Reputation
Communication
Leadership
CATHERINE MAY
Reputation
Communication
Leadership
Areas of focus
My Name is Catherine May
Strategic counsel and coaching from an experienced business leader and company director
I am an experienced Chair, non-executive director, committee chair and corporate leader. I have been a member of leadership teams, and advised the boards, of leading multinational businesses for more than 25 years. I'm an expert in reputation management, corporate governance, building winning corporate culture, and stakeholder communications.
My Approach
Having delivered many award-winning reputation-management and sustainability programmes, I am an expert adviser in these areas. I help organisations shape their strategies as they build positive profiles and create a purpose beyond profit.
Reputation & Advice
Leadership Coaching
I work with senior business executives and teams to support their growth and development, helping them achieve the best possible performance, and to be inspiring leaders.
Leadership Coaching
My experience as a board Chair, non-executive director and board committee chair, coupled with the insight gained during my years as a successful executive leader have helped me become a valued non-executive director.
Boards & Governance
I’m a seasoned non-executive director, having held board seats with a range of commercial, charitable, and not-for-profit organisations since 2011. I served on executive committees of three FTSE 30 companies, all outperforming their sectors. I draw on deep experience to support and advise the businesses I work with as a NED...
Professional Qualifications
Graduate of the Chair Ready Programme, Criticaleye, 2024
Neuroleadership. Brain Based Coaching
Neuroleadership Institute, 2020
Professional Certification as a Coach Practitioner in NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP).
NLP School, 2017
Professional Certificate in Leadership in Executive Coaching. Henley Business School, 2015
Accredited Member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) from 2016.
Member of the Henley Centre for Coaching since 2015.
Testimonials
Executive Committee Member, FTSE 100 Plc
Thank you for all of your support, you have been an absolutely fantastic mentor, coach and support to me as I have tried to grow in my role and as a person.
Chair, Not-for-Profit
Working with Catherine has helped our CEO become ever more self-assured, and more confident. She has really grown into the CEO role to the extent she now really owns it, and has made it her own… (she) has developed her leadership style significantly since working with Catherine and we have all noticed that on the board.
Executive Committee member, FTSE100 Plc
You’ve helped me navigate some significant decisions this year and you encouraged me to refine my focus on what truly drives me. It is a great feeling to have confidence in the path I’m choosing. And being OK with saying no to other paths is really helping me to focus.
Executive Committee member, FTSE250 Plc
I can’t recommend Catherine highly enough. Her highly personalised, nurturing programme did not shy away from having tough conversations where necessary. The end result is transformative. Our colleague’s confidence in their own ability has grown significantly. Performance in key meetings is poised, messages and counsel delivered with gravitas, and her progress has been noted positively by my ExCo colleagues.
Function leader, FTSE 100 Plc
Working closely with Catherine meant I got to spend quality time working through the things which helped me grow as a leader. Catherine supported me to identify areas of focus and prompted me to grow in style and personal leadership approach; ultimately she supported me in confidence and clarity in growing into a challenging new role with ever increasing demands.”
If you’d like to get in touch, please contact me here
I bring leadership and board-level expertise to empower executives with goal-driven strategies that boost performance, effectiveness, and impact across global sectors. Over more than a decade, I’ve guided leaders and teams to discover and leverage their key strengths, build more productive connections.