Ruth Penfold
Transform workplace culture and leadership with Ruth Penfold, People and Culture Strategist. Ruth works with organizations to build authentic leadership, psychological safety, and sustainable team performance. Former Chief People Officer at Shazam, Onfido, and bp Launchpad, she delivers actionable frameworks through her Women Who Lead programme.
New York, United States
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As the founder of Bloom and creator of Women Who Lead, Ruth has shaped high-performing teams at technology innovators, including Shazam, Onfido, and bp Launchpad, where she served as Chief People Officer. Her work bridges corporate expertise with modern understanding of leadership psychology and somatic intelligence.
Ruth helps organizations close what she calls the "Authenticity Gap" - the disconnect between who people are and who they believe they must be at work. Her approach integrates practical leadership strategies with nervous system awareness, enabling companies to build cultures where innovation thrives through trust rather than burnout. This methodology proves particularly valuable for teams navigating rapid growth or significant change.
Audiences leave Ruth's presentations with concrete tools for creating psychological safety in high-pressure environments, practical frameworks for sustainable leadership that honour natural energy cycles, and strategies to transform authenticity from a personal value into a competitive advantage.
Book Ruth when you need a speaker who delivers not just inspiration, but actionable wisdom that transforms how your organization approaches leadership and culture.
Topics, Sessions And Talks
Ruth Penfold explores how to design organizations that expand without losing their soul. Drawing on her experience at high-growth companies, she unpacks how trust, safety, and self-awareness can drive innovation and performance. Through practical insights and real-world examples, she demonstrates how culture becomes a living system — one that grows with its people rather than at their expense.
In this session, Ruth Penfold reveals how understanding the body’s responses can transform leadership. She explains how stress, uncertainty, and rapid change affect the nervous system, and how leaders can cultivate calm, clarity, and connection even under pressure. With accessible somatic tools and grounded wisdom, she helps audiences rediscover balance and build workplaces that foster sustainable performance.
Ruth Penfold examines the unique pressures facing women in leadership and how societal expectations often create a disconnect between personal truth and professional identity. She shares practical strategies to close this Authenticity Gap, build self-trust, and lead without self-abandonment. Combining empathy and evidence-based insight, she empowers women to lead from wholeness, redefining success on their own terms.
Drawing on decades in fast-moving industries, Ruth Penfold explores what it means to lead adaptively in times of transition. She discusses how leaders can hold stability while embracing evolution, balancing strategy with self-awareness. Her calm yet dynamic approach helps audiences understand how authenticity, presence, and psychological safety create resilience when everything else is shifting.
Ruth Penfold delves into the foundations of thriving teams in an era of hybrid work and rapid change. She explains how psychological safety and shared ownership unlock performance and innovation. With clarity and candour, she offers leaders a roadmap to build workplaces where honesty is welcomed, collaboration deepens, and people are empowered to bring their best to the collective.
Looking for a custom keynote or workshop designed around your company’s goals and culture? The expert will create a tailored, interactive session that aligns with your objectives, values, and strategic priorities. From leadership and innovation to wellbeing and collaboration, each experience is built from the ground up to deliver measurable impact and lasting change.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about booking an expert speaker, facilitator, host or entertainment for your event.
- If you'd like to book one of our expert speakers, email us at hello@peptalk.com, send us a chat message or give us a call, and we’ll help you out.
- We’ll take your event details — topic, audience, budget, date, and location — and create a custom speaker proposal for you within 48 hours.
- If you already have someone in mind, that’s okay too; just let us know their name! Even if they aren't listed publicly on our website, we have a huge network and work with almost everyone.
- Once you've reviewed our speaker propsal and have selected and expert shortlist, we'll double check availability and fees with your chosen expert.
- You're welcome to have a chemistry call with the speaker before making the final decision, too.
- Next, we'll send out contracts to confirm the booking. One of our experienced event producers will liase with both you and the talent on the finer details, and arrange travel if necessary, taking the stress off your plate.
Not necessarily. While the speakers listed on our website may not have worked with PepTalk in the past, they are recognized professionals in the industry and known to engage in similar events and engagements. We work with a wide variety of speaker agents and talent agencies to ensure we have the best selection of speakers, hosts, comedians and entertainers available.
We do not accommodate requests for birthday messages or any other personal, non-commercial contact with the speakers, comedians or entertainers.
We work with speakers across a variety of fee ranges, giving you the flexibility to choose someone who fits your event's needs. Virtual keynote fees in the UK and Europe typically start at £2,000, while in-person top-tier speakers can reach £25,000. In the US, virtual in-person fees range from $5,000 to over $100,000, depending on the speaker and format, such as after-dinner talks, conference keynotes, Q&As, or podcasts. Comedians generally start at £1,500 or $2,000 for a 20-minute set.
Our goal is to help you find the speaker who best matches your event’s goals and budget. We take the time to understand your event, objectives, and audience to recommend the right fit. The most expensive option isn’t always the best one, and our priority is finding the ideal speaker or expert for your needs; not the highest-priced one.
Reach out for personalised recommendations and detailed information on specific speaker fees. We’re here to offer a tailored service and are always happy to discuss your unique requirements!
There’s no additional cost for our services beyond the speaker fee — simply contact us to find the right speaker for your next business or team event. We can also work with your corporate procurement team to negotiate favourable long-term rates, simply email hello@getapeptalk.com for more information.
Partnering with PepTalk means elevating your events with our curated roster of top motivational speakers, industry experts, delivering punchy keynotes that leave a lasting impact. From talent selection, to contracts and logistics, we handle it all. We have global expert network, with over 3000 speakers from over 33 countries on our line-up.
We also provide a full range of talent, from event hosts and moderators to interviewers and corporate entertainment, ensuring your event’s success from start to finish.
PepTalk workshops are interactive learning experiences for leaders at all levels, blending theory with practical insights from industry experts. These programs, led by experienced facilitators, are designed to drive real mindset changes and equip participants with actionable skills. Workshops can be customised to meet your organisation's specific needs. Explore our workshop examples and contact us today to learn how your team can benefit.
If you notice something that needs attention or have any queries regarding an expert speaker profile, feel free to email us at experts@getapeptalk.com, and we’ll be happy to assist.