ABOUTÂ ME
I founded Hooper Rees to work with leaders who are serious about change. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of coaching senior executives, founders, and leadership teams across industries and around the world. What I’ve learned is that the challenges leaders face are rarely about strategy or technical skill. They are about people — how we relate to others, and how we relate to ourselves.
My approach draws on the latest neuroscience and the development of emotional intelligence. I help leaders uncover the hidden patterns that drive their decisions, shape their relationships, and ultimately define their leadership. This isn’t about quick fixes. Real growth requires time, reflection, and commitment. That’s why my work is long-term, typically over six to twelve months, and deeply personal.
Leaders often come to me at a point of transition — when what got them here won’t get them there. They may feel the pressure of responsibility, the weight of decisions, or a sense that something needs to shift but without knowing exactly how. Together, we create the space to explore those challenges, identify blind spots, and build new ways of leading that are both authentic and sustainable.
At the heart of my work is trust. Coaching only works when both sides are willing to be open, honest, and intentional. I hold that responsibility carefully, and I expect the same from the leaders I work with. The result is a partnership that challenges, supports, and ultimately transforms.Â
My Journey
Before becoming a coach, I spent 16 years in corporate finance. On paper, it was a successful career. In reality, I always knew it wasn’t the path I truly wanted to be on. There were aspects of the work I enjoyed and did well, but there was always a “but” — a sense that something essential was missing.
The turning point came when I became a father. That moment of responsibility forced me to look honestly at my life. I realised I was on a path I didn’t want, yet I didn’t have the tools or the inner resources to make a change. Looking back now, I can see that what I lacked wasn’t intelligence or experience — it was emotional intelligence. And that’s true for many leaders I work with today: we can succeed outwardly, while inwardly struggling to align with what really matters.
Learning to develop my own emotional intelligence was the hardest, and most important, work I’ve done. What I first saw as failure became the foundation for everything that followed. It gave me the courage and strength to redirect my life toward the work I had always been drawn to: psychology, human behaviour, and the inner life of leadership.
Outside of coaching, the role that grounds me most is being a father. I see it as an ongoing practice, much like going to the gym: never finished, always evolving. My two daughters teach me every day about patience, presence, and growth. Family life is balanced with two Labradors, Winnie and her brother, who make sure I start each morning with fresh air and a walk across the farm where I live in the southwest of England. After a 20-year break, I’ve also rediscovered the joy of playing team sport — another reminder of the value of connection and trust.
Trust is one of my deepest values. It is central to my work and to my life. Coaching is only possible when trust flows both ways. While my clients must trust me, I also have to trust them. I don’t bring judgment into the coaching relationship — something I had to learn and change in myself over time. Instead, I create the space where trust can be built, where growth is possible, and where leaders can find the courage to change.
