Carolann Edwards OBE

Carolann Edwards is experienced in advising, training, coaching and mentoring Senior Executives (including C-Suite) and staff in organisations from a range of sectors including banking, insurance, oil & gas, power generation, commodity trading, property, media, conservation and healthcare. She spent 19 years at Norton Rose Fulbright, and as Global Director of Learning and Organisational Development, she successfully designed, implemented and maintained a global learning and development strategy across 8 merged firms. She also developed a suite of programmes for inhouse lawyers from the firm’s most prestigious clients. Before that, she was Head of Business Development at the Finance & Leasing Association and Head of Consultancy for an education consulting business.

Carolann is an award-winning course designer. A talent management and development programme she designed helped to double female partner numbers at Norton Rose Fulbright and won the Best Coaching Programme and Best Leadership Programme awards from the Training Journal. Carolann also designed and ran similar programmes for people of colour/BAME lawyers from the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and South Africa.

Carolann has an MBA from the University of Warwick and an MA from the University of London. She is also a Meyler Campbell trained executive coach. Her leadership, strategy design, and implementation work has won a range of awards, including the MPF (Managing Partners’ Forum) Best Collaboration Across the Management Team, Law Society – Excellence in Learning & Development, and Stevie Human Resources Executive of the Year. She is also on the Powerlist of Britain’s most Influential People of African and African Caribbean Heritage. She was named the BBBA (Black British Business Awards) Professional Services Leader of the Year and was awarded an OBE for Services to Disadvantaged People in the UK and South Africa in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2020.

Carolann provides coaching to women looking to secure work with the help of SmartWorks. She is also an independent fee-paid member of the Judicial Appointments Commission, England and Wales and is currently the MD of Workplace Psychology and Head of Division of Programmes, Workshops and Consultancy at Ossian Thomas.