Anticipa Real Estate

General Manager

Head of Finance & Tax, IT & Operations. Responsible for all back office functions and for the optimisation and automation of processes following the purchase of Anticipa by Blackstone from Caixa Catalunya.
Functions managed include Financial & Treasury reporting, Technology Infrastructure & Applications support, Operations & Back Office functions, PMO.

CFO & Corporate Director

Executive Coach

Altamira Asset Management

Responsible for the successful setting up and running of the Finance and Operations support areas in Altamira Asset Management SL. Altamira, which was created as a standalone entity in January 2014 following its sale by Banco Santander,  is one of the leading Real Estate and Debt Recovery servicing companies in Spain.

CFO and Operations Director

Citi

Responsible for ensuring execution of regional strategy across EMEA O&T. Support to Regional consumer O&T head in all administrative issues, with specific focus on tracking and achieving scorecard metrics - cost, controls, customer experience, capital allocation and culture. Regional contact for key initiatives such as Digitisation and new Consumer platform implementation in EMEA.

Chief Administrative Officer - Consumer O&T EMEA

Achieved annual cost reductions of over 6% per annum through process engineering and restructuring.
Optimised real estate requirements.
Imrpoved customer satisfaction (measured by Net Promoter Scores) and service levels by between 5 and 10% for all clients serviced.
Restructured workforce and migrated services out of Centre following a number of Citigroup divestitures, mitigating impact on customer and employee satisfaction levels.

Site Director - Barcelona Service Centre

Responsible for Business Planning and Analysis, Expense control and reporting, Work Force management planning, Sales Analytics and Internal Audit and control areas for the Barcelona Sales and Service Centre.

CFO & Audit / Compliance Director - Barcelona Sales and Service Centre

Responsible for US and Bank of Spain reporting, Business Planning and Analysis and Internal Audit/Control functions for the CitiFinancial consumer finance business in Spain

CFO - Spain

Responsible for Financial and Central Bank reporting for Spain and Portugal covering 5 major legal entities and 6 special purpose vehicles.
Member of Management Committee.
Responsible for team of 20 people.

CFO - Corporate & Investment Bank, Madrid & Lisbon

Head of team of 6 people reporting into the CFO for the Corporate and Investment Bank. Responsible for US Financial reporting of the business as well as oversight of the Capital Markets trading business middle office. Led project to centralise Derivatives and FX books to London. Also responsible for implementation of new derivatives trade product processor.

Deputy Financial Controller - Corporate & Investment Bank, Madrid

Financial Reporting group manager responsible for financial consolidation and regional reporting to US Head Office. Monthly and quarterly reporting included group consolidation, cash flow, currency and cross border exposure. Responsible for a team of 9 people covering several European countries (Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, France, Austria and Switzerland)

Regional Financial Controller - EMEA

Responsible for supporting the Treasury and FX Options desks at Cit in London, managing the daily and monthly P&Ls, both product revenue and business expenses. Managed risk position tracking and balance sheet liquidity reporting and controls.

UK Financial Controller - Treasury and FX Options

Audit senior at Coopers and Lybrand. Experience in the financial services group working mainly with clients based in the City of London.

Senior Auditor

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.

I leverage my 20+ years of experience in C-Suite and executive positions to help clients: 

-> Significantly increase their focus and energy. 
-> Get back time and level up their productivity. 
-> Become a high-performer and enjoy their work. 
-> Get recognized for what they do and make a greater impact in their organization. 

Most importantly, I help them save years of frustration and remove all the guesswork when it comes to improving performance and advancing their careers without sacrificing the things they enjoy. 

Maybe you are at a point where you feel stuck and don’t know what’s next. 

• You have too much to do to fit into a working day.
• Your time is spent putting out fires rather than thinking.
• You easily get distracted and lack concentration.
• You used to be a 10/10 leader, but most of the days, you only score a 6.
• You can’t see how you can get to the next level in your career.
• Your boss wants you to be more strategic, but you are always in the weeds.
• You feel undervalued for all of the effort you put in.

And you are afraid of where it could end.

♦️You will never fulfil your full potential in your career.
♦️These high levels of stress could lead you to burnout.

You face a severe challenge.

-> How can you dedicate time to what you enjoy without sacrificing your career?

