Paul Cotton is a business and IT transformation executive with 25+ years of experience leading complex, high-value programs across global organizations. He specializes in turning strategy into action, driving performance through practical transformation, disciplined execution, and effective team leadership.
As Managing Director of Consulting Services, Europe, at Oxford International, Paul built and led a high-performing consulting business that delivered €270M in revenue over five years with a 28% average contribution margin. He also served as Global Solutions Lead, shaping offerings in Program and Project Management, Enterprise Business Systems, and Business Transformation.
Paul played a pivotal role in evolving Oxford from a staffing firm to a consulting-led organization, with prior leadership roles including Senior Director of Engagement Management at Oxford, Principal Consultant at Infosys, Practice Head at Tata Consulting Services, and Senior Director of Supply Chain at ConAgra Foods. Across these roles, he has overseen the delivery of over $900M in successful programs. He has rescued underperforming programs, led successful transformations, and consistently delivered measurable outcomes, including a $360M IT transformation and the recovery of a failing local government SAP program.
His early career began in the British Army, where he served 14 years as an Infantry Officer and Staff Officer, including secondment to a multi-national diplomatic mission focused on sanctions enforcement and war crimes investigations. This foundation shaped his decisive, team-oriented leadership style.
At Oxford Paul directed a portfolio of 58 key clients, maintaining a 65% repeat business rate through strong governance, quality assurance, and client engagement. He is adept at building high-performing teams through structured onboarding, mentoring, and performance incentives, with a strong focus on inclusivity and development.
He is skilled in Kotter’s Change Leadership Framework, PROSCI ADKAR, PRINCE2, and MSP methodologies, and proficient in SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, and Google platforms.
“I’m passionate about mentorship and education. Whether guest lecturing at Penn State, coaching sports teams, or working with the Boy Scouts, my focus remains the same: helping others unlock their potential.”
“When people succeed, businesses thrive, and that’s the kind of impact I strive to create every day.”
Bottom line: Paul Cotton delivers transformation that works; fixing what’s broken, building what’s needed, and leading teams that turn complexity into progress and strategy into results.