I am a Global Executive Communication Coach & Mentor, who works with
C – Level Executives and high potential leaders to help them create positive permanent shifts in their leadership impact and the results they achieve. My engagements consist of working one-to-one with senior executives worldwide and with senior teams to help them co-act better and increase their executive visibility and impact as a team. I also work with executive remote teams to help them communicate effectively with their internal and external stakeholders and take the right actions to move forward faster capitalizing on their character strengths.
My coaching approach is enthusiastic, direct and creative! If I could use a phrase from one of my favorite movies “Avatar” that would be that “I see” people and my goal is to help them create their best action plan, in order for them to become their own raw models by leading a successful yet balanced life.
It is my honor and pleasure to recommend certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach, Avra Lyraki to leaders, future leaders and organizations who are striving for continuous greatness. I have worked with hundreds of executive coaches worldwide and Avra in my opinion is in the top % of outstanding coaches who combines incredible intellect, sensitivity, insight and passion that creates a powerful partnership with her clients. What an outstanding person and talent any organization/leader who makes the decision to work with her will be making a great decision and investment!
John Mattone,2017 Thinkers50 Leadership Award (former executive coach to the late Steve Jobs)
Avra is a very attentive listener and an attuned coach who listens carefully to one's needs and helps create solutions. Fantastic listening skills, great empathy and focus on result, as well as very innovative methods that she uses in her practice all focused on the client's goal - this is what sets Avra apart. Highly recommend
Evgenia Novikova, Manager of Learning & Development, Central Europe at McKinsey & Company
Avra thank you so much for working with me over the past year, it has been great having your support through the process of moving into the next phase of my career. You really are an expert at listening! It is very rare that you come across people with such a developed skill at listening. I have learned so much during the year and probably the most important lesson is the value of articulating my own thoughts. Hearing something out loud is a very powerful tool when processing your own thoughts and most of the time you can directly hear if it is a good or a bad idea and that is definitely something that I will put in my toolbox. Again, thank you so much for working with me, pushing me and always making sure I hold myself accountable!
C.O., International Controller, Twilio
Thank you Avra for the very fruitful partnership we’ve had over the last couple of months. I feel I have grown in a number of areas, it will surely take a lot more practice at my end to improve and groom myself into the role. Over the years as we grow in our professional space we forget a few basic elements. You taught me to smile more and reflected on the importance of a “smile” and how much more a smile can do to the face and voice, thank you Avra! Over the coaching session one of our focus areas was presentation and communication skills. I’ve now learned how to create a more welcoming opening note at a presentation, highlights to be included in the body of the session and closing the presentation.
S. K. Sourcing Specialist, VISA
It has been a fascinating learning experience for me under Avra's guidance and coaching the past 6 months. Avra helped me explore my strengths and get a much better understanding of where I am potentially over or under utilizing them. That knowledge gave me insight into exploring other ways of thinking about how I engage with people both professionally and personally. This has been a real "WoW" moment for me, and has enabled me to start thinking and engaging in a much more positive and productive manner with people. It is truly remarkable how Avra manages to unlock so much wisdom from within yourself, by simply guiding, coaching and supporting your own journey of self-discovery and change for the better. Thanks again for all the "Wow" moments Avra... It was an amazing experience!
G. E., Software Development Engineering Manager, Workday
Avra Lyraki was associated as my Cherie Blair Foundation mentor in the Mentoring Women in Business Plan. Avra nurtured my goals, reinforced my strength and affirmed my self-driven nature and artistic talents, giving me autonomous space to make discerning choices. She consistently nudged me towards the completion of my set goals with a positive influence. I found hert to have honorable leadership qualities, well-scheduled with our meetings, a good listener, solution oriented and focused on the implementation of our goals.Under her guidance and endorsement, I executed my painting website as my mainstream marketing tool (www.fariyazaeem.com). I was also encouraged to produce a new body of work for a solo exhibition and Avra was part of the painting journey. She also equipped me with good reading material for sharing knowledge and learnings. I find Avra to be a dynamic professional, caring and compassionate human with a good combination of sobriety and cheerfulness.
