Dr Michelle King

Dr Michelle King is an internationally recognised diversity and inclusion expert, organisational psychologist and keynote speaker who has dedicated her career to helping organisations create more equitable, inclusive and high-performing workplace cultures. As the Founder and former Managing Director of Equality Forward, she has worked with global organisations to equip leaders with the tools, coaching and assessments needed to build workplaces where everyone can thrive. Best known for her expertise in gender equality, workplace culture and organisational behaviour, Michelle is a highly sought-after speaker who challenges businesses to address inequality by transforming workplace systems rather than individuals.

Michelle began her career in human resources, building extensive experience across a range of multinational organisations. Starting as an HR Consultant at PwC, she went on to hold senior HR leadership positions with Fonterra, Suncor Energy and BHP Billiton, developing expertise in organisational culture, leadership and employee engagement. Her passion for advancing equality later led her into influential international roles, including Head of Integrated Strategy for Gender Innovation and Senior Manager of Development for Diversity and Employee Engagement at UN Women. She also served as Director of Inclusion at Netflix, where she helped embed inclusive practices across the global organisation. Following four years as Managing Director of ECCI and a year as Chief People Officer at ODI Global, Michelle was appointed Global Director of Performance, Culture and Talent at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer in 2025.

Alongside her executive career, Michelle has become one of the leading voices on workplace inclusion through her writing, research and media work. She is the author of the bestselling books The Fix: How to Overcome the Invisible Barriers that are Holding Women Back at Work and How Work Works, with her third book, My Workplace is Killing Me!, due for release in 2027. She also hosts The Fix podcast, which has surpassed 100,000 downloads, is a contributing writer for Forbes and has delivered a TEDx Chelsea Park talk titled It’s Not You, It’s Your Workplace. Michelle holds a PhD from Cranfield University, five degrees from the University of California and has served as an Advisory Board Member for Girl Up, part of the United Nations Foundation. Her work has been recognised with the Women Tech Founders Inspiring Innovator Award, LinkedIn Top Voice for Equality recognition and multiple business book honours.

Having delivered more than 500 keynote presentations worldwide, Michelle is regarded as one of the foremost speakers on diversity, equity and inclusion. Her engaging presentations combine academic research with practical leadership experience, giving audiences actionable strategies to improve workplace culture and remove systemic barriers to success. She speaks with authority on topics including gender equality, intersectionality, women’s advancement, workplace bias, inclusive leadership and the future of work, while also addressing the challenges faced by working parents and emerging leaders. Trusted by organisations including Dior, LinkedIn, Amazon, Netflix and Travis Perkins, Michelle inspires audiences to create workplaces where inclusion drives innovation, performance and lasting organisational success.