BIO:
THE PROFESSIONAL – THE MUM OF THREE – THE CHALLENGE SEEKER
At work, I am a focused and driven professional. Beyond my professional life, I take pride in being a devoted mother of three, juggling, as many of us do, the roles of a dedicated taxi driver and a passionate cheerleader for all their endeavours! Additionally, I thrive on seeking both mental and physical challenges, embracing them as opportunities for growth and personal development. I intimately understand the imperative need to strike the right balance in life, recognising that this equilibrium is unique for everyone.
The Professional
THE EXECUTIVE COACH AND PERFORMANCE PARTNER
I work with senior leaders operating in high-pressure, high-accountability environments. With over 2,000 hours of executive coaching delivered internationally, my work focuses on decision-making, leadership communication, and sustained performance when demands are high and margins for error are low. I am also the author and podcast host of ‘BALANCING ACT – Mastering Work, Wealth and Wellbeing’, a body of work grounded in real executive experience rather than theory. It reflects the same focus that underpins my coaching: aligning commercial performance with personal resilience across work, wealth, and wellbeing. My approach integrates emotional intelligence, skilled communication, and resilience as practical leadership capabilities – applied directly to board-level conversations, senior team dynamics, and individual performance.
THE LEADER, TRAINER AND EDUCATOR
I am an International Trainer working with organisations and institutions across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. Alongside my coaching practice, I am Co-Founder and Managing Director of Illuminare Executive Education, where I lead the strategic design and delivery of senior-level executive and postgraduate programmes. Through Illuminare, I have developed a Master’s-level Postgraduate Diploma with structured pathways approved for entry into the final project stage of multiple UK University MBA programmes. This work reflects my current focus: creating education that is credible, commercially relevant, and designed for experienced professionals who need learning that translates into action. I bring over 18 years of senior leadership experience within Higher Education, with responsibility for programme design, validation, quality assurance, and international delivery. This background allows me to connect executive practice with academic rigour in a way that works in real organisations.
CORPORATE EXPERIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY
Beyond education, I have founded and led businesses across executive coaching, leadership development, corporate wellbeing, and training. I work with organisations across sectors including finance and investment, engineering, IT, energy, hospitality, education, and elite performance environments. My work spans the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, delivering coaching and training to senior teams operating across borders and cultures. I am experienced in working with complex organisations where leadership, performance, and people strategy need to align quickly and effectively. The value I bring is practical and strategic: clear thinking, strong leadership capability, and performance that holds under pressure.
The Professional
THE EXECUTIVE COACH AND PERFORMANCE PARTNER
I work with senior leaders operating in high-pressure, high-accountability environments. With over 2,000 hours of executive coaching delivered internationally, my work focuses on decision-making, leadership communication, and sustained performance when demands are high and margins for error are low. I am also the author and podcast host of ‘BALANCING ACT – Mastering Work, Wealth and Wellbeing’, a body of work grounded in real executive experience rather than theory. It reflects the same focus that underpins my coaching: aligning commercial performance with personal resilience across work, wealth, and wellbeing. My approach integrates emotional intelligence, skilled communication, and resilience as practical leadership capabilities – applied directly to board-level conversations, senior team dynamics, and individual performance.
THE LEADER, TRAINER AND EDUCATOR
I am an International Trainer working with organisations and institutions across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. Alongside my coaching practice, I am Co-Founder and Managing Director of Illuminare Executive Education, where I lead the strategic design and delivery of senior-level executive and postgraduate programmes. Through Illuminare, I have developed a Master’s-level Postgraduate Diploma with structured pathways approved for entry into the final project stage of multiple UK University MBA programmes. This work reflects my current focus: creating education that is credible, commercially relevant, and designed for experienced professionals who need learning that translates into action. I bring over 18 years of senior leadership experience within Higher Education, with responsibility for programme design, validation, quality assurance, and international delivery. This background allows me to connect executive practice with academic rigour in a way that works in real organisations.
CORPORATE EXPERIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY
Beyond education, I have founded and led businesses across executive coaching, leadership development, corporate wellbeing, and training. I work with organisations across sectors including finance and investment, engineering, IT, energy, hospitality, education, and elite performance environments. My work spans the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, delivering coaching and training to senior teams operating across borders and cultures. I am experienced in working with complex organisations where leadership, performance, and people strategy need to align quickly and effectively. The value I bring is practical and strategic: clear thinking, strong leadership capability, and performance that holds under pressure.
