Testimonials

  • Executive Coaching

My thinking and behaviours have moved to the next level and I’m a more effective CEO. Mark’s insightful and challenging approach helped me understand both myself and what is required of me to succeed. He has step changed my ability to engage and envision my organisation and enabled big thinking combined with practical guidance. His approach meant I could implement new approaches from day 1 – and they worked!  It was life changing and exceeded my expectations. If you are looking for a high impact Executive Coach I recommend him to you.

  • Executive Coaching
  • Coaching through a sale

Ian Kershaw was the founder and Managing Director of CDA Group. He sold to Amica Group PLC for £25m. Ian described the coaching with Mark as “life changing”. Over a two year period Mark coached Ian, the board and developed a management development programme with his senior managers. Listen to Ian’s own perspective in the interview below.

  • Executive Coaching: One on One

I’ve worked with Mark in his role as Executive Coach and Facilitator and in both situations have been impressed by his pragmatic approach, knowledge and skills. Mark is attentive to the needs of his client and strikes the right balance between working to his client’s agenda and challenging the client to view his/her world differently, thereby increasing the awareness and development of the individual and team.

  • Executive Coaching

Mark’s insight is genius he has the ability to help an individual realise their potential and then reach further. He can help you find the confidence to make the most courageous business decisions. It’s all within you, Mark helps you see it and act on it. But we aware, once you work with him you wont want to leave him. A stupendous coach.
Sonia Sedler, Global Head of Managed Services Growth, Banking Strategy

Sonia Sedler, Global Head of Managed Services Growth, Banking Strategy

Diebold Nixdorf ($4.5bn, NYSE, S&P 600)

  • Executive Coaching

As a clinical research director, having never experienced coaching, I entered this process relatively content that my team were delivering and we were meeting objectives – my big visions were just my dream.  Coaching encouraged me to wake up, own the vision and inspire my team to bring the vision alive.  Moving from thinking like a manager, to thinking like a leader has bought so many benefits; my team is now empowered to come up with their own solutions to long-standing problems, develop their own visions for how to achieve more and output, creativity and quality have all increased.  Coaching has given me tools to achieve more than I thought I was able to.  It may seem a big commitment or expense to embark on coaching, but it is worth every second.  Thank you Mark.

  • Executive Coaching
  • Business Coaching
  • Strategy Workshops

On first meeting Mark, I was blown away with his ability to figure me out straight away and have the know how on how to best to challenge me to behave differently, define my vision, and grow my business . Working with Mark is not for the faint hearted. He will disrupt, transform and make you the best you can be. My belief in what I can do has changed. This is showing in the results, from feeling that I was starting to ‘get it wrong’ to doubling my turnover in just 4 months, and now having the confidence, strategy and support to achieve my dream. Watch this space!
Karen Davies, CEO

Karen Davies, CEO

CEO, The People Factor

  • Board Coaching
  • Business Coaching

Mark has helped us grow 20%, and this year 25%.

His engaging coaching style has developed us as directors, making a real difference to how we think about ourselves and our employees. He has been key to helping us with strategy, planning, time management, recruitment and business development.

Growth is hard work, but our business is now worth ten times what it was. Mark keeps us focussed and on track!

Lisa Wills, Owner

Lisa Wills, Owner

John M Lewis

  • Transition Coaching
  • Off/on-boarding Coaching

Mark Bateman has hugely assisted in my transition from a 21 year Investment Banking career into a buyside private equity fund. With exceptional energy and enthusiasm combined with his own successful track record and life experiences, Mark was able to intuitively and quickly comprehend and  assimilate where I was in my career thinking. Connecting and sharing the tougher issues we all face was easy. He helped me challenge my thinking patterns, better understand my abilities and most importantly look into what I felt I wanted next. More than that,  his help was about making a different next career choice when also considering perhaps the easier option, ‘more of the same’.  I would highly recommend him.
Marl Nielsen, Managing Director

Marl Nielsen, Managing Director

Global Investment Bank

  • Executive Coaching
  • Wellbeing Coaching
  • Workshops

Mark has worked with us as an Executive Coach for over 5 years. This has included working with our Directors and CEO in the UK and Switzerland to improve their personal leadership effectiveness. Mark’s style means changes are long term: improved leadership, more effective behaviours, more strategic and less stress. Employees are more engaged. I highly recommend Mark!
Jane Veart, Head of People and Organisational Development

Jane Veart, Head of People and Organisational Development

SPD Precision Diagnostics, Clearblue, a JV between P&G and Abbots

  • Business Coaching
  • Fast Growth Support
  • Planning, Strategy, Sales & Marketing
  • Leadership & Management Development

I first met Mark Bateman during the High Growth Programme, as one of our business coaches. Mark was tasked with helping to develop and grow SME businesses into highly commercial operations. This he did with ease, and he was the most frequently in demand coach on our talent pool. Mark focuses on strategy and planning, but he also has particular skills and knowledge around “brand management and sales” which when combined form a formidable mix to aid fledgling businesses looking to grow”. I can confidently recommend Mark Bateman as an experienced and proven Business Coach.
Paul Stoppard, Client Partner

Paul Stoppard, Client Partner

East Midlands Chamber of Commerce

  • Executive Coaching: One on One

Very well schooled, intuitive and relaxed; the sessions are pacey, provoking and stretching. Progress comes quickly and you will soon relish the change.

Those around you will notice and your business moves to a higher level. 

Have an open mind and be prepared to surprise yourself.

