Our team brings together decades of experience developing leaders across New Zealand and around the world. Our backgrounds span executive coaching, leadership development, psychometric assessment, neuroscience, collaboration and organisational transformation, bringing a rich mix of perspectives, experience and expertise. What connects us is a shared passion for helping people grow, build confidence and create meaningful impact in their teams and organisations.
Sally Doherty (Sallyd2)
Sally has extensive experience partnering with executive leadership teams to align people strategy, leadership capability and culture with business priorities. She is known for her warm, practical and strategic approach to leadership development, talent management and organisational effectiveness, helping organisations navigate growth, change and transformation.
Her expertise spans leadership development, talent and succession planning, psychometric assessment, organisational development and executive coaching. Sally spent six years in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and has held senior People & Capability leadership roles in large corporate organisations and start-ups across Asia, Nigeria and New Zealand.
Sally Duxfield (sallyd1)
With 16 years as an operational military officer and more than 25 years developing leaders and high-performing teams, Sally brings a unique blend of discipline, challenge and human-centred leadership development. As our experiential facilitator based at the Arete Leadership Centre, she designs and delivers immersive leadership experiences tailored to the needs of each organisation and team.
Sally is passionate about the neuroscience of performance and what enables people to thrive under pressure. Drawing on insights from neuroscience, high-performance sport and leadership psychology, she helps leaders understand the habits, behaviours and thinking patterns that drive performance, resilience and sustainable success.
RICHARD WATKINS
Based in the United Kingdom, Richard Watkins is an executive coach, facilitator and collaboration specialist who helps leaders strengthen influence, navigate complexity and turn ideas into action. Drawing on experience across strategy, innovation and leadership development in more than 20 countries, Richard brings a practical global perspective and a naturally curious approach to leadership growth.
John Duxfield
John is an ex-RNZAF pilot based at the Arete Leadership Centre. John has worked in leadership and strategy roles over the course of his career. He is our go to facilitator when it calls for discussion on strategy and vulnerability. John is very handy and is utilised in his spare time on resident trades person and trouble shooter at Arete.
Mandy Davies
With extensive experience designing and delivering leadership and capability programmes across New Zealand, Australia and Asia, Mandy brings a strong understanding of leadership in diverse and globally connected environments. She is known for her warm, human-centred approach and her ability to create engaging learning experiences that build confidence, self-awareness and practical leadership capability.
Mandy is accredited in a range of psychometric and diagnostic tools, including emotional intelligence, strengths and values-based assessments. Drawing on positive psychology, strengths-based development and leadership coaching, she helps leaders better understand themselves, unlock their potential and create meaningful impact in their teams and organisations.
“Never doubt that a small band of committed citizens can change the world. It is the only thing that ever has.”