That’s where I come in! 

Over 3 months, I’ll help you:

✅ Get clarity on the changes you need to make to become a highly effective leader.
✅ Implement a new way of working that will give you back time and energy.
✅ Recover your zest at work and home, beginning a new successful period in your life.

Additionally, you get the benefit of my experience to help tackle the challenges you face now, such as:

1️⃣ Board meetings and investor presentations.
2️⃣ Difficult relationships with your boss, peers or employees.
3️⃣ Negotiations with third parties.
4️⃣ Large project implementations.

If this is something you would like help with, send me a message here on LinkedIn, and I’ll be happy to share more about my program and how it works. 

Testimonials

Peter is a brilliant coach. We have been working together for the past two years, and in that time, he has helped me set clear goals and given me the tools and encouragement I needed to achieve my goals. He is a great listener, truly cares and freely shares his wisdom with me. 
Nora Tandberg - CFO Papirfly

Peter is a fantastic coach - his unique perspective of coaching is very effective in a business setting and brings a fresh perspective to solving contemporary challenges. 
Guy Nicholas Mansfield - CFO C-Quest Capital

Peter McKenzie

Most people treat their career like an Uber ride.
Which is insane.

You state your destination. 
Sit back. Check your phone. 
Trust someone else to get you there.

And expect to arrive exactly where you wanted to go.

11 years ago, I was a passenger.
I trusted my boss to take me where I wanted to go. 
He was my sponsor and champion.

Then he left the company.

I stared at the org chart like a map written in Greek. 
I didn't even know which direction I was facing.

Here's what I realised: 

I wasn't stuck because I lost my sponsor. 
I was stuck because I'd never learned to navigate.

I'd outsourced my entire sense of direction to someone who was never responsible for my destination in the first place.

So I stopped waiting. 

I got a coach and learned to drive my own career.

Looking back, here's what I see now:

Most stuck careers aren't stuck because of bad managers. 

They're stuck because the person is still in the passenger seat, wondering why they're not moving.

Your manager might give you directions.
But nobody else can drive your career for you.

The nagging feeling you have?

That's you realising you're in the passenger seat.

And nobody's coming to pick you up.

<<<>>>

PS If you're ready to get in the driver's seat, I can help. DM me and let's get moving.

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.

I watched my client Sarah collapse in front of me.
Six months ago, she wouldn't speak in leadership meetings. 

Now she was finally finding her voice. 
Contributing ideas. 
Speaking with confidence.

Then one bad meeting with the CEO destroyed everything.

She'd slept 4 hours and didn't prep.
She thought she could wing it.

Big mistake.

He asked three questions she couldn't answer. 
Then said this in front of the team:

"I expected better from you."

That was Tuesday.
By Friday, she was still replaying it. 

Every word.
Every pause. 
Every face staring back at her.

Her next three meetings? A disaster.

Her confidence was shattered. 
She was back to silence. 

That bad meeting didn't break her. 
The endless replays did.

She needed to learn what elite athletes do instinctively.

Carlos Alcaraz hits an unforced error. 
He screams at himself. 
Then walks to the baseline. 

Bounces the ball.
Serves again.

He doesn't replay the last point while playing the next one.

So I gave Sarah a new rule: 

10 minutes to process any failure. 

Feel it, learn from it, then kill the replay.

After her next difficult meeting she tried it: 

"What time did that end? 2:45pm. 
What time is it now? 3:00pm. 
Then that game is over."

3 weeks later she had a Board Meeting.
She spoke up with conviction.

She was back.

So when you have a bad moment? 

Feel it. 
Learn from it. 
Kill the replay.

The next point is already starting.

What's one moment you're still replaying that's killing your next serve?

Sometimes even your heroes get it wrong.

Brené Brown just said she hates "executive presence" because it's unclear, discriminates against women and introverts, and rewards "people in navy suits with red ties saying dumb things."

I've never disagreed with Brené before. 

But here's what worries me:

If we tell introverted leaders and women that executive presence is BS, what skills do we give them to get heard in those boardrooms?

Because here's the reality I see coaching C-suite executives:

Executive presence IS the factor that gets people promoted. 

The research isn't unclear, it's just poorly communicated. 