The Mum of Three
Beyond my professional commitments, I take immense pride in being a devoted mum to three incredible children. Juggling the demands of a dynamic career with the joys of motherhood has proven to be both challenging and rewarding. As a mum, my passion lies in guiding and supporting my children’s journey, fostering their life skills, developing their resilience and creating opportunities that open doors to new and varied experiences. They inspire me daily, motivating me to strike a harmonious balance between professional growth and personal well-being, to learn from failure, and to keep the journey moving forward.
The Mum of Three
Beyond my professional commitments, I take immense pride in being a devoted mum to three incredible children. Juggling the demands of a dynamic career with the joys of motherhood has proven to be both challenging and rewarding. As a mum, my passion lies in guiding and supporting my children’s journey, fostering their life skills, developing their resilience, and creating opportunities that open doors to new and varied experiences. They inspire me daily, motivating me to strike a harmonious balance between professional growth and personal well-being, to learn from failure, and to keep the journey moving forward.
The Challenge Seeker!
Thriving on a life fuelled by adrenaline and relentless challenge, I’ve always sought out ways to test both mental and physical resilience. From a daring bungee jump at 13 to a fearless first skydive at 16, wing-walking, running the London Marathon, cycling from Edinburgh to London, and completing four 100km continuous ultra-challenges, each experience has pushed me further, redefining what I thought possible.
One of the toughest challenges came when I tackled the Welsh 3000s in 18 hours and 5 minutes, with a team I met just 19 hours earlier, an experience that took ‘tough’ to a whole new level.
Last year, I raised the bar again. I completed my first triathlon and successfully conquered the famous SAS selection route, the ‘Fan Dance,’ as a Trinity event – completing it three times in one weekend while carrying weight, winning my category, and finishing as one of only 12 individuals out of 250+ to complete it.
And now? I’m setting my sights on the ultimate challenge I never thought I’d even contemplate… an IRONMAN.
Challenges serve as my ongoing motivation to preserve and enhance both mental and physical strength. They foster resilience and enable the balance needed to meet the demands of my professional career and family life.
The Challenge Seeker!
Thriving on a life fuelled by adrenaline and relentless challenge, I’ve always sought out ways to test both mental and physical resilience. From a daring bungee jump at 13 to a fearless first skydive at 16, wing-walking, running the London Marathon, cycling from Edinburgh to London, and completing four 100km continuous ultra-challenges, each experience has pushed me further, redefining what I thought possible.
One of the toughest challenges came when I tackled the Welsh 3000s in 18 hours and 5 minutes, with a team I met just 19 hours earlier, an experience that took ‘tough’ to a whole new level.
Last year, I raised the bar again. I completed my first triathlon and successfully conquered the famous SAS selection route, the ‘Fan Dance,’ as a Trinity event – completing it three times in one weekend while carrying weight, winning my category, and finishing as one of only 12 individuals out of 250+ to complete it.
And now? I’m setting my sights on the ultimate challenge I never thought I’d even contemplate… an IRONMAN.
Challenges serve as my ongoing motivation to preserve and enhance both mental and physical strength. They foster resilience and enable the balance needed to meet the demands of my professional career and family life.
“I am deeply grateful for the expert leadership and strategic counsel Sarah Brennand has provided in support of the progression and development of Black Onyx Academy. Her approach is calm, methodical and profoundly impactful. Sarah doesn’t simply offer insight, she guides you through a rigorous, structured process that helps you operate at your highest potential while maintaining balance and wellbeing. The frameworks and teachings from her coaching and book gave me the clarity and actionable strategy I needed to refine both my personal approach and our organisational direction.
Her ability to combine strategic depth with emotional intelligence and lived experience makes her an exceptional coach and advisor. I wholeheartedly recommend Sarah to any leader or organisation seeking meaningful growth and lasting impact.”
“Sarah has a remarkable talent for unravelling complex leadership challenges. What makes her coaching truly stand out is how she tailors each session. She doesn’t just address my immediate concerns; she helps to embed them within a longer and broader plan to support and direct my long-term development. Sarah’s outcome focussed approach has become an invaluable asset to both me and my business.”
