About Kitchlu Coaching
Professional coaching for rewarding careers
Kitchlu Coaching was set up by Kanika Kitchlu-Connolly in 2025 to support early and mid-career professionals by leaning into her own experiences and knowledge from a career in the City, with the added benefit of a Diploma in Coach mentoring.
Following a career in law spanning over 20 years, Kanika took the bold decision to step away from her role as a partner to focus on an area where she saw a gap that needed filling. Although there are many career coaches in the market, not many have the experience of completing the journey from graduate to partner, enabling her to speak with the added benefit of insights from having made it to a senior leadership position. Combining professional coaching skills with those insights, and with a history of helping people reach their potential through coaching and mentoring, Kanika will help you achieve your goals.
Meet Kanika
Professional Experience
Kanika Kitchlu-Connolly is a qualified lawyer (England and Wales) and has worked across the City of London for over 20 years.
Kanika was a partner at a City law firm for 5 years, achieving recognition across the profession for her insolvency expertise during that time.
Having trained at Taylor Wessing and worked there for 3 years post qualification, she then spent 10.5 yeas at Gowling, moving up the ranks to Legal Director.
Her career as a lawyer culminated in partnership at TLT LLP (London office).
Coaching Qualification
Throughout her career Kanika has mentored young people, both in and out of the workplace.
Kanika has now undertaken a Diploma in Coach Mentoring with the OCM Group and is a qualified coach and mentor, accredited to EMCC Practitioner Level.
Approach to Coaching
Kanika brings her experiences from both her personal and professional life to her coaching practice, helping her build a strong bond with clients though empathy and understanding, and applying relevant context to her coaching, drawing on a wide range of appropriate coaching tools. Kanika uses a structured, but tailored, approach to help clients identify and then work towards their goals. Tried and tested tools help clients to focus on how to make real progress and identify areas for development.
Main Areas of Expertise
- Early career professionals – those just stepping into the world of work. Kanika has developed a bespoke training programme aimed at guiding early careers professionals to help them thrive and work successfully within a
driven and busy team; - Returners – those returning to work after a long absence (such as maternity leave or long term sickness); and
- Moving up – those looking to move up to senior leadership positions, as well as those who have taken on such a role and require additional support to thrive.
Education
- European School of Brussels, Belgium
- University of Cambridge (Gonville and Caius), Law
- Nottingham Law School
- The OCM Group, Diploma in Coach Mentoring
Languages
- English
- French
- Hindi
Experiencing transition
- Born and raised in Belgium and then moved to the UK for university and work so has experience of dealing with relocation and transition.
Balancing home & career
- Mother of two (now teenage) boys, worked part time and flexibly for 14 years.
Mentoring & support
- Sits on the governing body of a local girls’ secondary school.
- Mentors with IntoUniversity working with Y12/Y13 students working through A levels and the transition to university/apprenticheships.
- Ad hoc support with T Level legal studies course at another local secondary school, giving practical advice on what working in a law firm is really like!
Co-Lead of TLT’s Ethnic Diversity Network for several years
Expertise & recognition
- Worked in the Restructuring and insolvency market and well known within that market, both in London and abroad (especially India).
- Recognised across Legal 500, Chambers & Partners and Who’s Who Legal for Restructuring and Insolvency and work in Emerging Markets.
International
- Co-Lead of TLT’s India practice and Co-Lead of TLT’s Ethnic Diversity Network for several years.
- Speaker at several conferences over the years, both in UK and abroad (India and Portugal) on insolvency related topics, including presentations to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India.
Building lasting connections
- Built a strong network over the course of her career, rising to Trusted Advisor status with many of them.
Hobbies
- Loves reading and plays tennis… is yet to be converted to padel.
What they say
