Manj Weerasekera had an itch of an idea that would not go away. The executive coach kept meeting senior businessmen who in the course of their work-focused meetings would reveal that they were having relationship problems at home. It was only after entrusting career problems to him that they felt comfortable enough to discuss their personal lives.
Mr Weerasekera, a 50-year-old divorcee, today dressed in a navy cowl-neck jumper, describes himself as “happily divorced”, meaning he had an amicable split rather than being pleased to see the back of his wife. He thought these men needed a helping hand, not from a therapist but a coach. Today, after offering such services for three years, he says 40 per cent of his work is dedicated to guiding divorced men to their ideal partner.
Such advice does not come cheap. Mr Weerasekera charges up to £2,500 a month for his services — this buys 90 minutes of face-to-face private coaching in his office in central London, and unlimited phone calls and emails — and might see a client for eight months (though, he points out, there is free advice available on his website).