Harriet Waley-Cohen: Expertise Rooted in Experience

Harriet Waley-Cohen brings a rare combination of commercial credibility and human insight to the stage. Her early career in investments gave her first-hand experience of high-pressure, male dominated environments, while her academic grounding in psychology shaped her understanding of behaviour, bias and confidence. For over a decade, she has coached senior women and leadership teams, helping them navigate visibility, authority and influence in complex organisational cultures.

This blend of experience allows Harriet to speak with authority to leaders, HR teams and employees alike. She understands the realities of business, the pressures faced by senior decision-makers, and the lived experiences of women working within systems that were not designed with them in mind.

Driving Gender Inclusion That Delivers ROI

Harriet specialises in helping organisations move beyond surface-level diversity initiatives. Her work focuses on creating environments where women are not just hired, but retained, developed and promoted. She supports companies to shift their cultures towards genuine allyship, where responsibility for inclusion is shared rather than placed solely on women.

Known for being outspoken about sexism and misogyny, Harriet addresses uncomfortable truths with clarity and purpose. She also challenges the ongoing sexualisation of women in the workplace, helping organisations understand how these dynamics undermine performance, engagement and reputation. Her sessions are practical, direct and grounded in evidence, always linking inclusion to business outcomes and long-term sustainability.

Building Outstanding Allyship and Leadership

A key element of Harriet’s work is supporting leaders to show up differently. She helps managers and executives understand their influence, recognise everyday behaviours that exclude, and develop the skills required to be effective allies. This includes practical guidance on language, decision-making, sponsorship and accountability.

Harriet’s approach resonates because it is realistic. She does not offer scripts or slogans, but frameworks that leaders can apply within their own contexts. The result is stronger leadership, better decision-making and cultures where diverse talent can perform at its best.

Resilience Forged Through Life’s Curve Balls

In addition to her work on gender and leadership, Harriet is a compelling speaker on resilience. Her insights are shaped by lived experience rather than theory alone. She has overcome breast cancer twice, first in 2018 and again in 2025. Following a very serious car accident in 2023, she learned to live with a traumatic brain injury. She is also over 23 years sober and in long-term recovery from addiction.

These experiences give Harriet a deep understanding of what it takes to face adversity without falling apart. Her resilience sessions explore how to navigate uncertainty, manage fear, and rebuild confidence when life takes an unexpected turn. Audiences value her honesty, warmth and refusal to offer simplistic answers.

Book Harriet Waley-Cohen for Your Event

Harriet Waley-Cohen is an engaging, challenging and deeply human speaker. She connects strategy with story, and evidence with emotion. Whether speaking to senior leaders, mixed audiences or women’s networks, she leaves people thinking differently and acting with greater intention.

Book Harriet Waley-Cohen for your event if you are looking for a speaker who combines commercial insight with lived experience, who tackles difficult topics with intelligence and courage, and who delivers conversations that stay with audiences long after the event ends.