Our Team
Michele Carter MCIPD
Michele Carter
Michele is the founder of Astute Consulting. She has over 20 years HR practitioner experience in both the private and public sector working in both Ireland and the UK. She has extensive change experience grounded in measurable outcomes including; productivity, efficiencies, engagement and shifting to a performance driven culture.
Michele’s areas of expertise are HR transformation & change, organisation restructures, culture change and optimising people performance and engagement especially during times of disruption. Michele also provides executive coaching and places strong emphasis on creating the optimal environment for her clients to explore their challenges from multiple perspectives in order to arrive at their own solutions. She is passionate about change for the greater good and working with leaders to be their best selves.
With Board experience, Michele is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Banking and a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development and the European Mentoring and Coaching Council. She is a qualified executive coach and has recently completed the Advanced Executive Coaching Programme at the Smurfit Business School, UCD. Michele is a qualified practitioner in EQ-1 2.0, EQ 360 emotional intelligence psychometrics and the Denison Model of Organisational Culture.
Astute works with a trusted team of HR practitioners, people and change consultants, facilitators and coaching associates, bringing together the optimal expertise that best suits your needs.
Caroline Costigan FCIPD, FIITD 
People & Organisational Consultant & Executive Coach
Caroline Costigan
Caroline is a highly experienced and respected business & People Director with an outstanding track record of success working in global multi-national and Irish businesses across the public and private sector. She has over 20 years extensive leadership experience, operating as a key adviser and confidant to senior leaders operating within challenging environments.
Caroline completed her post-grad studies at Dublin City University (DCU) having obtained an MSc in HR Strategy and in recent years graduated from the Higher Diploma in Executive Coaching at the Smurfit Business School, UCD. She is recognised as a Senior Coaching Practitioner with the European Mentoring and Coaching Confederation. Caroline is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development and a Fellow of the Institute of Training and Development. Caroline is a qualified practitioner in EQ-1 2.0 for individuals and teams, EQ 360 emotional intelligence psychometrics and the Denison Model of Organisational Culture.
Mary Curtis
Executive Coach & Communications Consultant
Mary Curtis
Mary spent over 20 years working in television in both the commercial Semi-State and private sector broadcast companies, including RTÉ, UTV Ireland & Virgin Media Television. Her career began as a television producer and from there moved on to executive production, commissioning with further roles in senior management overseeing content production and digital strategy. She has a recognised track record of strategic leadership, with expertise in creativity, communications, stakeholder management and complex project management.
Mary is accredited as a coach at Practitioner Level by the EMCC and holds a postgraduate Diploma in the Psychology of Executive Coaching and a Diploma in the Advanced Psychology of Executive Coaching from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. She is currently studying the Diploma in Organisational Change and Transformation as part of the MSC in Executive Coaching. Mary is also a certified practitioner in EQ-i 2.0/ EQ360 for teams and individuals.
Karen Nicholson FCIPD
HR Consultant & Career Coach
Karen Nicholson
Karen is a HR Consultant and Coach with over 20 years experience working in and with leading Financial Services organisations and multi-nationals. She coaches and facilitates leadership teams to create high performing organisations through the design and implementation of effective people strategies. Karen is experienced working with clients on a range of projects including HR Strategy & Planning, Organisation Design, Performance Management, Resourcing Planning, Leadership & Executive Coaching and Outplacement Services.
Karen is member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, has a MSc in Human Resource Management, Smurfit Business School, UCD and a Degree in Human Resource Management, DCU. Karen holds a Diploma in Executive and Leadership Coaching accredited by the Association for Coaching and the Life and Business Coaching Association.
Deirdre Holland
Strategy Consultant and Leadership Coach
Deirdre Holland
Deirdre has wide Human Resources and senior management experience gained across a range of Financial Services organisations including Fund Administration, Corporate Finance and Asset Management.
Prior to her consulting role, Deirdre led the HR support for IBI Corporate Finance, and was a senior member of the HR team in Bank of Ireland Asset Management with specific responsibility for training and development. During her career, Deirdre has worked on a variety of HR projects across global locations, including recruitment programmes, restructuring, training and compensation and benefit changes and rollout. Deirdre has also worked as HR consultant to Hostelworld, leading the HR stream of a UK acquisition and integration project.
Deirdre has a broad range of HR skills and has built a track record in strategic planning, talent management, coaching and training. She also has extensive experience in the HR aspects of disposals and acquisitions.
Deirdre holds an honours MBS in Human Resource Strategies from Dublin City University and a BA in Economics and Spanish from University College Cork. She is also a chartered member of CIPD.