react?

The long silence at the meeting table was unbearable.
I felt the need to step in. 

To say anything to break it.

I squirmed in my chair.
It felt like the deal was slipping from our grasp.
But my boss’s stern glance told me to keep my mouth shut.

He was one of the best bosses I had at Citi. 
He was never shy to speak up.
As regional Ops head, he had to drive results.
Which meant driving his team.

So why didn't he speak?

Because he was teaching us a lesson.
To me and those on the other side of the negotiating table.

It was so tense because there was a lot of money at stake. 
This particular relationship wasn't easy.

The silence became too much to bear.
So much that they caved in - and filled it. 
And their words revealed the details of what they were willing to offer.

That was exactly what we needed.

Priceless.

We had spoken the least - but gained the most.

I realised that my strategy of always talking and expressing my thoughts was just performance for my ego.

Instead of giving me power - my talking drained it.

Impact is knowing when to speak up,

And when to say nothing.

----------------------
PS When was one time you wish you had kept silent in a meeting?
Drop the details in the comments.
----------------------

I’m Peter McKenzie - The C-Suite Coach

Try my FREE Executive Presence quiz here:
https://lnkd.in/dQEr7KYG

As uncomfortable as it is being a spectator, it feels safer than risking looking stupid.

Or worse - proving that you’re not good enough.

But there are only two ways you’re perceived at work:

You’re either visible or invisible.
Important or irrelevant.
Powerful or powerless.

Your career’s going nowhere if you’re on the wrong side of that list.
Even if you work hard and do a great job.

Unfair?
 
It doesn’t matter.

That was what I said to an ex-colleague last Tuesday.
In a busy Barcelona cafe she stared back at me, letting that sink in.

She’s been HR head for 5 years at the Spanish branch of a multinational.

She's in the management team.
But never in the centre of the conversations that count.

She feels second class and overlooked.

Her boss constantly urges her to say what she thinks, even if it's not about HR.

But she admits it feels safer to watch and listen. 

Like an extra in a film, or a background figure in a videogame.

Unnoticed.

To earn points and win, you need to be the player.

Even losing is better than being irrelevant.

Her next game is her next meeting.
Her challenge is to grab the controls and play.

If you’re in the same game, it's your challenge too.

----------------------------------------
I’m Peter McKenzie - The C-Suite Coach

Dead fish go with the flow.
Rockstars challenge the status quo.

You have to burn down your past to create the future.

That’s what the Valencians do every year when they celebrate the Fallas.
 
They spend months creating elaborate effigies, like this magnificent Charlie Chaplin, all around the city.
 
Then on the 18th March - on the Nit de foc (night of fire) - they burn them to ashes.
 
Madness? 
Pyromania?
Or celebration?
 
I came to live in Valencia 38 years ago. 
I had burned my bridges to my corporate career with PWC in London to set up as a poor English teacher here. 

It was the best move of my life.
 
Eventually though I went back into corporate ( a man has to eat!) and in the 30 years since haven’t done enough burning.
 
It’s easy to think you’re building something that lasts.
 
But nothing can.
Or should.
 
The Valencians have got it right. 

You must burn the baggage from your past to create space.
 
38 years ago I was excited but unsure what I was doing.
 
This time , with the match in my hand, I know its the right move.
 
Which of your effigies do you need to torch?

The price of never risking offending anyone is never risking saying anything important.
Hedging your opinions with caveats is masking your fear.

“Maybe, perhaps, I think…”

Tics I’ve used because I was allergic to conflict.

I figured the best way to keep people onside is never to state a strong opinion.

And I was right.

But my impact was negligible.
One of my bosses, who used to work for Swiss Air, gave me some advice.

“Be like a pilot taxiing down the runway to take off. 
You can’t “sort of fly”. You either go full thrust or abort.  
That’s how it should be with your statements.”

In other words:

If you’re going to say something, go all in.

No caveats, no tics, no hedging.

It may not always be “nice” to have an opinion.
But who wants (or needs) nice...

State your opinion without fear.

Go full throttle. 

Just say it.
-----------------
When was the last time you spoke your mind? 
And when did you last decide to play it safe?
-----------------

I’m Peter McKenzie - The C-Suite Coach

Dead fish go with the flow.
Rockstars challenge the status quo.

Over the past decade, I’ve worked across high-pressure environments. From scaling start-ups and selling multi-million-pound property portfolios, to guiding founders and high-performers through deep identity and nervous system shifts.

Today, my work is focused on a specific type of person:

Founders and professionals who’ve already built something, but feel the internal cost of carrying it.

