Karen Hands

Karen is an Associate Fellow of Oxford Saïd Business School and Head Tutor for the online Women’s Leadership Development Programme. She has worked with over 3,500 women from all over the world since the programme launched in 2019, and has gained huge insight into the challenges facing women as leaders. She brings this understanding to our ice-breaker session at the start of RISE at ESC 2024, where we will explore influence and agency, whether or not you describe yourself as a leader.

A process engineer by background, Karen worked as a project manager in a multinational chemical company at the start of her career but turned to working almost exclusively with women as a consultant, coach and Board advisor at Say it Karen Ltd. Her Phenomenal Woman speaker training enables women at any stage in their career to speak with purpose, passion and poise. She’s an angel investor in female-led businesses and is the author of Networking Know-how. At Oxford Saïd Business School she delivers both open and custom programmes for women leaders as a Programme Director and teacher on subjects including big-picture organisational context, negotiation, influencing skills and personal development planning.

“[Karen] has a way with people, her energy is always relaxed and as such one is encouraged to do their best thinking and add value to the team. With her you are able to contribute, have autonomy and be fully engaged. You’d swear we have met in person :-)” – Z Mazamisa