Partner & Coach
CEO Coaching International

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Edward Hughes is a seasoned entrepreneur and business leader with two decades as a CEO and three decades in senior leadership across Technology, Consumer Products, and Sporting Goods companies. Edward is now a coach and advisor helping CEOs build and steer successful ventures.

As an Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Irvine, teaching General Management and Entrepreneurship in MBA and Executive MBA programs, Edward leverages both his Harvard MBA and 35 years of direct experience to analyze businesses, markets, products, and growth opportunities. His coaching philosophy, rooted in hands-on leadership, enhances performance, builds teams, increases revenues, and bolsters shareholder value.

Business Highlights:

  • As former Chairman & CEO of Aculon, Inc., a Specialty Chemical company, Edward transformed the pre-revenue business into a highly respected global player with a blue-chip customer list with Electronics, Energy, Medical, and Specialty businesses. As CEO he led Business Development, key customer negotiations, Operations, IP, and Finance.

  • Beyond Aculon, Edward’s entrepreneurial journey includes founding and leading PowerMetal Technologies, a nanotechnology advanced materials company. As Founder and CEO of PowerMetal Technologies, Edward negotiated large customer contracts and a strategic investor partnership with DuPont.

  • Prior to embarking on his entrepreneurial journey, Edward was SVP/GM at TaylorMade adidas Golf, turning around their $320M North American business and running global marketing including Tour expenditures. Under his tenure he helped launch many new products resulting in TaylorMade North America growing rapidly and doubling profitability.

  • As GM/VP at Maxfli Golf, formerly part of Dunlop Slazenger Group, a private equity-backed company, Edward doubled profitability, drove growth, and led a successful exit to TaylorMade adidas Golf.

  • Director of Strategy of Pillsbury, a $6B food company, involved in billion-dollar M&A and integration programs.

  • Advisor to Private Equity companies and portfolio companies.

Personal Highlights:

  • Married to Dawn, living in San Diego, CA, with two grown entrepreneurial children, Harriet and James.

  • Active contributor to the business community, serving as President of the Harvard Business School Club of San Diego for over 15 years.

  • Former member of the Young Presidents Organization – San Diego Coastal chapter and serves on the Board of the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

  • Holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, graduated as a Baker Scholar, ranked in the top 5% of his class, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cambridge University in England.

  • Active sportsman with a single-digit golf handicap, tennis player, skier, and pilot with a private pilot’s license.