Dr Claire Handby

Dr Claire Handby is a respected female motivational keynote speaker, leadership adviser, executive coach, author and Visiting Professor at the University of Salford. With more than 25 years of experience across corporate leadership, transformation, construction and professional services, Claire has built a career around helping people and organisations navigate change with greater confidence and clarity. She is particularly passionate about women’s leadership, career reinvention, menopause, resilience and personal growth, drawing on her own experience of senior corporate life and entrepreneurship to encourage others to pursue success on terms that feel meaningful and sustainable.

Claire has worked with some of the most recognisable organisations in construction, consulting and professional services, including Laing O’Rourke, Mace Group, McCarthy & Stone, EY, Deloitte and KPMG. Her career has taken her across sectors including transport, utilities, health, aviation, technology, government, media and nuclear, giving her extensive experience of complex organisations and large scale transformation. She rose to become a Director at Deloitte, building senior leadership expertise across strategy, transformation, capital projects and organisational performance. Claire later moved from a long corporate career into entrepreneurship, establishing her own leadership advisory business through which she provides executive coaching, Board transformation, programme advisory and leadership consultancy to senior professionals and organisations.

Alongside her commercial work, Claire has developed a strong academic, charitable and public profile. She has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Salford since 2018 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by the University of Salford. Claire is also an internationally accredited executive coach with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and holds Associate Certified Coach status with the International Coaching Federation. Her wider roles include Chair of SARA Greater Manchester, supporting work focused on preventing sexual violence against women and girls, alongside positions as a Trustee of True Learning Partnership and a Trustee of Silent Voices, a construction charity focused on suicide prevention. She has also contributed as a business ambassador for the Meningitis Trust.

As a keynote speaker, Claire combines boardroom experience with practical insight into confidence, courage, leadership and major life transitions. Her signature keynotes include ‘Women Who Lead Differently’, ‘The Courage to Pivot’, ‘Lead Without Losing Yourself’, ‘Doing the Maths and Changing Your Life’ and ‘Menopause, Leadership and Performance’. She speaks particularly powerfully about breaking barriers in senior leadership, building visibility, navigating career pivots and maintaining authenticity under pressure. Claire also brings experience as a podcaster, trainer and media contributor, discussing themes including corporate transitions, portfolio careers and leadership change. Her ability to translate complex leadership challenges into relatable, actionable ideas makes her a strong choice for organisations seeking a female motivational speaker who can inspire women to lead with confidence, adapt through uncertainty and create lasting personal and professional change.