Kirsty McWilliam

Kirsty started her career as a Chartered Accountant (CA), working with both KPMG and PwC, specialising in Corporate Recovery. During her time as a CA, she worked with a broad range of businesses from SMEs to PLCs, reporting to various stakeholders, normally under tight deadlines and managing internal and external teams. Kirsty’s interest moved from managing changes in business, to enabling change in individuals, in particular her own team, and this led her to training within PwC, under their Coaching Centre for Excellence.

Her action-orientated mind-set allows the client to relax, knowing that Kirsty will guide them through the coaching process, whilst always ensuring the focus remains on them.

Kirsty has a positive approach to all work she undertakes and brings a sense of humour into all interactions. Kirsty’s clients describe her as having a unique skill to be focused during sessions but also to create a space that allows for reflection and awareness.

Kirsty has a special interest in emotional intelligence and is certified to use the EQ-i2.0, the first scientifically validated emotional intelligence tool in the world. She uses it for individual feedback sessions, group workshops and is now the training partner for MHS and only Certified trainer for the EQ-i2.0 in Scotland.

Kirsty’s first coaching interaction was at PwC over 10 years ago with a peer who was at a transition point in her career. The female colleague had excelled in every exam and promotion on offer, but had been unsure about where her career, and family life, was heading. Kirsty coached her on a one-to-one basis looking at her values and beliefs, her career and life aspirations, and how she could look at a whole life approach. Within two months the coachee had found clarity and confidence in her next step. From that moment, after witnessing such a profound change in her peer, Kirsty’s passion for coaching women facing changes in their career was born. She has been fortunate to work with various stages of career and family life from new managers to board level directors.

Kirsty is a Chartered Accountant with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). She gained her Coach Accreditation after completing her advanced coaching certificates with the Association for Coaching (AC and is now a Council member of AC where she holds the position of Head of Finance. Her own coach training programmes have also received recognition for the AC.