
Lucy Adams
Former HR director & executive board member of the BBC
Lucy Adams: Biography highlights
Lucy Adams has led successful change in complex organisations for over 15 years, whose insights into the ups and downs of leading in a crisis both organisationally and personally are insightful and honest.
Full biography
Lucy Adams, CEO of Disruptive HR, talks about the challenges facing leaders and HR today:
- How to manage, engage and develop people in the 21st century
- How to lead in a disrupted world
- How to create more innovation through your people
- How to stay resilient
Lucy created Disruptive HR after having held senior level HR roles in a variety of sectors, most recently at the BBC where she was the HR Director on the Executive Board during one of that organisation’s most turbulent periods. In just five years the BBC had four CEOs, opened the new BBC in the North of England and the largest multi-media newsroom in Europe, became ever more digital across its news and television output, delivered significant financial reductions and managed numerous crises. Lucy was at the heart of all of these and led on many more.
Before joining the BBC Lucy was Group HR Director at Serco plc, a multi-national plc delivering large scale government contracts across the world. She has led and delivered change in complex organisations for over 15 years.
During her time at the BBC, Lucy grew frustrated with the lack of innovation in the HR profession and wanted to find new ways of tackling old problems. She now runs the agency to help HR Directors and business leaders do things differently.
Lucy is also the author of “HR Disrupted”, a book packed with practical ways to innovate your approach to leading people in a disrupted world.
Available for:
Moderator
Panelist
Watch Lucy in action




Accenture
You managed to do that difficult thing of getting people to think more broadly about their profession, sharing fresh thinking from other companies and weaving this into a stimulating and entertaining narrative - great result!'
Siemens
'You were the star turn of our event! Everyone was buzzing. You were superb: fluent, charming, engaging and so authentic. I am so very grateful to you. Outstanding.'
Standard Life
'THANK YOU for a great session yesterday - you absolutely nailed it.'
Clydesdale & Yorkshire Bank
'You were the best speaker we have had to date. You were great fun too ....'
Deloitte
'You were fantastic! The levels of enthusiasm, engagement and participation from the audience were unprecedented with this group. I found you insightful, educational, inspirational ....'
Countrywide plc
'You were a massive hit at the event and your style resonated brilliantly. The feedback was outstanding and I can't thank you enough.'
IBM
'You were great! Exactly what we needed. The feedback about you was glowing.'
Johnson & Johnson
'You were our number one speaker. People have been talking about it for weeks after the event.'
Richmond Events
'You were the top scoring speaker'
Lucy's speaking topics
HR, remuneration, union relations, employee engagement, talent management, leadership and management, organisational development, career development and developing an employee brand
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Leading in a disrupted world
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Delivering real change in complex organisations
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Better not Bitter: how to survive and thrive after a setback
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Developing your own brand: career advice for senior women
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Leadership in times of crisis: develop resourcefulness and resilience
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Check Lucy Adams's availability
To enquire about booking Lucy Adams, email info@speakersassociates.com or complete this form.