Award-winning cultural sociologist and keynote speaker on generations, trends, leadership and modern social behaviour.
5.00 of 5
Top rated!5 of 5
Excellent and captivating. Slides that evoke emotions and makes you remember.
Christian Tvede
People, Love & Culture, Umbraco
Emilia Van Hauen is one of Scandinavia’s most recognised cultural sociologists and keynote speakers, known for turning complex social trends into inspiring and practical insights. With a unique background combining sociology, marketing and business leadership, she delivers thought-provoking keynotes on generations Y, Z and Alpha, gender, leadership, modern work life and the cultural shifts shaping society today. Emilia is a TEDx Copenhagen speaker, bestselling author and trusted media commentator who has appeared in leading international and Scandinavian media outlets. Her presentations are engaging, intelligent and highly relevant for organisations looking to understand people, culture and the future.
Emilia Van Hauen is a cultural sociologist, marketing expert and one of Scandinavia’s most sought-after keynote speakers. For years, she has been one of the most quoted sociologists in Denmark on topics related to social tendencies, cultural movements and modern ways of living. Her work focuses on understanding how people, generations and societies evolve — and how organisations, leaders and businesses can navigate these changes successfully.
With a strong ability to connect sociology, business and everyday life, Emilia Van Hauen delivers keynote presentations that are insightful, inspiring and highly relevant for modern organisations. Her talks combine research, cultural analysis and practical reflections in a way that makes complex societal developments easy to understand and apply.
A keynote with Emilia Van Hauen gives audiences a deeper understanding of the forces shaping workplaces, consumer behaviour, leadership and communities in a rapidly changing world.
One of Emilia Van Hauen’s core areas of expertise is generations Y, Z and Alpha. She explores how younger generations think differently about work, success, identity, belonging and relationships, and how these shifts are changing expectations towards companies, leaders and institutions.
Her presentations often focus on themes such as:
Emilia Van Hauen is especially recognised for her ability to identify cultural tendencies early and explain how they influence organisations and society as a whole. She combines sociological insight with practical business understanding, making her keynotes valuable for both leadership teams and broader employee audiences.
Her talks are relevant for conferences, leadership summits, educational institutions, organisations and companies looking to better understand the cultural and generational developments shaping the future.
Emilia Van Hauen is a TEDx Copenhagen speaker and has spoken at several major international conferences and events. She is also widely recognised as a trusted commentator on contemporary society and social behaviour.
Over the years, she has contributed regularly to leading Danish newspapers, magazines, television stations and radio channels. Her expertise has also been featured internationally in media such as BBC World, BBC, RTL, Libération, the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun Global, French Elle and several Swedish and Norwegian media outlets.
In addition to speaking and writing, Emilia blogs for Huffington Post and frequently participates in public discussions about leadership, culture, gender, generational development and modern lifestyles.
Her ability to combine sharp analysis with relatable storytelling has made her a popular speaker for organisations seeking a keynote that is both intelligent and engaging.
As an author, Emilia Van Hauen has published seven books, including several bestsellers that have contributed significantly to conversations about culture, leadership, gender and modern society.
Her latest book, “The Generation That Will Save the World …with a little help from the rest of us”, published by Gyldendal in 2024, explores the values and perspectives of younger generations and how they may help shape a more sustainable and human future.
Among her bestselling titles is “The Tyranny of Success – and the way out” from 2017, which examines the increasing pressure to perform and succeed in modern society. The book sparked widespread debate and resonated strongly with readers navigating stress, expectations and achievement culture.
Another bestseller, “Ladycool: Your Gender is a Strength, Use It!” from 2014, challenged traditional understandings of gender and highlighted how differences can become strengths in leadership and professional life.
Earlier works include:
Across all her books, Emilia Van Hauen explores how societal expectations influence people’s behaviour, identity and relationships. Her writing is known for combining cultural insight with practical relevance and human understanding.
In addition to her sociological expertise, Emilia Van Hauen has a strong academic and business background. She graduated in the social sciences in 2001, holds an HD(A) degree in business administration and marketing, and completed Copenhagen Business School’s Executive Board Program with honours.
