Audrey Daumain is a seasoned business transformation leader and certified executive coach with nearly two decades of experience as a Senior Program and Internal Communications Manager. With a diverse skill set, she excels in change management, digital and data program management, and leadership development. Renowned for her strategic acumen and adept team-building skills, Audrey is recognized as a proficient problem solver and people leader.
Drawing from her extensive experience, Audrey approaches challenges with a blend of strategic thinking and hands-on expertise. She leverages her understanding of cultural and operational nuances to navigate complex transformations, supporting CEOs and executive teams in steering organizations through periods of significant change.
Audrey recently conducted a 360 survey among colleagues, friends, and family, revealing a host of commendable qualities. Described as resourceful, organized, and inclusive, Audrey is also known for her humor, resilience, and fearlessness. She balances directness with mindfulness, inspiring trust and loyalty among those she works with.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Audrey finds fulfillment in her personal life. A devoted mother to two daughters and a loving wife, she cherishes time spent with family and friends. Known for her hospitality, Audrey frequently hosts dinner parties and organizes trips, fostering meaningful connections within her extensive social network. Mastering time management and prioritization has proven to be another unvaluable skill, as she refuses to compromise her balance in any way.
With a real zest for life and a commitment to excellence, Audrey embodies care, creativity, and unwavering determination.
Transitioning to Consulting and Coaching
Audrey’s journey is one of remarkable resilience and adaptability. Born and educated in France, she embarked on a three-week holiday to the UK in 1998, intending to spend time with her best friend in London. However, fate had other plans, as Audrey found herself drawn to the vibrant atmosphere of London and decided to make it her home for over 10 years.
During her time in London, Audrey carved out a successful career in the finance industry, holding various roles that honed her skills and expertise. In 2010, she made a significant move to Geneva, Switzerland, continuing her corporate journey while embracing new challenges and opportunities.
Audrey’s professional trajectory is marked by a series of impactful roles, showcasing her strategic thinking and leadership capabilities. As an Executive Director at Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild, she spearheaded change management initiatives, overseeing a transformation program impacting over 2,000 individuals across multiple locations. Her adept handling of complex challenges and her focus on organizational and cultural readiness for change underscored her effectiveness in driving successful outcomes.
Prior to her role at Edmond de Rothschild, Audrey held key positions at prominent financial institutions, including National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Barclays. Her responsibilities ranged from organizational design and internal communication strategies, and negotiating contracts to driving business transformation and overseeing front office operations.
Audrey’s journey took a profound turn in January 2020 when she faced a life-altering event—a horrific car crash that nearly claimed her life and tragically resulted in the loss of her mother. This pivotal moment prompted Audrey to reassess her priorities and make a bold decision—to transition from her corporate career to pursue her passion for executive coaching and business consulting.
In December 2020, Audrey founded her own strategic consulting and coaching business, leveraging her wealth of experience and insights to support organizations and executives navigating challenging change. With a deep understanding of cultural nuances and operational complexities, coupled with her technical expertise in digital and data transformation, Audrey empowers CEOs and their teams to lead successful and engaged organizations.
Her resilience, determination, and ability to turn adversity into opportunity serve as a testament to her indomitable spirit and true commitment to personal and professional growth.
Emphasis on Genuine Relationships
Audrey’s perspective on leadership and personal growth is deeply insightful and reflects a profound understanding of human dynamics. Her emphasis on listening, empathy, and the sharing of perspectives highlights her real passion to building extraordinary and genuine human connections.
By prioritizing care and self-love, Audrey recognizes the transformative power of compassion in leadership. She believes that true inspiration stems from a sincere dedication to causes larger than oneself, driven by a profound interest for others’ well-being. In her view, fear and guilt only serve to hinder personal and collective growth, underscoring the importance of cultivating a positive and nurturing environment where people can disagree, learn and grow together.
By elevating others and encouraging pride in their accomplishments, she advocates for a leadership style rooted in empowerment and authenticity.
