Review of 3rd Coaching Ecosystem panel discussion
Nicholas Wai
(27 Apr 2026)
It has been a rich and thought-provoking journey watching our Coaching Ecosystem series unfold over the past months. Together, we’ve explored the perspectives of internal and external coaches, executive coaching clients, HR/L&D leaders as sponsors of coaching, and most recently, coaching intermediaries who connect organisations with coaches.
The role of coaching intermediaries is often one of the least visible — and least understood — parts of the ecosystem. Thanks to the generosity and openness of our speakers, Dawn Isaac of Black Dog Consulting and Henry Chamberlain of HCC Global, participants gained a rare insider perspective into the critical work these intermediaries do behind the scenes.
From understanding client requirements and navigating legal and organisational considerations, to crafting the right development solutions and carefully matching coaches to business needs, coaching intermediaries play a vital role in ensuring coaching creates meaningful impact for both sponsors and coachees. The discussion also highlighted the importance of coaches understanding how to position, present, and partner effectively when opportunities arise within organisations.
There was a strong sense that participants left with a much deeper appreciation of the complexity, value, and strategic importance of this often-overlooked part of the coaching profession.
As we now prepare for the final session of the Coaching Ecosystem series — Rethinking Leader as Coach: From Skills to Mindset — we look forward to exploring another important dimension of the ecosystem: how coaching mindset and coaching culture take root inside organisations through leaders themselves on May 27.
Together, these conversations are helping us build a richer understanding of how the many parts of the coaching ecosystem interact to shape the future of coaching in organisations.