Her combination of sociological insight and commercial understanding gives her a unique perspective on leadership, organisational culture and strategic development.
Emilia also has extensive board experience and has served on several boards for more than eight years. Among her board positions is the Danish cultural institution Messecenter Herning. Her experience from board work strengthens her understanding of the challenges organisations face in relation to leadership, innovation, employee engagement and societal change.
This combination of academic expertise, business knowledge and practical leadership experience makes Emilia Van Hauen a highly credible and relevant keynote speaker for both private and public organisations.
Audiences appreciate Emilia Van Hauen for her warm stage presence, intelligent observations and engaging communication style. She has a remarkable ability to make complex social developments relatable, understandable and directly relevant to everyday professional life.
Her keynotes challenge audiences to think differently while also offering concrete perspectives that can be applied within organisations and leadership teams.
Whether speaking about generations, gender, modern work culture, communities, leadership or future societal trends, Emilia Van Hauen creates presentations that inspire reflection, dialogue and action.
Beyond her professional work, Emilia is also deeply engaged in humanitarian and social causes. She serves as ambassador for UNICEF Denmark and Girltalk, organisations dedicated to supporting children and young girls and ensuring that no one is left behind.
Book Emilia Van Hauen for your event if you are looking for a keynote speaker who combines cultural insight, business understanding and engaging communication in presentations that leave a lasting impression on audiences.
5 of 5
Excellent and captivating. Slides that evoke emotions and makes you remember.
Christian Tvede People, Love & Culture, Umbraco
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
We've received a lot of positive feedback on the topic and your delivery of it. It was educational, inspiring, and fun, so thank you very much for that.
Anita Nue Head of Central Operations, Louis Nielsen, at a conference for all 800 employees.
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
Digital talk: A sincere recommendation! Emilia is an incredibly empathetic speaker with something important at heart. Her high level of professionalism combined with her bubbly and present personality made her performance go beyond the online conditions. There was a good balance between dissemination, slides and “probs” – One was captivated throughout and even though it was behind a screen she burned through with key messages about organisations, generations and the future. Her presentation provoked reflection and a desire for action. I would strongly recommend you to invite Emilia, then you’ll go into the future more capable and with a better set of skills.
Sara Hansen Lavrsen PR- and Marketing Manager, Hartmanns
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
Emilias talk ”The young show us the way to the future” was a massive eyeopener for many of us and it gave us some concrete ideas and inspiration on how we, as leaders in the healthcare industry, should think in new ways of organizing the work, so that we can be an attractive workplace for the younger generations.
Dorthe Crüger President, Danish Regions Capital
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
It was a formidable talk, so good and so thought provoking! You are so charming and powerful, and you do it with a great sense of humor. Everyone had a wonderful evening and we were all enlightned. I am passing on links to the the unruly women.
Kirsten Cadovius The Ladies Salon
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
We had a good and insightful dialogue with Emilia who has a deep knowledge and understanding of leadership and motivation across generations and gave us simultaneously a sharp analysis of the impact of corona in managerial contexts. The dialogue with Emilia and her talk to the management group has inspired us to revisit and adjust a number of our politics so that we better match the zeitgeist.
Jens Bødtcher-Hansen Managing partner, Legal Advisor to the Danish Government Firm, Poul Schmith
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
Emilia van Hauen is a sharp communicator who engages her audience with current research and stories about generations X, Y, and Z. Educators, students, and companies all received material for thought and tools on how to transform the generation gap into a generational bridge and create a good working environment for all generations in the workplace. It was both entertaining and educational.
J.C.H. Kløve Director UCN Aalborg
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
It was fantastic! We in the management team have discussed challenges with recruitment and education of new employees. We therefore invited Emilia van Hauen to educate us about generation Y and Z, which in a few years will take over the labour market. We got many great insights which enhanced our understanding of the younger employees – and from which we will definitely adjust our recruitment program and how we train our future employees, so both elements are a better fit.
Michael Villemoes Larsen Head of Administration, Copenhagen City Court
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
Emilia is a very skilled presenter who really captivates the participants and delivers with great enthusiasm. She managed to make the presentation highly relevant to our context and had a good handle on the target audience she was addressing.
