Founder & Master Executive Accredited Coach
Kirsty McWilliam
Kirsty founded ThinkEQ in 2008, driven by a belief that coaching only works when it becomes part of how people actually lead — not a one-off course.
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Her Story
From chartered accountant to coaching founder
After qualifying as a chartered accountant, Kirsty spent a decade as a senior consultant in the business restructuring arena with KPMG and, latterly, PwC. 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.
Her interest moved from managing change in business to enabling change in individuals — in particular, her own team — and this led her to training within PwC's Coaching Centre for Excellence. After experiencing the power of coaching first-hand, Kirsty founded ThinkEQ with a vision to support the people behind the businesses.
Nearly two decades on, Kirsty works with organisations of every size to create positive, meaningful change through emotional intelligence and people development.
Her Approach
Kirsty's action-orientated mindset allows the client to relax, knowing she'll guide them through the coaching process, while always ensuring the focus remains on them. Her clients describe her as having a unique skill: staying focused during sessions while creating space for genuine reflection and awareness.
Qualifications & Accreditations
Qualifications
- Accredited Coach — Association for Coaching (since 2011)
- EQ-i 2.0 Certified Trainer and Partner (since 2010)
- Strengths Profile Accreditation
- Chartered Accountant — ACCA
- Advanced Coach Training (ICF, 2008)
Coaching Interests
- Leadership Development Coaching
- Strengths Coaching
- Emotional Intelligence Coaching
Speaking & Media
Kirsty on Stage and in the Press
As an expert in the study and application of emotional intelligence, Kirsty is frequently invited to speak at events and appear in the media.
- Fife College Wellbeing Festival — Navigating your EI
- International Women in Restructuring — Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
- Turcan Connell — EI as the Antidote to AI
- Hood Magazine Discussion Panel — Imposter Syndrome