Audrey challenges conventional notions of success by emphasizing the intrinsic value everything that is left unsaid. Understanding what people do not share, going beyond the surfacing words and actions means taking the time to unveil deeper intentions and manage to be more pertinent, more performant, more relevant in our actions.
Finding Joy in Work
Audrey’s journey to success highlights her dedication to delivering value to her clients while maintaining a strong sense of integrity and enjoyment in her work. Despite her rapid success, she remains grounded and prioritizes self-care as the foundation for her ability to serve others effectively.
As a solopreneur, Audrey recognizes the importance of investing in herself to sustain her capacity to support others. Self-awareness on her own needs and aspirations is absolutely key so she remains fulfilled, grounded and at the best of her availabilities to sustain a high level of service to her clients.
The joy Audrey finds in her work is evident in the moments when her clients experience a sense of breakthroughs and insights. Impacting people she works with, bringing concrete, tangible and sustainable solutions – and of course a smile to their face, brings her immense satisfaction and reaffirms the impact of her efforts.
Lean and Agile Approach to Business Operations
Audrey’s decision not to recruit additional staff so far aligns with her preference for maintaining a lean and agile operation while focusing on providing personalized service to her clients. Having led teams in the past she relies on her solid corporate experience to fuel her advisory consulting practice.
In selecting individuals to work with, Audrey values those who demonstrate genuine care for their work and ask insightful questions, showing a keen interest in understanding how they can contribute to and benefit from the collaboration. This approach fosters a culture of mutual respect and collaboration, where each member’s unique strengths and contributions are recognized and valued.
Coaching for Success
Audrey’s decision to leave her corporate job and embark on her own entrepreneurial journey represents one of the greatest risks she has taken professionally. However this leap has undeniably been a wonderful opportunity for personal growth, fulfillment, and the chance to make a broader impact. Today she works with clients in Switzerland, Paris, Austria, Singapore and the US.
In the next five years, Audrey envisions herself as a speaker, sharing her personal and professional story to inspire others, infuse positive energy and spread love and hope. She aims to use her experiences to motivate individuals to pursue their dreams and overcome obstacles, thus widening her impact beyond her immediate circle.
Additionally, Audrey hopes to carry on working closely with large family-owned businesses as a resident coach, offering her expertise in leadership development, strategic decision-making, and fostering a culture of care and integrity. By supporting these businesses on their growth journeys, Audrey aims to make meaningful contributions to their success while continuing to pursue her passions.
A Pathway to Leadership Excellence
Audrey’s advice to someone stepping into a leadership role for the first time is profound and insightful. She emphasizes the importance of humility, gratitude, efficient and discerning decision making and vision.
- Unlearn: Audrey encourages new leaders to let go of preconceived notions and ideas. By unlearning old habits and beliefs, leaders can create space for new perspectives and approaches.
- Remain humble: Humility is a key quality for effective leadership. By staying humble, leaders remain open to feedback, willing to admit mistakes, and encouraging others to share ideas and contribute to the collective success.
- Care to relearn: Continuous learning is essential for growth and adaptation. Audrey advises leaders to approach learning with care and intentionality, actively seeking out opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills and learn from the people they work with.
- Express gratitude: Gratitude fosters positive relationships and creates a culture of appreciation. Gratitude goes beyond saying thank you for someone’s efforts. It’s acknowledging people and honoring their decision to work for you. It’s understanding that our beliefs are most of time our biggest limitations, it’s willing to discover team members’ motivation levers and fears to create an environment fostering loyalty and morale – therefore ensuring top performance and success.
- Be bold and visionary: People need to be inspired and excited about their day to day just as much as they need to be trusted and considered. Audrey doesn’t believe in resilience if it rhymes with incredulity and disengagement and she wholeheartedly encourages leaders to balance their management style: on the one hand leveraging their experience and expertise, and the other approaching each situation with intentionality, integrity, care, self-awareness and a strong sense of purpose.
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