Our Story
About Ascent Coaching & Mentoring
A purpose-driven practice built on the belief that every professional deserves access to exceptional coaching and mentoring support.
Our Story
From a Single Office to a UK-Wide Practice
Ascent was founded in 2008 by Dr Margaret Hale, a former HR Director with over two decades of corporate leadership experience. Having witnessed the transformative power of quality coaching and mentoring first-hand, Margaret established Ascent with a simple but powerful vision: to make world-class professional development accessible to individuals and organisations at every stage of their journey.
What began as a small practice in London's financial district has grown into one of the UK's most respected coaching and mentoring organisations, serving professionals across 12 cities from Edinburgh to Cardiff, Belfast to Bristol.
Today, our team of 24 accredited coaches and mentors brings together expertise from finance, technology, healthcare, law, education, and the public sector — ensuring that every client receives coaching that is not only psychologically grounded but genuinely sector-relevant.
Meet Our TeamWhat Drives Us
Our Mission & Values
Everything we do is guided by four core principles that shape our approach to coaching, mentoring, and professional development.
Growth Mindset
We believe every professional has untapped potential. Our role is to create the conditions for that potential to flourish, however long it takes.
Evidence-Based Practice
We ground our work in established psychological models and rigorously evaluate outcomes, ensuring every engagement delivers measurable impact.
Trust & Integrity
We operate with absolute transparency. Our ICF code of ethics governs every interaction, and confidentiality is never compromised.
Inclusive Excellence
We are committed to ensuring that our coaching and mentoring is genuinely accessible, inclusive, and representative of the diverse UK workforce.
Our Journey
Company Milestones
From our humble beginnings to a nationally recognised practice, here are the key moments that have shaped Ascent.
Founded in London
Dr Margaret Hale establishes Ascent Coaching & Mentoring from a single consulting room in Canary Wharf, with six founding clients.
ICF Accreditation Achieved
Ascent becomes an ICF-accredited coaching organisation, one of only a handful in the UK at the time — a landmark moment for the practice.
EMCC Gold Label
We are awarded the prestigious EMCC European Quality Award at Gold level, recognising our mentoring programme's excellence in structure and outcomes.
Virtual Programmes Launch
Pivoting swiftly during the pandemic, we launch a full suite of online coaching and mentoring programmes, expanding our reach beyond geography.
Expansion to 12 UK Cities
Following exceptional demand, we open regional hubs in Edinburgh and Manchester and establish associate partnerships in 9 further UK cities.
Professional Standards
Our Accreditations
We hold the highest professional accreditations in the coaching and mentoring industry, giving you complete confidence in our standards and ethics.
Accredited Coach Training Programme
Gold Quality Label
Approved Provider
Registered Practitioner Psychologists