And yes, it's been weaponised to discriminate.

But the solution isn't to abandon the skill. 

It's to reclaim it.

I've coached soft-spoken CFOs, introverted COOs, and women who were told they didn't "look the part." They didn't become loud (and they didn't need those navy suits either.)

They learned to command attention in their own authentic style.

One CFO I worked with was told she "lacked presence." 

Six months later, she presented to 3,000 people at an industry conference and was voted the most impactful speaker at the event.

She didn't change who she was - she learned to leverage it.

It ended up with her getting a better, higher paid role.

Here's what aggravates me: When we mock executive presence, we leave the door open for exactly the people Brené described - those loud, mediocre voices - to keep winning.

Better to learn the skills and change the rules from the inside.

So here's my question: Is there another path for introverts and underrepresented leaders to gain influence without building executive presence?

Because wishing the world were different doesn't change boardroom or power dynamics. 

But mastering how you show up does.

Tell me if I'm wrong.

<<<>>>

"Your good work will never be enough."
Last Saturday I had a call with a client in Lagos. 

She’s still waiting for the promotion to CFO that she deserved 24 months ago.

'I don't want to ask for it. Good work should speak for itself.'

No. It shouldn't. 

And it doesn't.

I asked her one question: 'How's that strategy worked for you until now?'

Silence. 

The kind that told you she'd never considered that before.

Then: 'I'll leave if they overlook me again.'

"So you'd quit before you'd ask?
What sense does that make?"

Here's what 'good people' don't understand:

Your boss isn't psychic. 
HR isn't watching nor do they care.
Nobody's tracking your readiness.

They're waiting for you to claim it.

And dealing with the noisy people, not the ‘good ones’.

Of course it's risky to ask.
But it's riskier to stay overlooked forever.

The harsh truth about corporate life:

• Asking beats waiting 10 times out of 10.
• Your boss might be waiting for you to demand it.
• Silent suffering isn't nobility, it's stupidity.

Which one hurts most?

You know what requires more courage than doing great work? 

Demanding to be paid for it.

How many years have you been 'ready'?
And what sign are you waiting for?

----------------------------------
I’m Peter McKenzie 🕺

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

I've reported to 7 C-suite executives in my career.
Most influenced through power. 

A couple through fear. 

But my best boss, Brian, didn't need pressure or threats.

When a major operations failure during the 2009 Financial Crisis looked like costing the bank over $3M, Brian came on the call at 9pm on a Friday with our worried team and said:

"Let's fix this first and then we'll discuss what happened later."

No yelling. No blame. 

Just focus on the solution.

A lot of the other bosses I've worked for threw people under the bus before the problem was even understood.

Brian did three things most leaders don't:

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 - even when it's inconvenient

He showed his displeasure but never raised his voice or got personal. His team doubled down because they wanted to, not because they feared him.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 - especially in public 

When reporting to the EMEA region head, he owned it: 
"This is on me to fix." 

He never blamed the team once.
Most bosses do the opposite - they only own up in private...or never.

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - before taking any himself 

Brian gave credit to those who eventually got us out of the hole. 
That created a loyal team, not obedient subordinates.

And it was remarkable because it was rare.

Here's what nobody tells you about executive presence: 

You can't fake this or learn it from a book.

Either you respect your team when it's inconvenient, take responsibility when it's risky, and give recognition when no one's forcing you to...

Or you don't.

So which of these did your worst boss fail at?

And be honest - when the pressure's on, which one do you struggle to uphold?

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

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

The 9am meeting rattled my confidence in just 45 minutes.

My hands shook. 
My voice cracked. 
My heart pounded.

Even experienced leaders can get rocked.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱.

What would you do if your confidence vanished mid-presentation?

I went back to basics.

Here's what the confidence gurus don't tell you:
Confidence isn't something you achieve.
It's something you 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻.

Daily.

Like a marathon runner's endurance. 
Skip training for a couple weeks - and you'll feel it.

After the meeting, I broke it down:

• Skipped my usual 10-minute slide run-through
• Three coffees before 9am
• A late night, bad sleep
• Zero prep because "I knew the material"
  
The boring basics I'd abandoned. 
The same ones it's easy for you to skip when things feel automatic.

Confidence isn't built in the meeting room. 

