Citizen of the World
A mixture of several nationalities, I pride myself in being a citizen of the world and learning to change with change. Growing up in the UK, I found myself educated with two sets of value systems: one based on my external environment and one based on my home environment, which was rooted strongly in Persian culture. This created internal conflicts and I did not always know how to best navigate the contrasts. I felt a strong need to reflect, to go deep in order to get to know myself and this was the start of my personal journey. Switzerland provided me with the best neutral ground to cultivate self-awareness, leverage diversity and evaluate my personal generalized assumptions in order to unlearn engrained habits.
Corporate Career
With more than 20 years of progressive, corporate experience across the value chain in the pharma industry, I have solid experience of working across a wide range of functions within a cross-cultural fast-paced matrix environment set in a global political landscape. Starting at the bench as a Microbiologist in Consumer Healthcare, I have worked across the value chain in drug development from pre-clinical phase, clinical study management to commercial life cycle management and operational management. Understanding the industry language, sphere of influence, behaviours and challenges that leaders face in particular in face of ongoing changes, enables me to align my coaching style with your particular needs.
See my professional career on LinkedIn
Education
BSc Hons Applied Biology, MSc Biomedical Sciences, MBA Business Administration & Management
Coaching Certifications
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World’s most recognizable coaching certification issued by International Coaching Federation (ICF). This certification is issued to coaches with 125+ hours of education and 500+ hours of coaching and commits the dedication to upholding strong principles of ethical behaviour in coaching.
Awarded Nov 2022
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Worldwide gold standard to demonstrate in the discipline of team coaching. THE ICF ACTC illustrates that the individual has met rigorous requirements for team coaching education and experience, engages in guided reflective practice and has passed an independent team coaching certification exam.
This credential validates advanced capability in:
Coaching the team as a system, not just as a sum of individuals
Differentiating true team coaching from facilitation or consulting
Holding space for difficult conversations and hidden dynamics
Structuring coaching partnerships that drive measurable results
Navigating complex dynamics and power structures with clarity
Strengthening team resilience, collaboration, and strategic focus
Turning senior teams into collaborative forces for impact and change
Enabling sustained transformation — not just temporary performance boosts
Awarded June 2025
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Gestalt is all about how we engage & adapt in life from moment to moment, to a constantly changing world. It taps into a creative coaching approach, working cognitively, behaviourally and emotionally to help you accept yourself - leading effortlessly to change in an organic way. Between the two polarities of black and white you simply find YOUR shades of grey and consequently learn how to modulate your response depending on what serves you best TODAY.
ICF Accredited Coaching (Level 2)
Award Level - Merit
Trainer: Author of the Fertile Void, John Leary-Joyace. AoEC (Academy of Executive Coaching)
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Focuses on how to consciously and intentionally help teams and team members to integrate new practices and desired behaviours, over time.
The course uses the concept of “use of self” as an instrument of change. It emphasises the coach’s role in shaping team outcomes & how their beliefs and stance influence their coaching style and interventions within the team. It further includes:
Contracting and psychological safety
Groups vs teams
What team coaching is and how it differs from other interventions
Different ways of intervening as a team coach
The process of team coaching and stages over time
Gauging engagement and readiness for team coaching
Awarded: 30 CCEUs by the ICF. Accredited award Team Coach Training (AATCT) certificate by the Association for Coaching (AC)
Trainer: Georgina Woudstra - Founder of TeamCoaching Studio
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Psychology-based Life Coach Certification Trainings blending Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP), International Coach Federation ICF Competencies, and Inner Dynamic Parts Work.
ACTP Accredited Coach Training Programme (ICF level 2)
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Mental health coaching (MHC) is a type of life coaching that specializes in non-clinical mental health issues. The coaching ventures deeper into transformative inner work through the use of Inner Dynamics, i.e how to relate to the various parts of your personality.
While long-standing mental disorders require the help of a psychiatrist or counselor, many common emotional states (i.e. anxiety) interfere with the quality of our lives. Mental health coaching may help with goals, accountability, strategies for success and to overcome common obstacles in the way of success.
Trainer: Mike Bundrant, ACTP ICF Accredited Coach Training
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Understanding the nature of coaching as an effective tool for personal development. A focus on coaching processes and techniques, together with the theories that underpin them.
Awarded the Accredited Certificate in Coaching Training (ACCT) status.
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Certified to perform and debrief in Leadership Circle Profile™, which integrates the Field of Leadership with the most comprehensive 360° Leadership Assessment.
Certified to conduct and debrief in Collective Leadership Assessment™ (CLA), which delivers a powerful litmus test of collective leadership effectiveness for teams or entire organisations.
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An understanding of the agile mindset, values, principles, and foundational concepts. Grounded in what it means to "be agile while doing agile" and achieve organisational agility without specific focus on any single agile methodology or framework (i.e., Scrum, Kanban, XP, DSDM, SAFe, etc.)
ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP) Certificate.
Co-creating Solution
With ever-growing options in a fast-paced environment, focus is essential and time a luxury. I believe coaching provides the playground to reflect and understand one’s own character realistically in order to know and attain ones goals. Such a focused interaction advocates sustainable change that would benefit you and in turn your network.
My aim is to empower you to find your unique solution to the complexities you might be facing in your personal and professional life. Together, as we go through the coaching process, I will act as the catalyst and you will be the driver determining the margins you want to play & change what you want to change.
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My curiosity is my greatest asset & I strongly believe that the right mindset and attitude can lead to personal empowerment and development of effective change. Coaching is a personal journey that I am thoroughly enjoying.
It is a privilege to listen to you and to act as your thinking partner. In a world, constrained by judgements and interpretations of right & wrongs, personal freedom is a commodity.
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Let’s imagine that we agree change is the only constant. We accept and respect individual uniqueness and agree that all cultures are valuable. We identify your unique strengths and individual values, which are the roots and often the brokerage unit that bridges your internal and external world.
With a positive mindset and mutual trust, you have the opportunity to reflect, evaluate, share real insights and explore the motivators in choosing your destination based on your capabilities, needs and skills set. Experience taught me it is a matter of ones mindset and authentic courageousness to honor ones values leading to finding our unique identity.
Ultimately, we are what we choose to be.
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My name, Parastou, is a Persian name.
Parastou is a bird that symbolizes the return of spring and new beginnings. They represent hope, strength and freedom. A bird has much in common with coaching principles – open your wings, let go of your worries to free your inner resources and focus on the best version of yourself.