About Melissa

From Real Leadership Experience to Professional Coaching
Close-up portrait of a smiling woman with dark brown hair styled back, wearing a navy blazer and a white top, against a dark gray background.

“I help professionals, leaders and organisations navigate growth, change and transition with greater clarity, confidence and impact.”

Stylized text of the name Melissa Dadakardes in cursive script.

My coaching is grounded in over 16 years of commercial leadership experience across globally recognised organisations including The Economist, the Financial Times and Salesforce. Having led teams, developed commercial strategy, driven business growth and supported organisational transformation, I understand the complexity of leadership, career transitions and high-stakes decision-making because I've lived it myself.

I believe that with the right space to think, reflect and challenge assumptions, people can make better decisions, unlock their strengths and move forward with greater purpose. Throughout my corporate career, one pattern became increasingly clear:

The biggest challenges people face are rarely a lack of capability, knowledge or experience. More often, they stem from a lack of clarity, confidence, perspective or the space to think.

Whether you're leading others, navigating change or considering what's next, the ability to pause, reflect and make thoughtful decisions becomes critical.

That's where coaching can help.

By creating a dedicated space for reflection, challenge and meaningful conversation, coaching helps people gain clarity, build confidence and move forward with greater purpose and direction.

As AI and technology continue to reshape the workplace, human capabilities such as self-awareness, communication, judgement, adaptability and leadership have become more important than ever. These are the capabilities coaching helps strengthen.

Education & Credentials

MSc Management & Finance 2008 
University of Bath, Bath, UK

BSc Economics and International Development 2007
University of Bath, Bath, UK

Certificate in Investment Management 2013
CFA Society, London

High Impact Leadership Programme Certificate 2018
IE Business School, Madrid

My approach

My coaching approach is practical, structured and tailored to the individual.

Rather than providing answers or advice, I work alongside clients to help them explore challenges, uncover new perspectives and identify actions that align with their goals, values and circumstances.

Every coaching journey is different, but the focus remains the same:

Clarity

Creating space to think clearly, explore options and make confident decisions.

Building Confidence

Strengthening confidence, resilience and the ability to navigate challenges and uncertainty.

Leadership Capability

Helping individuals lead
with greater self-awareness, impact and authenticity.

Supporting Progress

Translating insights into action and creating lasting progress aligned with personal and professional goals.

Ready to Get Started?