It's built at 7am in the gym. 
In the meditation you think you're too busy for. 
In the prep session everyone else skips.

The basics aren't boring. 

They're the only thing standing between you and 9am hands-shaking-voice-cracking meltdown.

Don't abandon them - or confidence will abandon you.

<<<>>>

PS What's the ONE daily non-negotiable that keeps you sharp? 
The thing that when you skip it, everything else colapses?

Your presentation isn't about the slides.
It's about you.

I watched this play out in Barcelona in front of 250 people.

My Regional CFO, Gerard Ryan, was mid-presentation when his overhead projector blew a fuse.

He had no backup. 
No slides. 
No safety net.

But

He didn't freeze.
He didn't wait for tech support. 
He didn't apologise.

He just grabbed a flip chart and kept going.

WIth the same energy.
And calm authority. 

In fact, it got even better because now it was just him and his ideas.

That is executive presence.

Not when everything works.
When everything collapses.

The executives I coach who struggle with "stage fright" or "presentation anxiety" are usually afraid of the wrong thing.

They're afraid the slides won't work. 
They're afraid they'll forget a number. 
They're afraid of looking unprepared.

But here's what actually matters:

Do you believe and own your message? 

If your presentation dies when PowerPoint fails, you don't have a presentation problem.

You have a presence problem.

The executives I coach often come to me thinking they need help with "public speaking."

But what they actually need is communication mastery - the ability to convey complex ideas with nothing but clarity, conviction...and a flip chart.

That's not a talent. 
It's a skill.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁?

Your boss decided your promotion fate a month ago.
You just don't know it yet.

Those year-end 'surprise' outcomes?

They're only surprising to you.

Here's what actually happened:

Your goals were too vague. 
And unimpressive.
You never asked for clear, specific & measurable goals that would guarantee you the move you want.

Instead, you just “did the job” - and the result is already decided.

The dice has been rolled.
The bus has left the stop.

You know how it is.

“Corporate have frozen promotions this cycle.”
“You’re on track for something next year.”
“Keep up the good work.”

Blah blah blah

But it's not their problem - it's yours.

The conversation you're avoiding? 
Your boss had it without you. 
With their boss. About your future.

The bad news? There are only 10 weeks left.

The good news?

You've still got those 10 weeks to change the story they’ve already written.

You can’t demand a promotion.
But you can demand to know what’s needed to get one.

Then it's 100% down to you to deliver.

So, what's stopping you from asking for the exact promotion criteria this week?

Drop your answer in the comments.

I'll reply.

<<<>>>

Silence isn't golden - it's invisibility.
Your colleagues with a voice get promoted, while you are ignored.

I learned this sitting in management meetings at Citi.
Sitting silently when I should have spoken up.

I'd squirm in my seat and think:
"What if I'm wrong and look incompetent or stupid?"

So I stayed quiet. 
Safe. 
Invisible.

I stuck to my expertise, but never questioned the rest.
And stagnated for 3 years in the same role whilst my colleagues got the plaudits and promotions.

Until my mentor laid down the truth in one in-depth session:

"Jump in. Be brave for just 20 seconds. 
That's all it takes."

20 seconds to challenge the assumption that isn't right.
20 seconds to ask the question everyone's thinking. 
20 seconds to share the idea no one else has.

The first time I tried it, I was sweating. 

I interrupted the Ops head mid-presentation, because I thought he was wrong (when he was NEVER wrong).

The room went quiet.
People turned and looked at me, surprised.
Those 20 seconds felt like an eternity.

Then he nodded: "You have a point."

That moment not only shifted how others saw me.
It changed how I saw myself.

The more I practised those 20 seconds of courage, the more my confidence grew. 

And the more impact I built.

𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲:
It's not about never feeling fear. 
It's about acting despite it.

𝗦𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲:

What's the one thing you need to say in your next high-stakes meeting?
It takes 20 seconds - just say it.

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

Try my FREE Executive Presence quiz here:

Open article: How Strong is Your Executive Presence? by executive.scoreapp.com

I hear leaders tell me they lack motivation - and that it's a problem.
I tell them, 'It's perfectly normal.'

Motivation is overrated.

The best people I've worked with don't spring out of bed motivated every day.

They wake up with fear.

