About Us
Kathy Morrissey is the founder and director of Purple Brilliance, bringing a wealth of experience as a qualified executive and leadership coach, mentor, and business advisor.
Kathy began her career as an oil industry engineer on North Sea rigs before moving into senior leadership roles, including heading the maintenance and engineering function at Stansted Airport. Her career spans diverse sectors such as engineering, utilities, sustainability, aviation, data and insights, and infrastructure development.
This breadth of experience has given Kathy a deep understanding of complex organisational environments and the challenges leaders face as they progress. Her unique perspective combines technical expertise, strategic leadership, and a commitment to developing people.
In her roles as a Director, Non-Executive Director and Trustee, Leadership Coach and Team Facilitator, Kathy has developed a deep understanding of complex and high-pressure environments, and the challenges leaders face as they progress in the corporate and non-profit sectors. Her unique perspective combines technical expertise, strategic leadership and a commitment to developing people.
Kathy approaches challenges head-on while building team capability and empowerment. She is passionate about the power of diversity of thought and brings authenticity, energy, perspective and kindness to her leadership and coaching practice.
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“My coaching practice draws on my experience of moving through leadership roles and the challenges and rewards that brings. I know first-hand that:
Your remit gets broader the higher up you go. Your environment will be more complex, more ambiguous, and sometimes a little lonely.
You will likely need to influence and lead upwards, downwards and across, often externally as well as internally.
You may be inheriting a new team, which may include someone who had applied for your role, conflict, lack of direction or someone who is struggling.
As your remit expands to cover functions outside of your direct area of expertise, where you can no longer be the SME with all the answers, you will need to facilitate this through your team.
My approach is grounded in empathy, practical experience, and a focus on empowering leaders to thrive in dynamic, high-stakes environments.
