David Desharnais is an experienced entrepreneur, public and private market CEO, and hands-on operator with more than 25 years of experience igniting growth, leading turnarounds, and transforming businesses across more than 20 industries. His track record spans startups, scale-ups, and global companies including Amazon and American Express.
The operator behind the coach
Multi-Time Entrepreneur & CEO | Breakout Growth, Turnarounds & Exits Across Public, Private & VC/PE-Backed Companies
David has spent more than 25 years building, scaling, and turning around technology-driven businesses, from VC-backed startups and PE portfolio companies to global public companies. As an executive and board member, he has led and advised teams responsible for strategy, product, sales, marketing, operations, and technology in consumer, B2B, and government markets. That range gives him a clear view of where growth gets stuck, what breaks under scale, and how to get the business moving again.
He works best with CEOs at an inflection point: growth has slowed, complexity has outrun the operating model, the leadership team is not carrying enough of the load, or an exit is on the horizon. David helps them cut through the noise, find the one move that matters most, and turn it into a clear number with an accountable owner. The result is a stronger company that can build enterprise value without everything running through the CEO.
Selected accomplishments
We pressure-test one decision you’re sitting on
Working with David
David Desharnais, Two-Time Public/Private Market CEO with Growth, Turnaround, and Global Operator Experience, is especially valuable to CEOs focused on PE-backed scale, turnarounds, and exit prep.
Multi-Time Entrepreneur & CEO | Breakout Growth, Turnarounds & Exits Across Public, Private & VC/PE-Backed Companies
Direct, operator-driven, and rooted in real P&L experience. David Desharnais coaches CEOs the way a former operator coaches, focused on the decisions that actually move the business, the metrics that expose the truth, and the leadership behaviors that compound over time.
David Desharnais is based in the United States and works with CEOs across North America and internationally through 1:1 coaching, board observation, and on-site strategic offsites as part of the CEO Coaching International team.
Companies coached by CEO Coaching International for two or more years have averaged 22.8%/yr revenue growth and 37.5%/yr EBITDA growth, roughly 2-3x U.S. benchmarks. David Desharnais coaches to the same operating standard: measurable growth, real leverage on the CEO's calendar, and a leadership team that can execute without you.
Same rooms, different scars
Mark MosesMiami Beach, FLFounding Partner & Executive Chairman of CEO Coaching InternationalView profile 
Craig ColemanPacific Palisades, CAFormer founder and CEO with 15 years of experience building, scaling, and successfully exiting a fintech company, now coaching founder-CEOs to scale their businesses, strengthen enterprise value, and create the option for a successful exit.View profile 
Sheldon HarrisMiami Beach, FLMulti-unit operator, franchise builder, and partner on the CEO Coaching International executive leadership team.View profile 
Cynthia ClevelandLos Angeles, CAFormer Universal Studios Worldwide PresidentView profile 
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