Fear of mediocrity. 
Fear of wasting their potential. 
Fear of looking back with regret.

Does that gnaw at your insides, too?

But here's what makes them different:

They don't wait to feel engaged.
They choose action over comfort. 
And solve problems rather than avoid them.

The obstacle IS the way, as the Stoics say.

You can recover from a failed initiative. 
You can't recover the years you spent playing it safe.

It doesn't mean constant grinding. 
But it does mean not standing still.

So here's your reality check:

Stop measuring yourself by motivation levels. 
Start measuring yourself by the actions you take.

<<<>>>
PS What's one action you've been avoiding because you're waiting to "feel motivated"?

Drop it in the comments.
<<<>>>I

I'm Peter McKenzie - The C-Suite Coach

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

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam)

Research Coordinator & Thesis Advisor

Behavioural Science Lab Manager

The Courage Quest

A space where adventure meets courage for a lifelong transformation.

●	Leveraging Neuroscience and Psychology to guide  individuals to lead themselves with unparalleled bliss, clarity and confidence in life.
●	Using positive psychology, NLP, cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, and creative visualization tools to help individuals heal spiritually, overcome their limiting beliefs, shift their perspective, and cultivate a growth mindset.

Certified Mindset Coach

ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd

●	Led interdisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions to complex problems.
●	Built relationships with hiring managers to deeply understand their hiring needs and identified passive candidates for critical roles.
●	Establish and manage strategic internal and external collaborations.
●	Oversee the preparation of client contracts, regulatory submissions, and other project-related documentation.

Non-clinical study director

Charles River Laboratories

Senior Scientist (Neuroscience)

Study Director (Neuroscience)

DKFZ German Cancer Research Center

●	Conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of existing literature to identify new research opportunities.
●	Presented research findings at national and international conferences, resulting in increased visibility for the lab.
●	Provided individualized guidance and support to students to help them reach their career goals.

Postdoctoral Researcher, project manager (Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience)

PhD research scholar (Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience)

Research Assistant

University hospital Jena

Neuroscientist of the Mind, Coach at the Core | Purpose-driven mindset Coach | NLP Practitioner | Researcher & Lecturer | Founder of The Courage Quest | PhD in Cognitive & Behavioural Neuroscience

"If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place."

This quote by Nora Roberts is more than words on a page; it's the guiding light of my journey. A striking poster bearing her wisdom graces my wall, a constant reminder of my authenticity, courage, and self-belief.

My Journey:
Leaving my home country with dreams of pursuing a Master's and a PhD, I faced countless obstacles and doubts that threatened my aspirations. The tension between fear and courage heightened. During those challenging moments, I discovered an unwavering inner strength and the power to rewrite my story. With each step forward, I unravelled the negative thoughts and self-doubts holding me back.

Who am I?
I’m Dr. Srinidhi Desikan, a Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscientist, Behavioural psychology researcher and lecturer, an integrated mindset coach, Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) practitioner, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) facilitator, an author and a speaker. 

What do I do?
Elevating people's potential isn't just a profession for me; it's my soul's calling. Through my relentless dedication to advancing scientific research, nurturing students' growth in classrooms, and igniting inspiration through coaching, giving talks and written works, I witness the transformative power of guiding others toward their true potential.

How do I do it?
Using a unique blend of spiritual wisdom, neuroscience and psychology theories, and transformative coaching principles, I guide individuals like YOU to harness the full power of their minds and souls to transcend limits, think BIG, and make a lasting impact in a world that hungers for their authentic brilliance.

My approach is raw, intense, and explicit. I delve deep into your subconscious thoughts and emotions. I uncover what you might miss and confront what you tend to avoid. Together, we break free from conformity, embracing the 'Why Not' instead of 'Why.' 

Curious about my service?
My coaching goes beyond mere monetary transactions – it's about making a real impact. I initiate my coaching relationships with a unique non-profit twist where you get an opportunity to create a ripple effect that brings meaningful change in your life and in a world rife with challenges. 

Interested and ready to Take the Leap?
Just send me a message here on LinkedIn.

Let's embark on this quest together, unlocking your courage and authentic brilliance along the way.

taplio

The Battle

Peter McKenzie

Dr. Srinidhi Desikan

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