Coaching

Strengthening capability. Building the bench.

Strategy without capability is a false promise. Through my coaching work I help organisations and leadership teams achieve excellence and elite-level performance, improve workflows, and strengthen their marketing bench—without adding permanent overhead. Whether you need sharper brand thinking, build stronger teams, or develop better delivery systems, I bring structured programmes to help you level up.

Consider me your strategic growth partner.

“The Brand Distillery workshop completely changed how I think about brand strategy. It was practical, inspiring, and instantly actionable. I walked away with more clarity in one day than I’ve had in years.”

- Commercial Director of SME Beverage Company

MICHAEL H. COWAN

Executive Coaching

Sharpen Your Edge. Widen Your Impact.

With over 30 years experience in executive & functional leadership within the global FMCG industry, I coach and mentor senior marketing leaders and high-potential talent through change, growth, and challenge. This isn’t soft coaching—it’s commercially grounded, marketing-literate mentorship tailored to the realities of modern leadership in the age of AI disruption.

Often used to support:

  • First-time CMOs and Marketing Directors

  • Founders scaling into executive leadership

  • Functional leads building commercial acumen

  • High-potential team members on succession tracks

Michael H Cowan

STRATEGIC WORKSHOPS

Break the Inertia. Align the Team.

When clarity or alignment is missing, a well-run workshop can reset direction fast. We facilitate structured, high-impact sessions that spark new thinking, create buy-in, and accelerate action.

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TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark. Let My Experience Guide You.

Capability Isn’t Taught In A Day.

I’ve designed and delivered training programmes that stick. Blending strategic frameworks with hands-on tools, I upskill marketing and commercial teams with practical knowledge that immediately applies to their roles.

Modules are tailored for:

  • Brand & campaign planning

  • Creative briefing & agency management

  • Commercial storytelling & insight selling

  • Marketing measurement & ROI

  • AI-powered Marketing Practices

CAPABILITY ASSESSMENTS

Want a clear read on your commercial team’s capability?

Before you can improve performance, you need to know where your team—and your partners—really stand.

My Capability Assessments give you a clear, independent view of your marketing organisation’s strengths, gaps, and commercial readiness. I assess not just technical skill, but how well your team operates as a customer-centric, brand-aligned, and commercially capable function.

I also evaluate your third-party agencies, martech stack, and ways of working—so you can identify what’s helping you grow, and what’s holding you back.

If you’re unsure whether your team, tech, or agencies are fit for scale—this is where to start:

Capability Assessments

  • Is every department and everyone in it aligned around a single, compelling brand direction?

  • Is your marketing truly built from the outside in?

  • Are you measuring what matters—and acting on insight, not instinct?

  • Do your commercial teams have the skills, structure, and focus to execute at pace?

  • Are your systems, tools, and processes helping—or getting in the way? What is your strategy and plan for AI, and are your teams capable of implementing AI successfully?

  • Are your agencies and external partners delivering real value—or just comfort and noise?

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