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The CFI Story

The CFI story is a heady combination of foresight, providence, perseverance and passion. I guess all institutions that started with a great idea are that way.

2001 - 2006
2007
2008
2013 - 2014
2018 - 2020
2021 - 2025

The Idea

Ganesh Chella gets certified as a coach with Dr. Skiffington, Australia. That is where he saw both the potential of coaching and the opportunity for an Indian coaching model.

Ganesh partnered with industry veterans Pradipta Mohapatra, Ramaraj, and Jairam Varadaraj to establish CFI. Their vision was to build a community of certified coaches grounded in real-world business leadership.

The founders and the first batch

The first batch of CFI’s Coach Certification Program was launched in August 2007 with 12 participants. With strong foundations in coaching competence and contextual relevance, CFI quickly gained traction.

We were in business

CFI secured Ericsson as its first client and launched its first “Leader as Coach” program with the Murugappa Group.

Crossing the chasm

CFI published its first book, Are You Ready for the Corner Office?, showcasing 25 coaching case studies and promoting transparency in the coaching process.

Despite the typical challenges of a pioneering initiative, CFI remained committed to educating clients and evolving its offerings. By 2014, the CFI model stabilised.

New beginnings

Following the passing of Pradipta in 2018, Ganesh took charge and led CFI through a period of transformation. SheLeads, a women’s leadership program was launched. CFI’s PGPEC evolved into a 300-hour program of high rigour. CFI launched LEAD, a cohort-based program for emerging leaders.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, CFI seamlessly transitioned to virtual delivery, sustaining over 100 active coaching engagements.

A full-stack leader development company emerging

CFI is innovating its coaching approach with a wide variety of cutting-edge tools and techniques like the ADD approach, the work with self-limiting beliefs, its toolkit for coaching, its goal setting formats, CEME, One Degree Shifts and so on.

CFI launched its Team Coaching Practice.

CFI introduced Pragyana Prakashika, a platform integrating Indian philosophical thought into coaching.

CFI’s second book, Coaching Your Leaders: A Roadmap for Organisations, was released.

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    CFI defines Coaching as a very personal, humanistic, result-oriented, potential enhancing developmental relationship, structured between an executive seeking to further their growth and a formally trained, skilled and empathetic coach.

    Coaching aids leader development but is not therapy and is not intended to treat any form of mental illness.

    work well, live well

    Coaching is a practice.
    Becoming a coach is a journey.

    For over two decades, CFI’s Post Graduate Programme in Executive Coaching (PGPEC) has been that journey for more than 345 professionals choosing to make executive coaching a serious practice. It is a journey of personal growth as much as it is a journey of learning to coach - because the deeper we encounter ourselves, the more deeply we can work with others.

    Registrations are now open for the 38th batch, commencing in July 2027.

    Explore the Journey