Cory McGowan, PCC

Transformational Change, Global Perspective & Human-Centered Leadership

Get to know Cory

Cory McGowan is a globally experienced executive coach who partners with leaders seeking deep transformation in themselves and the systems they lead. His clients include senior executives at multinational companies, startup founders, and full leadership teams at mission-driven organizations.

Cory brings decades of experience across management, human resources, and entrepreneurship—and combines it with a deeply human-centered approach. His work is rooted in the question: What does it mean to lead from the truest expression of who you are?

He specializes in helping clients create alignment between their values and their leadership—especially in times of uncertainty, cultural complexity, or personal transition.

Fluent in English and Japanese, Cory has lived most of his life outside the U.S. and brings a rare global lens to his work. When he's not coaching, you’ll find him adventuring, cooking, or in quiet contemplation about the state of the world.

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What Clients Say

  • "Cory made my success his number one concern from the start. He helped me to focus on moving forward and identify ways to do that which made sense for me. Through the coaching, I became much more aware of my own thought patterns and behaviors - both the ones that were holding me back and the ones that I should nurture more. Cory always kept me on point and made sure that each session had specific objectives. He is both professional and accommodating, but also completely trustworthy. Being a long term resident of Japan, Cory also has a sophisticated understanding of how to navigate professionally in Japanese society, so if you are motivated to take your personal and professional growth to the next level here, I would strongly recommend working with him to achieve your goals."

    Sam Annesley | Executive Director, Greenpeace Japan

  • "Cory is an exceptional coach. He has the ability to listen deeply and ask probing questions that allowed me to reach my own conclusions. I have had several coaches over the years, but I found my time with Cory to be the most productive. I never felt he had an agenda to push or a need to demonstrate his knowledge about business. He did what coaches do best and that is guide those they work with to a higher level of performance through reflective questions and their own observations."

    Charles McJilton | CEO, Second Harvest Japan

  • "Through Cory's active listening, prompts and, particularly, questions designed to coax, tease, challenge, and provoke, I learned a huge amount about myself - my values, motivations, visions of happiness, as well as my idiosyncrasies, illogicality, inconsistency, and human frailties, and how this all translates into perception of me among family, friends, colleagues, customers, etc. Cory very effectively shone a light and revealed the stuff that matters. Above all, the experience has better equipped me to see things for what they are, to see opportunity even where the starting point feels like conflict. This in turn has given me the confidence to speak up and out. Cory was invaluable, the takeaways and benefits permanent."

    Julian Stephenson | Partner, Key Consulting

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    Trainings & Certifications

    -Professional Certified Coach (PCC), ICF

    -Global Disc™ and Growth Zone™ practitioner

    -Neuroscience of Change (through Coaches Rising)

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    Areas of Focus

    -Transformational leadership and cultural reintegration

    -Co-founder and executive team alignment

    -Values-based leadership in complex environments

    -Democratizing access to coaching

    -Cross-cultural leadership and global teams

Meet Cory