Men who are capable, driven, and self-aware…
yet find themselves:
→ Overthinking decisions
→ Struggling to truly switch off
→ Caught in cycles of pressure, stress, or self-interference

I help you build success without adding more pressure.

Specifically, I support you to:
→ Replace frantic sprints with calm, sustainable momentum
→ Build focus and consistency without burning out
→ Rewire the nervous system patterns driving overthinking
→ Lead from clarity instead of control

This isn’t about working harder.
It’s about removing the internal friction that blocks calm, profitable progress.

⸻

My Work & Ecosystem

→ The Abundance Challenge™
A 5-day experience to reset pressure, restore trust, and create space for clearer decisions.

→ The Integration Circle™
A 10-week group journey for founders ready to stabilise their inner state and build from calm consistency.

→ The Focused Founder™
A private container for founders who want to master focus, emotional steadiness, and sustainable performance.

⸻

My Approach

My framework integrates:
• Identity reprogramming — shifting the beliefs that quietly drive pressure
• Nervous system regulation — calming the internal push to control or overthink
• Modern yogic & meditative practices — grounding success in peace, not force

All designed to help founders stay clear, calm, and consistent under pressure.

⸻

My Philosophy

Real success doesn’t come from trying harder.
It comes from feeling safe enough to slow down.

When pressure drops:
→ Focus sharpens
→ Consistency sticks
→ Decisions feel lighter
→ Success becomes sustainable

That’s the calm advantage.

Want to experience success without pressure?

DM me ABUNDANCE and I will send you the details of the next 5-day Abundance Challenge. 


Leighton Dewitt

"The less I try, the more clients I get..." 

This was a message I recieved from one of my clients... 
But this isn't unique. 

In fact, it seems to be a common theme from people that work with me.

The funny thing is, most my clients spent their whole life believing that: 
🚩 Pushing harder = More clients
🚩 Powering through = Better results
🚩 Never slowing down = Greater income

But after working together...
Everything in their life starts to shift:

👉 C went from £1,500 a week… to £1,540 in a single day.
👉 B went from lacking confidence… to raising his rates by 20%.
👉 F went from feeling undervalued… to receiving a £10k pay rise.
👉 D stopped worrying about slowing down… and started receiving referrals.
👉 K went from chasing clients… to “2 new clients reached out on Instagram.”
👉 L went from feeling overwhelmed… to enjoying time with his wife and son while the business grows.

This isn't some voodoo magic. 
(Despite some clients calling me yoda or a magician haha) 

This is very simple actually. 
A universal truth that anyone can apply... 

Which is this: 

When you reduce pressure, stress and tension. 
You allow things to flow more naturally. 

So that you can experience how this works without investing too much time or money... 

I have created The Abundance Challenge™
A 5-day challenge which takes less than 15mins per day. 

Over 100 founders have taken part in the last 15 months.
And it's only $19 for the next 5 people. 

Full details and testimonials are in the document below:

https://lnkd.in/grJbXYet

I look forward to seeing you on the inside. 

P.S. What would your life, business and relationship look like if it was easy?

Helping self-aware men stop overthinking and get out of their own way so they can make money doing work they actually care about.

Mondays mornings, before and after escaping the rat race…


👉 Before:

5am alarm. 
Black coffee. 
30min dog walk. 

Rush to gym. 
40min workout.
Sauna, swim, cold shower. 

Have a protein shake. 
Get to the office for 8am.
Second coffee ready to go. 

Feeling tired.
Already stressed. 
Overthinking the week ahead. 


👉 After:

No alarm.
Wake up around 7.
Start the day reading my book.

Practice yoga with Miss blue eyes.
Enjoy some fresh fruits.
Go for a massage.

Head to a cafe around 11am
Order a decaf latte. 
And start work. 

Feeling calm.
Relaxed and ready. 
Working on things i'm passionate about.

The funny thing is…
I never thought living like this was possible for me.

But eventually I figured out something most people never realise.

Living a life of freedom and flexibility doesn't come from pushing harder. 
It doesn't come from working longer hours and grinding away. 

It comes from slowing down. 
Getting clarity on what aligns for you. 
And taking actions on things that support that. 

Next week, we are running The 5-day Abundance Challenge™
And in less than 15 minutes per day you will: 
✅ Gain greater clarity.
✅ Reduce stress and pressure.
✅ Develop more self-trust and confidence. 

Last round we also had people:
➡️ Doubling their monthly income. 
➡️ Signing their first client on their passion project.
➡️ Being offered a job at 2.5 times their current salary. 