Paul Bevan, Founder and Managing Director

Paul Bevan, Founder and Managing Director

Breeze Corporate Finance

  • Executive Coaching: One on One
  • Background: Coaching for the CEO running the largest healthcare project of its kind in the UK

Brought a wide spectrum of skills and experience into the role, demonstrating exceptional listening skills, supporting very real and appropriate challenge to both my working and personal beliefs and behaviours which have impacted on my leadership/management styles and self belief… I would not hesitate to recommend Mark’s approach as a high performing executive coach.
Barbara Baker, Manchester Director

Barbara Baker, Manchester Director

Nuffield Health

  • Business Coaching
  • Fast Growth Support
  • Planning, Strategy, Sales & Marketing
  • Leadership & Management Development

Mark worked with me over a 6-month period about 5-years ago.   He was serving as my Business Coach/Mentor.  Before I started work with Mark, I had a vague understanding of my approach-to-work difficulties.  Mark quickly enabled me to diagnose the fundamental problem . . . ‘the cloud’.  A chunk of our time together focussed upon supporting me to develop strategies to overcome and indeed dispel the cloud.  Mark also raised the opportunity, and gave me the confidence to start changing my Client base.

In the last 5-years and as a direct result of Mark’s intervention, a) my work capacity has increased by over 30% because I’m working far more effectively, and b) my average day rate has increased by 50%.

I could not recommend Mark Bateman’s Coaching ability more highly.  He’s a great listener; inspirational with ideas, and is passionate and genuine about ‘making a difference’ when supporting others.  Of course, he’s able to draw upon his own experience of developing (through to ultimate sale) his own multimillion pound business and managing staff.

Talk to him and see where it takes you and your business! (September 2017)

Nick Gerrard, Managing Director, Gerrard Associates (2012 – now)

 

I challenged Mark to work with my team to develop creative and strategic thinking and to instil a sense of proactivity and individual responsibility. His grasp of the brief was superb and the session he subsequently facilitated was excellent. Interactive, challenging, thought provoking, creative. The session was certainly pitched at an appropriate level. I would have no hesitation in recommending Mark and indeed are looking to develop opportunities for him with our professional and client network. Thanks Mark.

Darryn Evans, Handelsbanken Branch Manager (North Notts) (2013)

 

Working with Mark has produced amazing results. He has a rare ability to really listen and direct our focus on how to improve our present situation. This applies to both business development and strategy, as well as personal development and issues relating to work/life balance. We are only 3 months in but we are very excited about the future . We have no hesitation in recommending Mark to you.

Trevor Easton, Managing Director, CMC Cleaning Ltd (350 cleaners) (2012/13, they sold the business 2014 and are now very happy)

 

 

 It is a real pleasure to work with Mark. His insight, ideas, challenge and thought processes are making a tangible difference to me and my business. Mark has a great rare ability to spot problems, offer tangible and achievable solutions, as well as a means to implement it into a workable business plan. 
As an entrepreneur of kindred spirit he is one of the very best I have worked with.

Karl Baker, Managing Director, Taurus Collections Ltd (Derby SME) (2012)

  • Executive Coaching: Board
  • Executive Coaching: One on One
  • Management Development Programme (20)
  • Internal Coaching Programme Implemented
  • Follow Up Workshops

Quickly won over and engaged a group of managers who, on the whole, were quite cynical about leadership and management development…. Mark is highly knowledgeable, extremely engaging and uses a great mix of theory and practice to ensure learning is embedded. We can’t recommend Welcome Insight highly enough.
Sammy Brown, HR Manager

Sammy Brown, HR Manager

CDA Group (UK)

  • Executive Coaching
  • Senior Team Development
  • Leadership & Management Development

Having worked with Welcome Insight to deliver management development services to Coca Cola, I would recommend them for any kind of leadership/management development programme. This includes training (formal class room training), coaching one on one or groups, mentoring and workshops. They are both extremely well qualified, have the requisite commercial experience and facilitate learning to a very high standard. I have no hesitation recommending them.

Lesley Lynch, Commercial Manager

Lesley Lynch, Commercial Manager

Pera Training

  • Keynote for Petplan (Allianz) & Association of Cat and Dog Homes
  • Petplan required an engaging and dynamic speaker at their conference for 500 people.

Mark Bateman’s topic was: “Rehoming for Humans”

“Reminded us how important our people are, we will ask you to come and run one of our management away days”, Chief Exec, Battersea Cat and Dog Homes, Chair of the Association of Cat and Dog Homes

 

“That was really engaging, you had everyone’s attention, and you were right on topic”, Howard Brown, Petplan UK Relationship Director

 

“The feedback from everyone I have spoke to was really positive, your session went down really well”, Jenny Parris, Partner Channel Events Specialist

Howard Brown, National Relationship Director

Howard Brown, National Relationship Director

Petplan (Allianz)

 

  • Wellbeing National Benchmark

Working in partnership with RCVS, Mindmatters and SPVS, Mark in association with Engage created a National Wellbeing Benchmark. The resulting data validated the SPVS/VMG Annual Wellbeing Awards, and Mark presented the data at the SPVS/VMG Congress January 2018. High level results were issued as a press release within the Vet Times

Mark acted as CEO for two years of Engage Coach International, and still works as a consultant with Engage. The following is the video with Nick Stuart, Director of Wellbeing Awards (and ex President of SPVS).

Nick Stuart, Wellbeing Awards & Ex President of SPVS

Nick Stuart, Wellbeing Awards & Ex President of SPVS

Society of Practicing Veterinary Surgeons

We can’t list all the clients we have worked with, but they include banks, local government, retailers, IT companies, manufacturers and much more. Further testimonials can be found on Mark Bateman’s Linkedin Profile.