Colin Mercer

MY ROLE

Partner

I am part of the leadership consulting business, where we work with client organisations to identify, assess, develop and coach their people. I operate primarily in the professional services, financial services, manufacturing and private equity sectors, working with executive teams and main boards to enhance their effectiveness. Linked to this, I often assess management teams as part of pre-acquisition due diligence projects. Internally, I sit on the board at NSCG.

What experience and expertise do you bring to your role?: I have over 25 years’ consulting experience and have been privileged to work with, and learn from, a fantastic organisational client base. I have a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree (with distinction) in occupational psychology. I am a chartered psychologist and fully qualified in psychometrics. I have bought, built and sold a business. As a leader I therefore understand the excitement, the challenges, the responsibility and sometimes the loneliness that leadership entails.
What do you love the most about your job?: Ultimately, I enjoy helping people. Strangely, and perhaps ironically given my line of work, I only have realised this in the last couple of years. Prior to that I would have described ‘building the business’ as my favourite part of the job.
What do you enjoy outside of work? Any hobbies?: I am a keen angler. I love the problem-solving aspects – the need to adapt to continually changing conditions. I don’t relax easily and therefore like a hobby that absorbs me.

Cricket. I used to be a football fan, following my team home and away. But I lost faith in the modern game and turned to watching cricket instead. Any standard will do – village, county or international.

As a kid I dug up an old bottle. It was a rare one (“Warner’s Safe Kidney and Liver Cure”). This sparked a life-long interest in history and antiques, that I hope to return to before the end of my days.

Get in touch with Colin