Want to join us? 
There are 5 early bird spaces left at $19, then price increases. 

Full details below:
https://lnkd.in/grJbXYet

4 people have already joined The Abundance Challenge™...

We start in 11 days. 
But a couple of questions keep popping up.

And if I were in your position
I’d ask the same.

So, here’s some clarity 👇

➡️ Q1. “Is this live or via email? I’m busy and don’t want to miss it.”

Totally valid, and that’s exactly why The Abundance Challenge is designed for people like you.

It’s not about adding more to your plate.
It’s about removing the internal noise that’s keeping it full.

We’ll go on the journey together in the whatsapp group.
But everything’s pre-recorded so you can do it anytime, anywhere.

I will share the recording and the prompt first thing in the morning, so when you will wake up, its there, ready to go.

➡️ Q2. “I’m not sure if I have time. How much work is involved?”

10–15 minutes a day. That’s it.

Each session is short, practical, and designed to create instant clarity and calm.
If you miss a day, you can catch up easily... 
This is about removing pressure, not adding it. 

Most participants are founders, business owners, and high performers just like you, and every one of them said the same thing:

“This was exactly what I needed to slow down without losing momentum.”

➡️ Want to experience it for yourself?
There a 5 early bird spaces left.
Full details below 👇

https://lnkd.in/grJbXYet

P.S. Throw back picture to last year when we were here, in Hoi An... watching the sunset over the rice fields.

How I'm using identity and nervous system work to scale my business.

My business used to be incredibly inconsistent.

One month things were flowing.
The next month, everything slowed down.

Some months opportunities kept appearing.
And during others, it felt like nothing was happening.

Logically it didn’t make sense.
I was using the same system, the same process, and the same offer.

But as time went on.
I realised something interesting.

My nervous system was all over the place.

I was calm one moment.
Then I was chaotic in the next.

Focused and locked in one day.
Then overthinking and spiralling the next.

After a lot of inner work and deep self-reflection.
It became very clear that my income wasn’t random.

It was simply reflecting my internal state.

So instead of doing what I'd always done in the past. Which was: 
🚩 Overanalyse all the specific details.
🚩 Trying to optimise the strategy.
🚩 And continue to push harder.

I did something different.

I locked into a future identity and asked myself:

Who is the version of me that has consistent income?
❤️ What are his characteristics?
❤️ What are his priorities?
❤️ What are his habits?

And most importantly:
❤️ How regulated is his nervous system?

Because I realised... someone operating with that level of consistency isn’t constantly overthinking, hesitating, or doubting themselves.

He’s steady.
Present.
Clear.

So instead of chasing more tactics…

I started focusing on becoming the person who can hold that level of business.
👉 More calm.
👉 More self-trust.
👉 More consistency.

Because business growth isn’t just about strategy.
It’s about capacity.

And your nervous system determines how much success you can actually hold and sustain.

If you'd like to explore this kind of work. 
Join my 5-day Abundance Challenge. 

Full details below:
https://lnkd.in/grJbXYet

You say you don't have time, but here's whats really happening.


I remember living life in a constant rush.
Jumping from one thing to the next.

I actually used to pride myself on being a professional multitasker.

I remember mornings when i would:
🤹‍♂️ Prepare my lunch while making my morning coffee.
🤹‍♂️ At the same time listen to a self-development podcast.
🤹‍♂️ With the news on the TV in the background.
🤹‍♂️ Whilst kicking the ball for the dog.

Next level multi-tasking genius… 
Well, that's what I thought.

I knew in the back of my mind I wanted to live life a different way.
Maybe start my own project or build my own business.

And I told myself, I’d start the thing I really cared about when I finally “had more time.”

But looking back, i realise…
Time wasn't the real problem.

It was the constant pressure I was carrying:
🚩 Carrying the responsibility for everything
🚩 Overthinking instead of trusting the next step
🚩 Treating every moment like it had to be productive

That’s why the real change isn’t about finding more time.
It's  about removing the pressure that’s draining your time and energy in the first place.

Because when the pressure reduces…
✅ Clarity returns.
✅ Decisions become easier.
✅ And time starts to open up again.

So in order to make the biggest change in your life:
You don't need more hours. 
You just need to approach the ones you have differently. 

In 10 days... The next Abundance Challenge begins. 

Here's what the previous participants said about time: 

❤️ I realised I can create peace by getting out of my own way.
❤️ I realised it was the mental noise that made everything feel urgent.
❤️ I felt like I had more time. Purely because I was more calm and more aware of what needed my attention. 

