About

Olga Valadon

I’m the founder of Change Aligned and a leading voice on how emotion drives execution. As a trusted advisor to global organisations for 30 years, I help leaders turn emotional intelligence into a measurable performance advantage.

My core belief that strategy executes at the speed of emotion™ has reshaped how organisations approach culture, leadership, and change. Through my proprietary Change Aligned^® SPEED Framework^TM, I translate emotion from a “soft skill” into a hard business lever, revealing how it impacts costs, speed, risk, and growth.

Known for my sharp insight and calm authority, I work with boards, executive teams, and senior leaders to build emotional fluency, strengthen trust, enhance psychological safety, and design the emotional systems that get work done.

Before founding Change Aligned, I spent eight years at Deloitte, primarily as Chief of Staff, partnering with leadership to drive strategic initiatives and deliver tangible results. In financial services, I led multicultural teams and large-scale projects for two decades, working with senior leaders up to board level. I also bring experience from the non-profit sector, where I supported executives in strategic planning, culture development, and team building, and served on the board of the University of Cambridge Primary School.

My keynotes and programmes bridge the gap between strategy and people, blending neuroscience, psychology, and organisational dynamics into practical, results-driven tools.

My clients describe me as “the voice of emotion in business” and for good reason: I help leaders move from awareness to action, and from emotion to execution.

My insights have been featured in media such as Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, and I am a speaker at universities and conferences around the world.

I am accredited from the International Coaching Federation, a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership, and a certified partner of EBW (Business EQ). I was recognised as a UK Top 50 Female Leader by Santander in 2026 (SW 2026).

Qualifications & Accreditations

Certified TTISI EQ Consultant, TTI Success Insights Benelux
EBW Psychometric Certificate Emotions and Behaviours at work Team Assessment and report system, EBW Global – Business Emotional Intelligence Assessments
EBW Psychometric Certificate Emotions and Behaviours at Work Assessment and Report (Advanced) System, EBW Global – Business Emotional Intelligence Assessments
OKR Certified Coach, Results Foundry at WorkBoard
LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Methodology Facilitator, Serious Play Business
Bridging the Gap between Strategy Design and Delivery, Brightline Initiative
Certificate for Agile Leadership Principles and Practices, University System of Maryland
Building the Transformational Company Certification Program, Strategy Tools
The School for Change Agents, NHS Leadership Academy
Professional Speaker Accelerator for Women, Shine Bootcamp
Strategy Tools Global Coaches Certification program, Strategy Tools
Foundations Certified Coach, Global Team Coaching Institute (GTCI)
Associate Certified Coach (ACC), International Coaching Federation
Strategy Implementation Professional, APMG International
Certified Practitioner of The Emotional Culture Deck, Elephant Rider
ILM Level 5 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring in Management, The Institute of Leadership
Deloitte Facilitator Excellence

Trustee & Board Advisor

Volunteering

Board Trustee, BelEve

I’m truly passionate about supporting and mentoring future female leaders. BelEve’s mission is to empower girls and young women to become confident, resilient, and compassionate leaders who shape the future.

Board Advisor, Equal Employer®

Thrilled to be a part of the remarkable journey at Equal Employer®️ as a member of the Advisory Board. This isn’t just about changing the hiring landscape; it’s about rewriting the rules and demolishing biases to redefine what’s achievable.