Kirsty Murphy MBE is the first and only female pilot of the Red Arrows, a trailblazer in British aviation whose career spans fast jets, space leadership and national transformation. Resilience shaped her early life. At 13, her father was captured and tortured during the Gulf War, an experience that demanded emotional strength and inspired her to follow him into military service. When she applied to the RAF, she was rejected for attending the “wrong” school and for having arms 2mm too short; she responded by training daily, hanging from a bar each morning until she had gained 4mm and met the standard.
Armed with an MEng in Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College London, Kirsty was appointed a Tornado GR4 pilot and went on to become RAF Fast Jet Training and Capability Manager, responsible for shaping pilot development across the force. In 2012, she was appointed Executive Officer of the Red Arrows, operating at the centre of one of the world’s most recognised aerobatic teams, where precision, trust and discipline were non-negotiable.
Her leadership later extended into the space sector. As Project Delivery Manager, Head of Secretariat and Chief of Staff at the UK Space Agency, she led the transformational programme of the entire organisation, aligning strategy, people and delivery at pace. Personally selected by the Secretary of State for Transport as an Aviation Ambassador for the Department for Transport, she was appointed an MBE in Queen Elizabeth II’s Birthday Honours in 2021 in recognition of her service to aviation.
Now an Aviation Senior Consultant for Connected Places Catapult, Kirsty brings aviation, space and innovation into sharp commercial focus. Her experience of high-stakes teamwork, leadership and risk management translates seamlessly into business. In her keynote talks, delivered in a relatable peer-to-peer style, she shares practical lessons on performing when decisions truly matter, while speaking candidly about anxiety, sleep disorders and emotional burnout following two fatal aircraft crashes and the breakdown of her marriage.
In recognition of the mental resilience she has demonstrated throughout her life and career, Kirsty was recently recognised as one of the top 11 Speakers Who Have Shown Great Mental Resilience.