“Through Sarah’s guidance I’ve not only honed my self-awareness but have developed the capacity to navigate complex HR and team dynamics with empathy and strategic acumen, leading to more cohesive collaborations and resilient decision-making in high-pressure situations.”
“I connected with Sarah a few years ago through a recommendation. The impact of having a coach became clear as soon as I started to work with her! Sarah brings a unique perspective to discussions that I wouldn’t typically see on my own, thanks to her wealth of experience and knowledge. Her guidance has been invaluable to me.”
“I had the privilege of being trained by Sarah, an absolute expert in communication skills. Her insightful sessions have not only sharpened my ability to convey ideas effectively but also transformed the way I engage with others. Sarah’s expertise and engaging teaching style make her an exceptional communicator and trainer. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to enhance their communication skills.”
“An amazing coach and mentor – just wish I could employ her in my business!”
“Sarah is genuinely interested in my development and invested in my success. She’s my trusted confidant who’s only focus is helping me to achieve”.
“I had the pleasure of attending a workshop delivered by Sarah on Emotional Intelligence for High Performing Leaders. It was a very enjoyable and interactive session from which I took high value. I am so much more self aware of my leadership style and the impact I have on others – as a result I have improved areas I wasn’t even aware I needed to, positively impacting the dynamics within my team. Sarah’s expertise on the areas of emotional intelligence and communication is unparalleled. I highly recommend Sarah to any organisation seeking to enhance personal or professional performance across their business or within their team”.
“Regular speed coaching with Sarah has made such a difference to my approach to life (both at work and at home). Our sessions and short and focussed so I easily fit them in my diary and hold myself account to delivering my ‘next steps’ each week. I have goals, actions and someone to talk to about them all who is objective and only interested in my success. It also means I can off-load in a safe space when I need to without so much moaning to my wife!”
“Having Sarah as my mentor has added a huge amount of value to my entrepreneurial journey into self employment. Sarah has helped me to devise a sound business and marketing plan, helped with my branding, and is now working with me to define and refine my sales channels and techniques. I very much appreciate having the added layer of expertise to help with my launch and scale. Sarah is personable, humble and brings a wealth of expertise and insight, I highly recommend her to anyone looking for an executive coach, mentor or trainer”.
CREDENTIALS
SARAH BRENNAND BSc (H). PGCHE. MBA. FHEA.
Executive Coach | Mentor | Educator & Trainer
- BSc (H), PGCHE, MBA
- Author of BALANCING ACT: Mastering Work, Wealth and Wellbeing
- Keynote Speaker and Trainer
- Founder – Illuminare Executive Education
- HEA Fellow
- Senior HEI Leader and Academic (International)
- CPD Group Approved Provider
- CPD Advisory Panel Member: Regulation and Quality
- Vice Chair School Governor – UK
- 2000+ Executive Coaching Hrs
- Certified Executive Coach (ILM)
- Advance HE Approved Coach for Leadership Training and Coaching
- Registered and Approved Business Mentor (ABM)
- Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach and Profiler (EQi 2.0)
- Certified Master NLP Coach (with co-creator of NLP Richard Bandler and John La Valle)
- Communication Specialist (Trained by Paul McKenna)





CREDENTIALS
SARAH BRENNAND BSc (H). PGCHE. MBA. FHEA.
Executive Coach | Mentor | Educator & Trainer
- BSc (H), PGCHE, MBA
- Author of BALANCING ACT: Mastering Work, Wealth and Wellbeing
- Keynote Speaker and Trainer
- Founder – Illuminare Executive Education
- HEA Fellow
- Senior HEI Leader and Academic (International)
- CPD Group Approved Provider
- CPD Advisory Panel Member: Regulation and Quality
- Vice Chair School Governor – UK
- 2000+ Executive Coaching Hrs
- Certified Executive Coach (ILM)
- Advance HE Approved Coach for Leadership Training and Coaching
- Registered and Approved Business Mentor (ABM)
- Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach and Profiler (EQi 2.0)
- Certified Master NLP Coach (with co-creator of NLP Richard Bandler and John La Valle
- Communication Specialist (Trained by Paul McKenna)