Fariya Zaeem, Head of Marketing, Soneri Bank
I have had the pleasure of cooperating with Dr. Avra Lyraki since November 2006 when I hired her as an instructor at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) of the American College of Greece – Deree College. Dr. Lyraki delivered successful seminars on Event Management, Interpersonal Relations and Professionalism, Marketing and Public Relations, Business Communications, Professional Public Relations, Personal Assistant Briefing, Customer Service and Life Coaching. Her student evaluations are consistently high at 4.5/5. Dr. Lyraki is an eloquent speaker and committed professional. She is very skilled at building rapport with an audience and engaging in her chosen topics. On a personal level, I find her to be dynamic, responsible, and intelligent.
Vicky Lambrou-Vassilakou, Former, Assistant Dean, School of Continuing & Professional Studies, The American College of Greece
For me, I have learnt from you to self-reflect and ask myself questions that I have never done before. My feedback for you is to continue to do what you do and I think who ever also have you as a coach are also in for a great ride and very fortunate.You are encouraging and help me find a way to balance work and being a mom and I will always be very grateful.
Margaret Y., Director, International Accounting, Warner Bros.
Dr. Avra is an experienced coach who worked with me over the course of many hours to help me deal with near term challenges that I was dealing with in my current role, as well as, helping me to prepare and develop for future endeavors and bigger strategic objectives of mine. Her knowledge and wisdom shines through in each and every interaction, and thanks to her I experienced many "a ha!" moments and breakthroughs that I was not able to achieve on my own. I highly recommend Dr. Avra as a coach and the value she will add to your career!
Brian. W. Staff Manager, IT Qualcomm
I have known Dr. Lyraki since 2006 as a professional and academic. I have always admired her professionalism, her reliability and her ability to deliver results effectively and efficiently within tight time-frames. She seeks continuous improvement, aiming always higher.On the interpersonal side, Dr. Lyraki has superior written and verbal communication skills. Her broad professional, as well as, academic skills and experience in Corporate Communications, Public Relations and Life Coaching make her an ideal asset for any company who is looking for a Corporate Communications leader.
G.K., Human Resources Leader, Central & Eastern Europe
Avra is a very active professional as well as, academic person, with excellent communication skills. She is extremely organized, can work independently and is able to follow through to ensure that the job gets done. She is committed to her goals and combines creativity with feasible planning and execution, in relation to the given resources, in order to deliver any given project. She builds excellent rapport with the people she has to cooperate with either locally or internationally.
Dr. Gregory Papanikos, Director, Athens Institute of Education & Research
Avra is undoubtedly a very competent Communications Professional, with a natural graciousness, extrovert style and fine sense of humor that are projecting and further enhancing her communication skills. These combined with hard work, self motivation, stamina, liveliness, creativity and resourcefulness, make Avra not only a very competent, but a very pleasant person to work with. Getting to know her better, I have come to understand and appreciate a rare combination of integrity, warmth, optimism, openness and self confidence.
E.P., Human Resources Director Telco
Avra is extremely responsible and attentive as an individual and as a coach. She is thorough in her attitude and if she decides to get something done -- you can bet it's going to happen. She is always reliable, professional and strategic in her approach.
Marianna Lead, MCC, ICF
These two simple words but these words mean a lot to me – “THANK YOU”! Thank you Avra, for the amazing coaching sessions. What I have worked with you the previous year, have been eye-opening - to say the least! I have learned a lot about myself! But I don’t want to talk about me that much! I would like to thank you for the time you have invested in me, your constant support (very valued, specially the really hard times). I am very thankful for the insightful questions you asked me, that two days and two months later I was still thinking about it! Thank you for the wisdom - that five months later I realized how valuable it has been! I do hope to work together with you again one point in my career! Then we have new topics and areas where I can develop. Thank you!
Ann K., Manager, EMEA Real Estate and Facilities, Twilio
Thank you for everything. The sessions have been helpful for me to learn more about myself and in the process I have been helpful to others as well. You have a very unique way of coaching. Thank you once again.
S.I. VP Planning and Forecasting Warner Bros
Thank you Dr.Avra for the wonderful and beneficial mentoring you gave to me. I enjoyed it immensely and from our weekly calls and we covered many topics! .. I have that inner confidence and will always be me in all I do. Thank you so much.
