Emma Tolhurst is a highly regarded speaker and people professional known for her compelling insights into workplace culture, employee experience, and diversity and inclusion. With a warm, engaging style and deep expertise, she regularly speaks at leading industry events, where her talks inspire HR professionals, business leaders and organisational change-makers alike. Emma brings over two decades of hands-on experience to the stage, combining strategic knowledge with real-world practicality. Her keynotes and panels consistently leave audiences motivated to transform their own workplace environments and people strategies.
Emma’s career began with an almost 24-year journey at global consultancy Accenture, where she rose to become Global People Communications Lead, managing internal communications for a workforce of over 500,000 employees. Her time at Accenture laid the foundation for her deep understanding of large-scale organisational behaviour and employee engagement. This formative period shaped her expertise in aligning brand and people strategies, helping her develop the skills and credibility to transition into more specialised roles focused on employee experience and brand-led transformation.
In more recent years, Emma has continued to build an impressive portfolio. She served as Executive Director of Brand-Led Employee Experience at Landor & Fitch, as well as Executive Advisor on Employee Engagement for Woodrow. Her efforts in these roles have earned industry-wide recognition, including the Best Employee Engagement Campaign at the RAD Awards and the Innovation in Recruitment Award from Personnel Today. Currently, Emma is the Strategic Head of People at Champions (UK) plc, where she leads initiatives to foster a people-first culture and drive organisational performance. She also shares her insights as a speaker at events like the Employer Branding Summit 2023, contributing thought leadership on brand-driven culture change.
Emma is hired not only for her depth of knowledge but also for her authenticity, clarity and passion for people. Organisations value her ability to bridge strategy with storytelling, turning complex people challenges into actionable insights. Whether advising executive teams or energising conference audiences, Emma brings a blend of empathy and expertise that resonates across sectors. Her track record of transforming employee experiences and championing inclusive workplace cultures makes her a sought-after voice in today’s evolving HR and leadership landscape.
