- People and Culture leader transforming organizational leadership strategy
- Founder of Bloom and creator of Women Who Lead
- Expert in closing the Authenticity Gap in workplace culture
Ruth Penfold is a People and Culture leader who transforms how organizations approach leadership, combining two decades of experience with a methodology centred on authenticity and human connection.
As the founder of Bloom and creator of Women Who Lead, Ruth has shaped high-performing teams at technology innovators, including Shazam, Onfido, and bp Launchpad, where she served as Chief People Officer. Her work bridges corporate expertise with modern understanding of leadership psychology and somatic intelligence.
Ruth helps organizations close what she calls the "Authenticity Gap" - the disconnect between who people are and who they believe they must be at work. Her approach integrates practical leadership strategies with nervous system awareness, enabling companies to build cultures where innovation thrives through trust rather than burnout. This methodology proves particularly valuable for teams navigating rapid growth or significant change.
Audiences leave Ruth's presentations with concrete tools for creating psychological safety in high-pressure environments, practical frameworks for sustainable leadership that honour natural energy cycles, and strategies to transform authenticity from a personal value into a competitive advantage.
Book Ruth when you need a speaker who delivers not just inspiration, but actionable wisdom that transforms how your organization approaches leadership and culture.
Ruth's Showreel and Videos
Topics, Sessions and Talks
Building Human-Centred Cultures That Scale
Ruth Penfold explores how to design organizations that expand without losing their soul. Drawing on her experience at high-growth companies, she unpacks how trust, safety, and self-awareness can drive innovation and performance. Through practical insights and real-world examples, she demonstrates how culture becomes a living system — one that grows with its people rather than at their expense.
Leadership And The Nervous System At Work
In this session, Ruth Penfold reveals how understanding the body’s responses can transform leadership. She explains how stress, uncertainty, and rapid change affect the nervous system, and how leaders can cultivate calm, clarity, and connection even under pressure. With accessible somatic tools and grounded wisdom, she helps audiences rediscover balance and build workplaces that foster sustainable performance.
Women’s Leadership And The Authenticity Gap
Ruth Penfold examines the unique pressures facing women in leadership and how societal expectations often create a disconnect between personal truth and professional identity. She shares practical strategies to close this Authenticity Gap, build self-trust, and lead without self-abandonment. Combining empathy and evidence-based insight, she empowers women to lead from wholeness, redefining success on their own terms.
Leading Through Change And Uncertainty
Drawing on decades in fast-moving industries, Ruth Penfold explores what it means to lead adaptively in times of transition. She discusses how leaders can hold stability while embracing evolution, balancing strategy with self-awareness. Her calm yet dynamic approach helps audiences understand how authenticity, presence, and psychological safety create resilience when everything else is shifting.
Trust, Safety, And Ownership In Modern Teams
Ruth Penfold delves into the foundations of thriving teams in an era of hybrid work and rapid change. She explains how psychological safety and shared ownership unlock performance and innovation. With clarity and candour, she offers leaders a roadmap to build workplaces where honesty is welcomed, collaboration deepens, and people are empowered to bring their best to the collective.
Why We Recommend Booking Ruth
Ruth Penfold transforms organizational culture by bridging the Authenticity Gap, drawing from two decades of experience shaping high-performing teams at Shazam, Onfido, and bp Launchpad. Book Ruth to gain actionable wisdom that creates psychological safety in high-pressure environments while turning authentic leadership into your competitive advantage.
Thank you for delivering this insightful and humble training to our business. Ruth absolutely rocked our session with her awesome energy and empathy. I haven't seen such a participative session in a very long time - which is not an easy task especially virtually.
Bloom created a session for the Rise, by Barclays community on the topic of avoiding burnout and working sustainability. This was a superbly ran session: with a contagiously positive energy, providing guided tips and resources. I highly recommend Bloom to anyone interested in transforming their relationship to work.
One of the unique and differentiating values that Ruth brings to the table is her common sense gained from 20+ years in People + Talent, which added to her understanding of psychology makes her a wonderful coach and facilitator to work with.