K.F.L. EMEA Director Home / Halo Fashion & Home Warner Bros. Entertainment
Dedicated, very good communicator, professional, with a sweet and delicate sense of humor, that is how I characterize Dr. Avra Lyraki. She was a key-note speaker at our event on social media. She appeared to be well immersed in the topic, had excellent contact with the public and explained the subject in a light and very pleasant way.
Celeste Neelen, Managing Director ARTISA, Academic&Art Retreat in Greece
I have known Mrs. Avra Lyraki and I have had the opportunity to assess her extraordinary abilities as she has worked as a collaborator in a project for business ethics. She has organizational abilities of a very high standard and her help has been invaluable. Avra is trustworthy, solid, flexible, an excellent personality.
Anthony Gortzis, Ex-President of the World Federation in Advertising
Dr. Lyraki is a resourceful, creative, and solution-oriented person who was frequently able to come up with new and innovative approaches to assigned projects. She is highly respected, as both a person and a professional.
Ellie Melahroinidou, Marketing Director, Hellenic Football Federation
Avra is a very energetic person, committed to excellent delivery and great creative solutions. Working with her has been a pleasure and I have enjoyed the punctuality and reliability that goes along with her passion for her work. Highly recommended!
Vasso Chalioti, Account Manager at M&C SAATCHI MENA
Avra is a wonderful person. So difficult to find nowadays, so easy to approach... Really very good mentor. Skills? Empathy, strong insight, wisdom. It's a privilege to know her and I strongly recommend her services. Life Self Coaching initiative is what all of us need to advance successfully his life .... for good!"
CEO, lifeshare.gr
Thank you for coaching me over the last 6 months. Your coaching was a unique and valuable experience. You helped me self-examine, become more self-aware, clarify my communication and develop strategies that have built team spirit, improved company performance and morale in a time of high growth. We began the process with my frustration over data collection and its importance. The new data collection process has been highly successful with employees engaged in making ongoing improvement. Thank you for encouraging me to develop new, less complex systems, to harness my impatience for results, to stretch my potential and to engage employees in practical solutions. I recommend you without reservation! Your parting words: “What would my coach ask me?” and “always be clear” will make me smile and act positively when challenges and opportunities arise. Thanks again to Avra!
Martha W., Executive Director, AAA Fair Credit Foundation
I was fortunate to link up with Dr. Avra. She continually challenged me on how I could work with my team to move in a positive direction. She was extremely helpful in and during transition and organizational changes that occurred during our time together.
Gregory H. Director, Enterprise Data Governance Office American Express
Avra through her coaching has helped me enhance my Leadership skills and grow both professionally and personally. She asked the deeper questions that helped me discover myself more and elevate my self-awareness, this has led me to continue to focus on my strengths and work on my opportunities in a steady manner. Furthermore, the coaching practice through it short reads and concise audio-video tools, I was able to relate better on the developmental items. Thank you Avra!
Pankaj P. Director, Credit Operations American Express
The coaching experience was invaluable for me. Our sessions with Avra allowed me to reflect on my long term goals and recognize the value to a balanced approach when considering goals for my career and home life. This new perspective will have a long term benefit for me and my family.
David C. Director - Enterprise Risk Management and Risk Oversight American Express
It's been a real pleasure working with you! The conversations we had during this coaching journey has helped me channel my thoughts in the right direction. I look back at this journey with a sense of accomplishment and gaining more clarity in the direction that I want to move towards. I now have a conscious outlook on my management style, listening skills and general structure towards professional conversations. Thanks a lot for your time!
Madhu K. K., Manager – Sales Engineering, AppDynamics
Avra is a communications powerhouse. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to learn from Avra on how to improve my communications skills. She breaks down any situation into smaller, pieces that I can understand better. Then she gives me tons of tips and guidance. In the end, I always leave our sessions feeling enlightened and inspired. Avra always listens patiently and provides good feedback. Working with Avra has certainly made me a better communicator.
Kavindra P. Manager - Technical Communications, Dolby
I highly recommend your services! I have to say I found it hard in the beginning, but you made me feel at ease allowing me to relax, open up, reflect more and really take time to focus my observations on myself and how I was interacting with others. I’ve learned so much in a short space of time and that is credit to your technique and compassion. You have a wealth of knowledge and an amazing ability to share insight in a very engaging way. I’ve truly enjoyed working with you and seeing some outstanding results.I genuinely feel that I’m enjoying my roles even more than ever and it’s becoming easier every day, THANK YOU!
