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Emma Henderson MBE is an international keynote and TEDx speaker, and creator of the AVIATE Decision Making Model who helps leaders stay calm, confident and resilient when pressure hits. Emma brings the lived reality of high stakes decision making to the stage, translating what works in the cockpit into clear, usable habits for life and work, with a particular focus on helping women lead visibly, credibly, and without apology.
Emma built her career across more than 30 years in aviation, progressing through training and operational roles before taking command as an easyJet Captain. Responsible for crew, passengers, and complex real time decisions across Europe, Emma learned how to create trust fast, communicate with precision, and stay composed when information is incomplete. Often described as one of fewer than 500 female airline captains worldwide, Emma speaks openly about what it takes to succeed in a male dominated environment, from handling assumptions to holding authority with calm confidence.
In 2020, when aviation was grounded, Emma took voluntary redundancy and redirected her leadership into service, becoming Co-Founder and former CEO of Project Wingman. Under Emma’s leadership, the charity mobilised thousands of airline colleagues to create ‘first class lounge’ style wellbeing spaces for frontline NHS and Blue Light teams, offering rest, reassurance, and human connection when burnout was surging. Emma’s contribution was recognised with an MBE, and her work has since been celebrated through major industry recognition including 2025 Bookers’ Choice Award Winner, plus her status as a bestselling author of ‘Grounded’, a candid account of resilience, setbacks, and rebuilding confidence.
On stage, Emma combines humour with clear structure, giving audiences tools they can use the next morning, rather than inspiration that fades by lunchtime. A concrete example is Emma’s cockpit habit of brief, act, debrief, agree the goal, assign roles, make the call, then learn without blame, a repeatable rhythm that strengthens psychological safety and performance. Whether it’s a leadership conference, a women’s network, or an executive offsite, Emma leaves people feeling steadier, braver, and equipped with practical language for speaking up, asking for clarity, and leading under pressure.
Emma Henderson is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:
“Your talk was engaging, encouraging, witty, and we were all delighted to leave with so much enthusiasm.”
“Thank you for sharing your very inspiring story with us. I appreciated the level of self-disclosure you gave in highlighting the challenges you have faced in your personal & your professional life and your honesty in how you faced them. I loved the message that it is ok to fail and how this develops your perspective as a leader and keeps you grounded.”
“Emma’s story perfectly reflects the genuine and inspirational person that she is. Told in a refreshingly transparent and humorous way, from take-off to landing she captivated our global audience with a warmth and drive that clearly resonated with all. A special person who makes a big difference.”
“I cannot recommend Emma enough for your speaking events. She has worked with me twice now and I have been massively impressed by her professionalism, calmness, clarity of thought, humility and gentle humour. She consistently goes well above and beyond the brief and the members of my audience love her to bits. If you are thinking of someone to delight your audience, you must speak to Emma Henderson.”
“Emma is an incredibly talented leader and her natural storytelling ability is absolutely inspiring – mesmerising audiences she engages with. I could listen to Emma speak all day long. A wonderful talent.”
“Emma shared her experience and insights with us in an engaging and compelling manner. Thoughtful, yet also inspirational, she made a profound impact on all those she engaged with during her time with us at the University. I cannot recommend her highly enough.”
“Emma is an incredibly talented leader and her natural storytelling ability is absolutely inspiring- mesmerising audiences she engages with. I could listen to Emma speak all day long. A wonderful talent!”
“Emma spoke to our Y13s at the start of the academic year and her message was spot on! At a time in their lives when they need to be resilient and to persevere is so crucial, her inspiring and moving life lessons truly struck a chord and left our students feeling motivated to face the challenges of their final year of school”
“Emma was brilliant and the ladies loved her! And quite frankly of course they did! Thank you so much for your preparation and openness in answering the ladies’ questions… thank you, thank you!”
“Emma’s incredible story provided a unique perspective into change-readiness and the importance of self-belief when dealing with adversity. Her contributions to our Women’s History Month celebrations provided a challenging and inspirational message that anything is possible if you practise gratitude and care in all things, make time for yourself and always look to learn. A true leader in all she does, we are so grateful for her time to inspire our customers and colleagues and look forward to doing it again (and again!)”
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