High Performance Psychologist

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about

My Journey so Far

I am a psychologist, author and performance specialist with more than 25 years’ experience working inside complex, high-stakes environments across elite sport and organisational leadership.

Alongside my professional work, I am a married father of three, and my perspective has been shaped by living and working across very different social, cultural and political contexts - from growing up in South Africa during apartheid and witnessing Nelson Mandela speak first-hand, to senior roles in European football and system-level work in the Middle East.

Across these environments - spanning elite sport, global organisations and internationally diverse leadership cultures - my work has focused on one enduring question:

How do humans continue to make good decisions when pressure, complexity and consequence are unavoidable?

Two men smiling, one in a gray jacket and the other in a Chelsea football shirt, holding a large Barclays Premier League trophy with blue and white ribbons, outdoors with a blurred green background.

Chelsea FC

Head of Psychology & Sports Science (2009-2023)

14 years inside one of the most demanding performance environments in world sport.

Part of the most successful period in the club’s history. Including 3x Premier League Winners, 2x Champions Leagues, 3x FA Cups and 6 other major trophies.
Worked across 800+ elite matches
Supported decision-making alongside managers including Carlo Ancelotti, José Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Thomas Tuchel, Rafael Benitez, Guus Hiddink, Maurizio Sarri, Frank Lampard & Graham Potter.
Worked with teams fielding the world’s most elite players, including Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Didier Drogba, John Terry, Eden Hazard, Frank Lampard, Petr Cech and N’Golo Kanté.
Designed and implemented performance and decision-support systems integrating psychology, data, medicine and coaching.

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Saudi Arabia

World Cup and Pro League Experience

Team Psychologist - Saudi Arabian National Team, FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia.

Senior Leadership roles - Head of Sporting Affairs within the Saudi Pro League, supporting medical, performance, data and governance systems across 18 clubs.

Author

10 Rules For Talking by Tim Harkness

10 Rules for Talking is a practical guide for navigating difficult conversations in an increasingly divided world. In an age of instant opinion and rising polarisation, the ability to keep dialogue constructive has never mattered more.

Drawing on real-world experience from high-pressure environments where communication carries real consequences, Tim Harkness distils ten clear principles for talking with people who don’t share your views - without escalating conflict or shutting conversations down.

This is not a book about winning arguments.
It is about keeping conversations moving forward.

Buy Now

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clients

Helping High Performers Succeed

Business Leadership Psychologist - From multi-billion dollar companies to executive boards and CEOs, helping promote high performance environments and enhanced decision making capabilities.
Sports Psychologist - I’ve worked with household names across a multitude of sports, helping them operate at the very top.
My Mentors - I’ve learnt first hand from the very best.
Professor Bruno Demichelis is the most decorated Psychologist in football history, winning 29 Trophies with AC Milan.
Professor Tim Noakes is a world renowned scientist and author, internationally recognised for his contributions to sport and physiology.