Dr Eliza Filby

Dr Eliza Filby is a contemporary historian, author and award winning speaker who specialises in generational change, leadership and the future of work. She is the recipient of the Europa Forum’s 2022 Millennia Leaders Award, recognising her influence in shaping conversations about younger generations and the modern workplace. Her expertise has taken her to some of the world’s most respected stages, including the EU Human Rights Forum and the Financial Times CEO Summit. In 2022 she also presented evidence to the UK House of Lords on intergenerational unfairness, demonstrating the real world impact of her research. These achievements, combined with her engaging and insightful style, are key reasons why organisations frequently hire Dr Eliza Filby as a female motivational speaker who can inspire audiences while grounding her ideas in rigorous historical and social analysis.

Dr Eliza’s academic background underpins the authority and depth of her work. She studied History at Durham University before completing a Master’s in Modern History at University College London. She later earned a PhD in Contemporary British History from the University of Warwick. Alongside her research, she has taught widely on modern political and economic history. In 2011 she taught the history of social democracy to British millennials at King’s College London, helping students understand the political ideas that shaped modern Britain. In 2013 she taught the history of capitalism to Chinese millennials at Renmin University in Beijing. This international teaching experience has given her a distinctive perspective on how different generations think about politics, work and opportunity.

Dr Eliza is also a respected author and communicator who brings complex ideas to a broad audience. In 2013 she published ‘God and Mrs Thatcher: The Battle for Britain’s Soul’, a widely discussed book examining the relationship between religion and politics in modern Britain. Alongside her writing she hosts the podcast ‘It’s All Relative’, where she explores generational issues, social change and the shifting relationship between age groups in society. Through both her writing and broadcasting she explains how historical trends shape today’s economic, cultural and political debates.

As a speaker, Dr Eliza Filby combines historical insight with practical relevance, making her a powerful and engaging female motivational speaker. She draws on her research, entrepreneurial experience as the founder of GradTrain and her work advising organisations on generational change to help audiences understand the challenges and opportunities facing modern workplaces. Her talks are particularly popular at leadership conferences, corporate events, business summits, education forums, women in leadership programmes and policy discussions. With a unique ability to connect history with the present, Dr Eliza motivates audiences to think differently about generations, leadership and the future.