About US
At Paterson Consultancy, we help leaders and organisations navigate change, develop their people, and unlock growth – with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Founded by Barbara and Nick Paterson, we are a human-centred leadership and change consultancy. We combine deep experience with fresh thinking to support businesses through complexity, cultural transformation, and leadership transitions. Our approach is always shaped by your context, no jargon, no generic solutions.
We work with clients across professional services, global firms, scale-ups, and purpose-driven organisations. Our services span leadership development, executive coaching, team and talent performance, and organisational change advisory, underpinned by research, psychometrics, and emerging technologies such as AI-powered development tools.
At the heart of our work is partnership. We ask better questions, challenge with care, and tailor every solution to your people and goals. Whether you're developing first-time managers, strengthening your senior leadership bench, or shifting culture, we help you create sustainable progress that lasts.
Meet the team
Paterson Consultancy is led by Barbara and Nick Paterson. Together, we bring a generational partnership that blends seasoned experience with modern edge.
Barbara Paterson – Managing Director
Barbara is Managing Director of Paterson Consultancy Ltd and a Senior Associate with Berkshire Consultancy. She specialises in leadership and organisational development, executive career management, and adaptive leadership.
A highly experienced adviser, coach and facilitator, Barbara delivers over 200 hours of executive coaching each year and has worked internationally across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. She has led leadership programmes for clients in healthcare, government, financial services, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and emergency services.
Barbara holds a postgraduate specialist diploma in career coaching and is an accredited facilitator for life/work design programmes and World Class Teams (Planet K2). She is also Relate-trained in relationship counselling and an Associate Member of the EMCC.
Previously, Barbara led KPMG’s Career Consulting and Outplacement practice in the North of England and was a Senior Manager on the KPMG Consulting Faculty, designing and delivering consultant development programmes worldwide.
Her recent work includes co-designing and delivering leadership development for the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, the European Cyber Security Agency, and a pan-government leadership and talent programme for the UK Civil Service. She continues to support senior leaders in creating high-performance, inclusive and adaptive organisational cultures.
Nick Paterson – Principal Consultant
Nick is Principal Consultant at Paterson Consultancy Ltd, specialising in people transformation, leadership development, and organisational change. With over 20 years’ experience across professional, legal and technology sectors, he is a trusted adviser to boards and senior leadership teams navigating complex change agendas.
He has extensive experience leading major technology rollouts, managing complex employee relations matters, and negotiating with stakeholders in challenging environments. A recognised leader in new technology thinking, including the use of AI, Nick also designs and delivers learning and training initiatives across multiple sectors, helping organisations adapt to future ways of working.
Previously, Nick held senior leadership roles at Norton Rose Fulbright, Irwin Mitchell and SSP Worldwide, where he delivered strategic people programmes across EMEA, Asia-Pacific and the US. He began his career with Accenture, Aviva and Eversheds, working in HR consultancy and change management.
A Fellow of the CIPD with an MA in Personnel and Development and a BSc in Psychology, Nick is also accredited in MBTI and Hogan psychometrics. He combines strong project leadership skills with a creative approach to technology, innovation and people engagement.
Our Values
Ready to take the next step?
Whether you’re looking to develop leaders, strengthen your culture, or support employees with our digital tools, we’d love to start the conversation.