Helping leaders, entrepreneurs and organisations grow with clarity, lead with confidence and create lasting impact.
I'm a Leadership Coach, Growth Strategist and Ecosystem Builder, and the founder of Studio Destinée.
I spent thirteen years across Europe and Africa building partnerships, growing enterprise accounts and developing entrepreneurial ecosystems.Then I trained as a coach because I kept noticing that the hardest problems in business were rarely business problems.
Today I help individuals and organisations navigate growth, complexity and transition with greater clarity, confidence and intention.
MY JOURNEY
EDUCATION
Creating the conditions for success has always been my work.
Born in Paris, raised in Côte d'Ivoire, professionally shaped in the United Kingdom. I've always felt at home between cultures, languages and perspectives.
My career moved across strategic partnerships, enterprise account management, channel development, operations and ecosystem building — technology, innovation and international business, mostly across Europe and Africa.
Looking back, there was one thread running through all of it. I was never simply helping organisations grow. I was helping people navigate growth. Supporting leaders through change. Aligning stakeholders who didn't yet agree. Building trust across cultures.
Sustainable growth, it turned out, never started with processes or technology. It started with people.
Then I was coached myself.
That was the turning point. For the first time I experienced what happens when strategic thinking meets genuine self-awareness and it changed not only how I led, but what I wanted to do with the rest of my career.
So I trained as a professional coach and built Studio Destinée: a place where leadership development, strategic thinking and human transformation come together.
Because the most sustainable change begins from the inside out.
WHAT I DO TODAY
Bringing business, leadership and coaching together.
Alongside coaching and consulting, I design digital learning and AI-enabled programmes that make leadership development practical and scalable.
Building ecosystems that matter
One of the most formative experiences of my career has been supporting Entrepreneur State of Africa, a pan-African community of entrepreneurs and changemakers. Working in a Chief of Staff capacity alongside the founders, I contributed across strategy, governance, partnerships and community growth — helping grow an ecosystem of 400+ members, coordinate 50+ contributors across multiple countries, and deliver 30+ international programmes.
It reinforced what I value most: bringing people together around a shared vision, and helping leaders succeed without carrying everything alone
Through Studio Destinée, I work with:
Leaders
developing clarity, confidence and leadership presence.
Entrepreneurs & Founders
navigating growth, making better decisions, building businesses without losing themselves in the process.
Organisations
leadership development, strategic partnerships, organisational effectiveness and sustainable growth.
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
helping founders, innovation hubs and mission-driven organisations strengthen collaboration and long-term impact.
Credentials
Areas of Expertise
Professional Diploma in Transformational Coaching Optimus Coach Academy Triple-accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC) and the Association for Coaching (AC).
175+ hours of coach-specific training ·
10 hours of mentor coaching · Final assessment passed.
Individual credentialing with the ICF, EMCC and AC currently in progress.
Leadership Development · Executive Coaching · Strategic Advisory · Growth Strategy · Partnerships & Ecosystem Development · Organisational Development · Facilitation & Learning Design
Professional Coaching
Education
Master's, International Business, Financial Markets, Entrepreneurship & Management
Languages
French (native) · English (fluent)
LET'S TALK
Let's build what's next together.
Whether you're an entrepreneur scaling a business, a leader navigating change or an organisation investing in its people, I'd love to explore how we might work together.
FAQs
Who is Cecilia?
Cecilia is a leadership coach and founder of studio destinée.
What services do you offer?
We support leaders, entrepreneurs, and organisations with growth and clarity.
How did studio destinée begin?
It started when Cecilia combined her coaching training with years of experience in partnerships and ecosystem building.
Who benefits most from your work?
Leaders, entrepreneurs, and organisations seeking sustainable growth.
What makes your approach unique?
We focus on people first, blending leadership with self-awareness.
How do you incorporate technology in your programs?
We design digital learning and AI-enabled programs to make leadership development practical and scalable.
Where We Work
Virtual
Worldwide
In Person
Paris, London, Abidjan
Retreat Destinations
Asia, Caribbean
Cecilia Olayinka, Leadership Coach