Want to join us? 

Full details below: 

https://lnkd.in/grJbXYet

No alternative text description for this image

The Abundance Challenge begins in 5 days... 
But the shifts are already happening.


Every time we run the abundance challenge.
Different topics arise. 

This week we've been talking about control. 
And the question that came up was: 

How much of our stress actually comes from trying to control things?

And most importantly, things that we cannot control:

👉 How quickly things grow
👉 How people perceive you
👉 When the next client comes in
👉 Whether your efforts pay off immediately

But when we loosen our grip on what we can’t control.
It's like something magical begins to happen.

That sense of freedom. 
A moment of clarity. 
A glimpse of peace.

And it’s not about forcing change.
It's just taking a new perspective.

And this is where: 
✅ Momentum begins.
✅ Opportunities open up. 
✅ And circumstances start to change. 

In past rounds we've had people receiving: 
- New opportunities.
- Increased revenue.
- And an influx of clients. 

The interesting thing is… 

None of these came from trying to force abundance.
They came when they created space for it. 

And the best part…
it takes in less than 15mins per day... 

Curious about how this works? 
Full details below: 

https://lnkd.in/grJbXYet

P.S. Doors close on Sunday and this will likely be the last challenge for 2026.

5 reasons your business isn’t growing (identity & nervous system edition)


1. You say you don’t like outreach because it feels too salesy.

But your system associates selling with manipulation.

So you stay “busy”… instead of actually offering your services.


2. You say you don’t know what to post about.

But visibility and being seen feels unsafe.

So you hesitate, overthink, delay…
and stay invisible.


3. You put off important tasks and call it procrastination.

But it’s actually just pressure.

Your system is overloaded, so it avoids doing anything that creates progress.


4. You say you want more clients.

But more clients = more exposure, responsibility, and risk.

So part of you pulls back and you somehow block yourself.


5. You think you need a better strategy.

But your output depends on how you feel.
So you end up avoiding what actually matters.

Your old identity keeps you in the same loop.


I see these patterns time and time again with founders.

And instead of fixing the problem:
🚩You keep taking busy action to feel productive. 
🚩You keep tweaking your ‘I help statement’
🚩You implement yet another strategy. 

But nothing actually changes.

You get angry and frustrated.
Which created even more pressure.

If you’re ready to shift that…
I’m running a 5-day Abundance Challenge.

And in less than 15 minutes a day.
We focus on removing the internal pressure that’s keeping you stuck.

So you can get your message out there and support those that need your help. 

Doors close Sunday.

Full details below:

https://lnkd.in/gHczgA2R

To all the men who would like to meditate, but feel like it just doesn't work for them...

I'm hosting a Meditation Masterclass with Dan Glyde at the end of the month. 

In 60 minutes we will cover: 

1. What meditation actually is and why most people misunderstand it
2. What meditation is not and why many people struggle when they start
3. How to meditate properly in a way that actually works for a busy mind
4. How to build a daily meditation practice that fits into your life
5. How meditation improves focus, clarity and decision-making

We have a couple of early-bird spaces left.

A Community for Men Operating Under Pressure | Peak Performance Coach | 1:1 Coaching & Private Mastermind to Eliminate Overthinking for Clarity, Control & Calm Authority

“I can’t meditate.”
I hear this all the time.

Usually from men who also say things like...
“My head never switches off.”
“I overthink everything.”
“I can’t relax even when I’m on holiday.”

Mate.
That’s not a reason not to meditate.
That’s exactly the reason you should.

The biggest myth about meditation is that you’re 
supposed to sit there like a monk with an empty mind.

Absolute nonsense.

Your mind wandering is the practice.
You notice the thought.
You bring your attention back.

Thought.
Back.

Thought.
Back.

That’s literally the repetition.
That's the practise!

It’s like the mental equivalent of doing press-ups.

No one goes to the gym, does two push-ups and says...
“Right. Strength training clearly isn’t for me.”

But that’s exactly how most men treat meditation.

They try it once.
Their brain does what brains do.
Then they quit.

The irony is the men who say “I’m terrible at meditation” 
are usually the ones who benefit from it the most.

Which is exactly why I’m running this Meditation Masterclass 
on 27th March at 12pm GMT.

It’s specifically for men who’ve tried meditation before and thought:
“Yeah… not for me.”

First 10 spots are £10 before it goes public at £25.
If you want one, drop CALM in a DM to me.

Because it doesn't have to be this way.

Prioritise. Optimise. Execute. 😁😇
100% Clarity 100% Belief 100% Success

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