About North Point Academy
Who We Are
North Point Academy (NPA) is a coaching and leadership development organisation founded in Dubai in 2012. We develop coaches and leaders through a proprietary methodology refined across thousands of coaching hours with professionals from dozens of nationalities.
Our programmes are accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) — the global standard for professional coaching excellence.
Our Philosophy
We believe lasting change happens from the inside-out. Technical coaching skills matter enormously — but they are most powerful when grounded in self-awareness, genuine curiosity, and a commitment to the client's whole person.
We call this approach Head, Heart, and Hands: the thinking behind coaching, the relational presence it requires, and the practical craft of working with clients.
Our Founders
Matt Trenchard — Co-Founder
Matt is an internationally credentialed coach with over ten years of coaching experience. A UK native, he moved to Dubai in 2006 and found his way to coaching through a lifelong curiosity about how people grow. He trained as a coach in 2011 and co-founded NPA after recognising — with Sarah — that there was a better way to develop coaches. Matt served as a former President of the ICF Dubai chapter. He loves mentor coaching most of all: sitting with coaches in the deeper work and watching them become who they are capable of being.
Sarah Anthony — Co-Founder
Sarah brings 20 years of leadership and coaching experience and 1,500+ hours of coaching practice. She has been based in the UAE for 18 years and is now UK-based. Sarah discovered coaching while leading a team and knew immediately it was for her. She re-trained, built her practice across the UAE, and co-founded NPA. Her passion is developing coaches and watching them find their own voice. Sarah is currently pursuing her Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential with the ICF.
Our Approach
NPA programmes are practice-led. Whether you are training to become a coach or developing coaching capability as a leader, you will coach — early, often, and with real feedback. We use a flipped learning model (engage with material before class; use live time for practice and discussion) and a Crawl, Walk, Run progression that builds confidence step by step.
Every cohort is small and multinational. The diversity of perspective is not incidental — it is part of the learning.
ICF Accreditation
Both our flagship programmes — the Certificate in Professional Coaching (CPC) and the Certificate in Intercultural Coaching (CIC) — are accredited by the International Coaching Federation. ICF accreditation means our curriculum, mentoring provision, and assessment design are externally reviewed against internationally recognised standards. It is not self-granted.
CPC graduates are eligible to apply directly for the ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential.
Where We Work
NPA is a global organisation with roots in the UAE. We deliver programmes online to coaches and leaders across the Middle East, UK, Europe, and beyond. Our Dubai office remains our primary hub, and we maintain a UK presence through Sarah's work and our growing cohort of British graduates.