Avi Franks

I have over 25 years’ experience in the fields of psychological assessment, leadership development, executive coaching, organisational consultancy and conference speaking.

I began my career as a consultant within the Saatchi and Saatchi Group before qualifying as a chartered psychologist with particular interests in psychological resilience and organisational leadership. Since then, I have worked for several government departments and agencies, as well as commercial consultancies, supporting senior executives and their teams to achieve their full potential. 

I have extensive experience coaching senior police officers and twice served as the resident executive coach on the police’s Strategic Command Course.  I also have significant experience in designing senior assessment and development centres, leadership programmes, and team facilitation. 

As a coaching psychologist, I draw on evidence-based theory and practice. I emphasise the development of self-awareness as ‘the’ prerequisite for effective, ethical and resilient leadership. 

Adopting a pragmatic ‘common-sense’ approach, I support clients to clarify and then achieve their personal and career objectives within the broader context of their lives. I am qualified to use a wide range of valid and reliable psychometric instruments.

Outside of work, I am involved in men’s wellbeing initiatives and Buddhist activities in the UK and abroad.  Until recently, I chaired the Manchester Buddhist Centre (charity) and sat on the executive of The European (Buddhist) Chairs Assembly.  I am currently the Convenor of the (Buddhist) International Council and president of a Buddhist retreat centre (charity) in New Zealand.

I am a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS), the BPS Special Group in Coaching Psychology, and the International Society for Coaching Psychology.