Susanne Foldager Psychiatry, Region of Southern Denmark
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
Emilia van Hauen knows what she's talking about when she focuses on how to attract and retain young people from Gen YZ! Despite having some prior knowledge on the subject, I gained new perspectives and useful tools to take home. Emilia delivered a lively and engaging presentation, drawing on both research-based data and practical examples from her own life, which are easy to relate to. I highly recommend Emilia if you're looking for a professional communicator who can communicate on a level playing field and deliver thought-provoking insights.
Jens Teisen Chief Consultant, The Danish Chamber of Commerce
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
Emilia delivered a thought-provoking and entertaining presentation on generational differences in the workplace, enlightening an international audience about Generation Z. She provided valuable insights that can be taken home and applied to leading and motivating the younger generation.
Martin Wülser Larsen Umbraco A/S
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
The students were undivided enthusiastic. They said things such as: “She was a great communicator” (one even used the term ´rhetorician´). “She had a great use of statistics and background material”, “She knew what she was talking about”, “It was interesting – time flew by even though it lasted one and a half hour”, and “It was cool that she involved us in the lecture.”
Thomas Secher Lund Vice Headmaster, Sct. Knuds Gymnasium
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
Thank you so much for your talk at our press conference last week. It received great reviews from all three journalists from all three countries. They praised the fact that there was more than “just” product news but also inspiration at the conference. It could not have been done any better!
Gitte Lasnier Scandinavian Marketing Director, L’Oreal Denmark A/S
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
Emilia van Hauen gave a highly relevant and exiting online lecture regarding her book ‘The tyranny of success – and the way out’ by forming new communities. She manages to go beyond the screen with her exiting insights and points, time flew by even though it was late afternoon after a busy weekday, where the energy level isn´t at its highest. InnovationSilkeborg gives their highest recommendations to online lectures with Emilia.
Anne Sofie Persson Innovation Silkeborg
Emilia van Hauen
5 of 5
It was once again a great pleasure to see and hear you yesterday! You are a unique combination of science, practice and good examples, mixed with an engaging commitment, which shows through being interested rather than just interesting. One leaves enriched, uplifted and strengthened from your presentations – and I could see that the members did so too.
Tina Buch Olsson Senior consultant, The Danish Chamber of Commerce
Emilia van Hauen
Keynote by Emilia van Hauen:
Beauty. Sexuality. Sociality. Shame. Society.
Statistics on increasing levels of stress anxiety, depression, loneliness and insomnia show us that our society is out of balance.
Even the climate has had it! So, we need a new hero. Many of them actually.
And these heroes are The Unruly Women!
They dare to be free, to take their space in society and contribute with their unbound creativity in order to create a healthy social culture in society. In other words, they are able to contribute to better times and a world in balance. For men, women and Earth.
This talk is both humorous and sharp as it touches upon the limiting prejudices and stories which women are still met with in society and todays culture. This is especially true when it comes to their beauty, sexuality and sociality. And that’s why this talk will turn everything around and show how women – and society – can transform these old limitations into an advantage. It will also give a lot of inspiration as to how YOU can become an Unruly Woman. So: Do you want to become a member of The Unruly Women’s Club?
Keynote by Emilia van Hauen:
Keynote by Emilia van Hauen:
THE ART OF SUCCEEDING TOGETHER IN TIMES OF CHANGE
We are in the middle of a paradigm shift when it comes to jobs in the future. The winners are the organisations without a hierarchy who have confidence and trust in their employees, who create an environment where creativity and relations thrive – a fantastic community!
The talk informs, in a sharp, clear and entertaining way, what values and goals are at stake in today’s organizations and how you can create the strongest workplace and the best organization.
The talk is based on my bestseller from 2009 which is now more relevant than ever: Goodbye Egoparty and Hello to Goals and Communities, my latest book, The tyranny of success – and the way out, together with a long list of articles and videos about the young generations who create the developments which we all will follow in time.
You will get more information on:
Keynote by Emilia van Hauen:
