Mike Bolin
Co-Founder
Mike’s career is notable for its growth and multiple transitions. He started his career at UBS, where he ultimately served as the Global Head of Human Resources, focusing on talent development and leadership. After acquiring extensive mentoring experience, he pursued formal training in coaching, earning a certification from Columbia University. Armed with this expertise, Mike founded his first coaching business, dedicating himself to enhancing the career paths of individuals across various industries. A compelling opportunity to help lead a dynamic startup prompted Mike to pivot from his coaching venture to further broaden his skills and understanding of innovative business environments. Today, he has returned to formal coaching as a co-founder of Matterhorn Coaches, committed to guiding professionals through their career challenges and opportunities.
Throughout his time at UBS, Mike held additional leadership roles across Investment Banking and Corporate Offices, including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, and Chief of Staff. During his tenure at UBS he conceived and implemented global talent development programs that are still being used today. His significant experience in strategic senior roles provides him with deep insights into organizational dynamics and leadership, fueling his passion for mentoring and career development.
Mike holds a B.B.A. in Accounting and an M.B.A in International Finance from the Lubin School of Business at Pace University, credentials that underpin his robust understanding of the financial and strategic aspects of business leadership. His personal interests include travel, sports, reading and sharing great experiences with family and friends. Mike also has a fading devotion to the NY Giants and his season tickets can be found on StubHub.
Mike’s coaching philosophy is anchored in principles of continuous learning, compassion, loyalty, and strategic risk-taking. He is adept at recognizing and nurturing hidden potential, helping his clients transform challenges into opportunities for growth and success. At Matterhorn Coaches, Mike is a committed partner in his clients’ professional journeys, continually evolving his coaching practices to stay at the forefront of leadership trends.
Certified By
Columbia Credentialed Professional Executive Coach
Ed Pla
Co-Founder
Ed has been a financial markets executive for over thirty years, with a focus on derivative trading and capital markets. Having lived in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and Zurich and traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and South America, Ed brings a unique appreciation for the value of diverse experiences and perspectives. By virtue of his responsibility for managing cross-functional global teams at UBS, Ed has substantial experience with performance evaluation and issues relating to career mobility and career advancement. During his career he was active in campus recruiting and contributed to numerous training and talent development initiatives. Most notably he led the creation and launch of UBS Equities Academy, an online, video-based series of continuing education modules. Ed is also a Certified Professional Coach (CPC).
Ed held numerous senior positions at UBS and predecessor derivatives boutique O’Connor & Associates, most recently Global Co-Head of Execution and Clearing. He was also active in external industry forums, having served on the Board of LCH Clearnet in London, the Board of the Futures Industry Association in Washington DC, most recently as Chairman, and as a member of the CFTC’s Market Risk Advisory Committee. Ed was most recently the Chief Commercial Officer at a financial technology startup.
Ed earned a B.S. in Finance and Philosophy from Boston College and an M.B.A. from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. He started playing piano at age five, has played in numerous amateur bands, and is on a lifelong journey to improve his blues and jazz piano skills. Ed loves to ski, cycle and cook with friends and family. He reads a lot. And sometimes his wife successfully convinces him to join her on the pickleball court.
At Matterhorn Coaches, Ed looks forward to helping his clients thoughtfully and confidently navigate their personal career journeys. His experience as both a manager and mentor demonstrated that career paths often evolve with unexpected twists and turns and sometimes require deliberate choices. And he saw time and again how “luck” is really the intersection of hard work, preparation and opportunity. As a co-founder of Matterhorn Coaches, Ed is eager to help his clients be as prepared as possible for the opportunities that lie ahead.
Certified By
World Coach Institute Certified Professional Coach
Ray Pullaro
Co-Founder
Ray’s career has progressed from Wall Street, to academia, to a technology start-up, and now to coaching. Teaching, mentorship, selection, and hiring were recurring themes in roles he held. Ray was an admissions reader for international applicants to Yale. He was one of two in his M.B.A. class chosen to serve as a full-voting member of the NYU admissions committee. He had responsibility for summer internship hiring while at PwC and overall responsibility for undergraduate recruiting during his time at Blackstone. As a business school dean, these experiences proved invaluable informing his coaching of numerous students through their career searches. Recently, Ray pursued formal training as a coach, earning the CPC designation.
Having attained senior positions in disparate fields equips Ray with lived experience and insights that can help clients progress in a single field or navigate a transition to another. At a $50 million start-up he was Chief Communications Officer. In academia, he rose from adjunct professor to University Dean for two schools. On Wall Street, he was a Managing Director on the executive committee for Blackstone and a portfolio manager looking after over $32 billion in assets. Before working in asset management, Pullaro was a manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers specializing in financial risk. He began his career in finance as an options trader with O’Connor & Associates, working in foreign exchange, short-term interest rates and emerging markets. This deep and varied experience offers direct benefit to his clients.
Ray received a B.A. from Yale University in East Asian Studies and remains conversant in Chinese. He holds an M.B.A. from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Information Studies with a dissertation focused on artificial intelligence. Ray is an avid reader, an active road cyclist, loves to golf and hopes to one day shoot a round that matches his age.
At Matterhorn Coaches, the primary goal for Ray is that his coaching clients leave with more confidence than when they came. Ray’s time living and working overseas and his time working with diverse students and professionals have inspired him to find the very best in each individual. In the past, many students and protégés came to him because they lacked someone prepared to really listen and to actually help. As a co-founder of Matterhorn Coaches, Ray is committed to bridging this gap for his clients.
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