Gareth R. - Director Solution Engineering EMEA, Okta
Avra thank you for the great experience provided to me within our communication coaching journey. You as a communication role model made want to become conscious of what I say and how. You possess great deal of the information on various communication aspects all of the examples that you shared in our sessions enhanced the learning process, so my proposal would be, please, share more things from your personal success stories and your clients as well.
Anna D. - Regional DIM Manager EE & MEA, PMI
I would like to thank you for our communication sessions! I now remember to control the tone, slow down speaking, concentrate on key messages, but what was key finding for me was the executive presence. The self-assessments you shared with me, gave me additional food for thought on how I can become more impactful in my communication! Thank you!
Agata S. - Head of Procurement Center of Excellence, PMI
I have really enjoyed the time with you and even though we might have not spoken so many times, I really valued your coaching as I have learned a lot in that time!
Mira P. - Director, Recruiting at Salesforce
I’d like to admit this was the most successful coaching experience I have ever had. I am grateful to you for each of our session. I will miss them in the future, so I plan to resume our connection after a while. We easily found a common language that ensured an open discussion on difficult topics. Your support and right guidance gave me more confidence in crucial conversations. I received particular instructions from Avra on how to improve my presentation skills. Thank you for enhancing my decks and for a number of rehearsals we did in preparation for important meetings. In my current work from home environment I faced new challenges in team management. You gave me specific advice that certainly led to a productive collaboration. As an outcome my team achieved annual targets and provided favourable feedbacks on virtual collaboration! You were getting quickly at the roots of any issues I raised thanks to your extensive experience in multinational companies and people management It was a pleasure to communicate with you. Thank you for your straightforwardness and tact, flexibility and accuracy, knowledge and skills generously shared with me during our mentoring collaboration!
Valentina D. - Head of Controllership, VISA
Avra is an excellent coach. I'm very grateful for her dedication to my success!
I.A. Assistant Director, Northwestern Mutual
It's been a great pleasure and honour for me to get acquainted with you and have our sessions. All of them have been very effective and I consider them a great investment in my professional growth. I appreciate the fact that you planned all our sessions according to my needs, came very well prepared and provided lots of extra material I can study on my own. Thank you for sharing with me your own examples, guiding me with very insightful questions through my own experience and making everything very easy to understand and most importantly to practice. You are a great listener and a nice person by nature that anyone would love to have as a coach. Thank you very much for your support,
E. D., Senior Partner Operations Manager for Russia & CIS, Cisco Russia
I learned a lot from your candid and straightforward approach. You have left me with some key principles of communication, which consistently came out of our coaching sessions, and can be applied across many different scenarios, be that presenting to senior leaders or having day to day dialogue with my team and colleagues. I valued the fact that you have worked in large corporates so understand the dynamics of these orgs and how things work. I also enjoyed your wry humour and openness to many different types of challenge. I’ve already shared many of the things I learned from you, with my team – simplicity is power being one of the key ones.
E.S., Head of SME - Visa Business Solutions Europe
Working with Avra has been a life-changing experience. Avra was able to give me very honest feedback on my communication style and skills and work with me through every aspect that required improvement. Avra is a fantastic person and her coaching style is very authentic, direct, empathetic and empowering which was a perfect and very efficient combination. As a professional with a primarily technical background, I was able to find my own authentic presentation and communication style, improve storytelling and just feel more confident when delivering important messaging at work and in personal life. Moreover I've received great feedback externally on my improved communication skills which is a testament to Avra's coaching skills!
Anastasia L., Global Partner Lead, Google
Avra is an excellent coach and mentor, She is supportive, insightful and her distinctive presence helps build your own coaching presence, a pre-requisite for self –development and for developing your coachees. She helped me clarify my thinking around some key issues I was working on, enabling me to move forward to confidence and certainty as a coach. Thank you, Avra!
Advisor Bank of Greece
I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Avra for two years. Avra has a light touch and an easy-going manner, but don’t be fooled: she is ruthlessly focused on helping you discover and inhabit the life and goals you want to achieve. She is patient, intuitive, and has an arsenal of resources to call from that helps(ed) focus the right kind of energy where it needs it to be. Her experience in the corporate world substantiates her recommendations and ultimately made for very enjoyable sessions and outcomes that I will carry for the rest of my career.
Mohammad Almarzooqi, Senior Vice President Human Capital, Mubadala
I would like to thank you for your candid feedback on my communication style and for sharing tips on communication strategies. Typically, I wouldn’t have spent as much time and effort into building my personal brand but with our coaching engagement, I have been able to give this important area the time and attention that it deserves. I appreciate your direct style of conversation and attention to detail. So glad that I chose you to be my communication coach! Keep up the great work! I’m sure many others will benefit from your coaching like I did 🙂
Ankitα A., Employee Success Business Partner, Salesforce
I wanted to say a massive thank you for being on the journey with me and for coaching me. You saw me during good times and also the time when my promotion did not come through and I also ended up reporting to a boss I did not get along. During the coaching you helped me uncover the ways I could build a better relationship with my boss and also help her get her promotion so she could help me get mine. AND that day has arrived and I am now promoted to be a Director. Woohoo.......! I finally reached a milestone, which could not have been possible without you. It has been a transformational coaching. Sincerely THANK YOU!
Veena A., Director, Leading EMEA Inside Pre Sales, ServiceNow
I appreciated the fact that you have a strong method and knowledge. It's clear that you know what you are doing and that you can tailor it accordingly to the person (or the topic/situation). Even if I did not have clear ideas you have challenged me in order to achieve results and improve. I liked the fact that you've built a sort of path by touching different topics and that you've provided me with different inputs. To conclude, I have only positive feedback and the only negative thing is that it's over!
Marco S., Finance & Tax Manager, Just Eat
The communication coaching sessions with Avra were extremely helpful to bring clarity on my future next steps. Avra is very knowledgeable in her field and I felt I was in good hands to state in full transparency the situation in which I was so we could work on solutions to go the extra mile to reach the goals I wanted to achieve. Her advice was very useful to define my elevator speech, improve my resume, LinkedIn profile and prepared me well for interviews but most importantly she gave me the confidence that I could take back control of my career path. I appreciated her direct and caring coaching style.
Nha-Thi L., Global Digital Platforms and Content Strategy Manger, Philip Morris International
Avra was my coach for over a year and through her guidance I was able to get promoted twice, negotiate effectively and hone in on the skills I excel at and need to improve. She provides direct feedback with tactical tips to overcome interpersonal issues at the workplace, negotiate, master interviews, deliver powerful presentations and influence others. In addition, when I first met Avra I was a new mom of two kids and integrating back to the workplace environment was very challenging. Avra guided me both personally and professionally to excel at juggling the role of being a mom and being successful in the office. I highly recommend Avra, if you are struggling to get to the next level or just through a transition period to reach out to her. I consider her to not only be a coach but also a great mentor.
Bhavisha P.M. Senior Vice President, Mutual of America Financial Group
I sincerely appreciate your guidance and tips on how to build my brand and improve my confidence in the professional space. I'm super excited for what the future holds and I know with the knowledge gained, I will be able to show up as a better person!
M.K., Market Specialist, WhatsApp
We worked together and you coached me a lot around salary negotiation. The moment finally came and I applied ALL the advice and tricks you gave me. Glad to say I nailed it. !!!! They increased it and it was a powerful moment for me to recognize my value, while showing my director that I’m a valuable asset to his team that he doesn’t want to lose. It was magic !!! Thank YOU Avra! I wish everyone could have the opportunity to have a communications coach like YOU. You are amazing!
N.V., Customer Success Manager - Global Culture, Diversity and Belonging Lead for CCS, Autodesk
What I appreciated the most over the time working with you was your candid, straightforward approach and genuine willingness to help me. Immediately, I felt that you are very experienced in communication skills including interviewing skills - an area that I wanted to improve. I loved that you were helping me to build on my strengths, as well as, make corrections where necessary. The time of the sessions were always spent very efficiently and I appreciated the broad range of resources that you shared.
T.A., Human Resources Executive, BP
I'd like to thank you for all your help. You have made a massive difference to me and how I approach things, not just presentations, but also tackling some of my demons. You were always fair, open and honest. Thanks for everything!
Martin B. Chief Product and Technology Officer
