Baroness Ruth Hunt.
Baroness Ruth Hunt is a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, and former CEO of Stonewall.
As a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, Ruth focuses on human rights and contributes more broadly to the work of the House. She also serves as a member of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, with a particular focus on youth, democracy, and sport. Ruth was introduced to the Lords in 2019, following five years as Chief Executive of Stonewall, the LGBT+ charity.
Alongside her parliamentary work, Ruth is Director of Deeds and Words, a consultancy that supports organisations of all sizes in developing culture, leadership, and values based change. She is also a trustee of the Lloyds Bank Foundation, which partners with small and local charities to help people overcome complex social issues. Ruth is a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, and of the German Marshall Memorial Fund, and writes on issues relating to faith and sexuality.
keynote speeches.
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Ruth has been campaigning for LGBT inclusion since she came out at the age of 14 in 1994. Over the last 30 years, LGBT people, their rights and their experiences, have been a lodestone for public attitudes, sometimes reflecting what is best about our country, sometimes reflecting the worst. The international rise of populism has once more thrust LGBT people onto the ‘wrong side’. Reflecting on the last 30 years of progress, and her personal and professional experience navigating the culture wars, Ruth examines what this means for LGBT people now and in the future, and what allies can do to help.
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Companies can’t afford to ignore culture, the non-financial risks facing them are devastating. Over the last decade, Ruth has supported multi-national organisations to think about the connection between their ways of working and their bottom line, and the approaches that evolve working practices to enable everyone to thrive. Ruth reflects on how inclusive home-working really is, who wins and who loses when you only meet remotely, and how organisations can maximise flexibility for their staff whilst driving efficiency for their business.
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As we live (and work) longer, whilst being divided by an increasingly disparate media, the differences between the generations are more pronounced than any time in history. Intergenerational workforces have different requirements and sometimes it can feel impossible to unite groups of people with a shared purpose. Employers are increasingly expected to navigate the demands and ideas of a workforce that may be at odds with the purpose of the organisation. Ruth explores how leaders can strike the right balance between drawing on the different lived experiences and insights of an increasingly diverse workforce whilst maintaining the necessary authorities and hierarchies for organisations to thrive.
videos.
Speaking Highlight
in the news.
frequently asked questions.
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Ruth Hunt’s work focuses on human rights, inclusion, leadership, and the cultural and political forces shaping society and the workplace. Drawing on her experience as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords and former CEO of Stonewall, she explores LGBT+ inclusion, democracy, populism, and how organisations navigate culture, values, and change in increasingly polarised environments.
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She is typically engaged for keynote speeches at conferences, leadership events, and public sector or corporate programmes. Her keynote speeches combine policy insight, lived experience, and strategic perspective, helping audiences understand complex social and political issues in a practical organisational context.
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Yes. Beyond keynote speeches, Ruth contributes to panel discussions and Q&As. She is particularly effective in discussion-based settings that explore leadership, culture, inclusion, and the implications of wider societal change.
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Her work is particularly relevant to organisations navigating inclusion, workforce culture, and reputational or societal risk. She is especially valuable where leaders are addressing diversity and inclusion, multi-generational workforces, hybrid working, or the impact of political and cultural polarisation on employees and customers.
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She most commonly engages with senior leaders, boards, policymakers, HR and people professionals, and wider employee audiences across corporate, public sector, and civic organisations. Her work resonates strongly with organisations operating in complex regulatory or socially sensitive environments.
Audiences include CEOs, senior leaders, leadership teams, HR professionals, people leaders, managers, and employee audiences. -
Her approach is thoughtful, authoritative, and measured, combining clarity with empathy. She creates space for nuanced discussion, helping audiences engage with difficult topics constructively rather than defensively.
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Ruth adapts her content to reflect the audience’s sector, organisational context, and objectives. She adjusts emphasis between policy, leadership, workplace culture, or lived experience, ensuring relevance while maintaining depth and credibility.
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Yes. While grounded in UK public life, the themes she addresses around inclusion, democracy, leadership, and culture have clear international relevance. Her work translates effectively to global organisations and cross cultural audiences.
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Pricing for Ruth is influenced by factors such as event location, format, and time commitment. Speaking Office ensures fee consistency across all enquiries, whether via speaker bureaus or direct clients, so that pricing remains aligned and non-competitive across channels. Accurate and up-to-date pricing can be provided once event details are shared, ensuring alignment with both the client’s requirements and Ruth’s long-term positioning.
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Speaking Office aims to respond promptly to all enquiries regarding Ruth typically within one business day. Response times may vary slightly depending on event complexity and time zone, but all enquiries are handled with care and attention.
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Ruth is available for virtual and hybrid events, as well as in-person engagements, depending on availability and event requirements. Speaking Office can advise on the most appropriate format based on audience, objectives, and technical considerations.
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Advance booking is recommended for Ruth, particularly for peak periods and international events. While shorter lead times can be accommodated, early enquiry allows for greater flexibility and planning.
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Speaking Office exclusively represents Ruth for speaking engagements and live events work. Details regarding availability, fees and general enquiries are managed by his speaker manager via the contact information on this page.
How do I book Ruth for a speech?
Speaking Office exclusively represents Baroness Ruth Hunt for speaking engagements.
To discuss arrangements, please contact Speaking Office: