Top 15 HR Tech Speakers to Follow in 2026

Introduction

HR tech is changing fast. New tools, especially AI, are reshaping how teams hire, plan, and support employees. It’s hard to keep up. That's why we need to follow the right voices in the HR industry. The best HR tech speakers aren’t just sharing ideas. They’re working through these changes in real teams and bringing back what actually works.

In this guide, we’ve highlighted 15 HR tech speakers to follow in 2026. Whether you’re an HR professional seeking trusted insights or an HR team planning a webinar or event, these speakers are worth your attention. They are organized by what they are known for.

# Speaker Role Company Known For
1 Josh Bersin Founder Josh Bersin Academy HR tech research, AI in HR, corporate learning
2 Q Hamirani Chief People Officer HighLevel Future of work, AI in HR, work culture in hypergrowth companies
3 Lucy Adams CEO Disruptive HR Rethinking traditional HR, HR Disrupted book
4 Wolfgang Brickwede Director Institute for Competitive Recruiting Recruiting benchmarks, AI in talent acquisition
5 Ben Eubanks Chief Research Officer Lighthouse Research & Advisory AI in HR, Artificial Intelligence for HR book
6 Manjuri Sinha VP HR Miro Skills-based hiring, scaling talent in tech companies
7 Theo Smith Founder Neurodiversity at Work Neuroinclusive hiring, DEI, Neurodiversity at Work book
8 Nickle LaMoreaux CHRO IBM AI-powered HR at enterprise scale, skills-based talent strategy
9 Stacy Donovan Zapar Founder The Talent Agency Talent attraction, candidate experience, employer branding
10 Katrina Kibben Founder Three Ears Media Job posting writing, human-centered hiring
11 Anastasia Dedyukhina Founder Consciously Digital Digital wellbeing, AI and human attention, Homo Distractus book
12 David Timis AI & Future of Work Speaker Generation AI literacy, skills-based hiring, future of work
13 David Green Executive Director Insight222 People analytics, data-driven HR, Digital HR Leaders podcast
14 Jacob Morgan Author & Founder Future of Work Leaders Future leadership, employee experience, The Future Leader book
15 Hung Lee Curator Recruiting Brainfood Recruiting trends, talent community building, AI in recruiting

What Makes a Great HR Tech Speaker

Not every HR influencer makes a great speaker. The ones who consistently deliver at webinars and events tend to share a few qualities.

Storytelling and Authenticity

They use personal anecdotes and real-world scenarios to create emotional connections and make complex information memorable.

Empathy and Human-Centricity

They understand employee experiences, addressing the "human" side of human resources to boost morale rather than just focusing on policies.

Active Listening and Engagement

They foster a two-way dialogue, encouraging interaction and actively listening to their audience rather than just presenting to them.

Practitioner Experience, Not Just Theory

The best HR tech speakers have done the work. They've led talent functions, built recruiting teams, navigated workforce change, or built tools for the industry. That lived experience shows in how they answer questions and handle pushback.

The Top 15 HR Tech Speakers in 2026

Industry Influencers and Keynote Speakers

Established voices with broad reach and deep expertise across HR strategy, technology, and the future of work.

1. Josh Bersin

Global HR industry analyst and founder of the Josh Bersin Academy

Where to follow:

Josh Bersin is one of the most recognized names in HR technology. He founded Bersin & Associates in 2001 before selling to Deloitte, and has spent over two decades researching and advising on HR tech, talent management, and corporate learning. He now leads the Josh Bersin Academy, a development platform for HR professionals, and publishes widely-followed research on AI's impact on HR.

What he speaks about:

Why HR teams should book him: Josh brings research-backed insights to complex topics and translates them into practical implications for HR leaders. His name alone drives registrations.

2. Q Hamirani

Chief People Officer at HighLevel

Where to follow:

Q Hamirani is a Chief People Officer, executive coach, and public speaker with experience scaling people functions at some of the world's fastest-growing companies, including Airbnb, where he served as Global Head of People Operations. He is currently CPO at HighLevel, a remote-first SaaS platform where he added 1,000 hires in a single year.

What he speaks about:

Why HR teams should book him: Q brings rare practitioner depth, scaling HR at Airbnb through an IPO, then rebuilding people functions at hypergrowth startups, combined with a real point of view on what AI-first HR actually looks like in practice.

3. Lucy Adams

CEO of Disruptive HR and author of HR Disrupted

Where to follow:

Lucy Adams is the founder of Disruptive HR, a consultancy and community challenging traditional HR thinking. A former BBC HR Director, she is the author of HR Disrupted, which is one of the most widely-read books in the HR practitioner community. She also hosts a podcast that has built a significant following among forward-thinking people professionals.

What she speaks about:

Why HR teams should book her: Lucy brings a refreshingly direct and often contrarian take to HR topics. Her sessions generate strong discussion and are especially effective for audiences ready to challenge the status quo.

4. Wolfgang Brickwedwe

Director of the Institute for Competitive Recruiting (ICR) and Germany's top HR influencer

Where to follow:

Wolfgang Brickwedde is the founder and director of the Institute for Competitive Recruiting, which runs proprietary annual research with up to 1,000 companies and produces Germany's most-referenced recruiting benchmarks. Before the ICR, he held senior roles at SAP and Philips in employer branding and recruitment across Europe. He organizes the Future of Recruiting Summit and the ICR Recruiting Trends Conference, each attracting up to 3,000 participants.

What he speaks about:

Why HR teams should book him: Wolfgang combines real research with practitioner experience, making him a strong choice for evidence-based sessions on recruiting strategy and HR technology trends.

5. Ben Eubanks

Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory and author of Artificial Intelligence for HR

Where to follow:

Ben Eubanks leads research at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, where he studies how HR technology is reshaping talent acquisition, learning, and workforce management. He is the author of Artificial Intelligence for HR, one of the most practical books written on AI's role in people functions, and hosts the We're Only Human podcast focused on the intersection of technology and people.

What he speaks about:

Why HR teams should book him: Ben translates research into actionable advice without the hype, making him a practical and credible voice for HR teams actively evaluating technology.

Practitioners and People Leaders

HR leaders with real-world experience running talent functions, building people teams, and navigating organizational change.

6. Manjuri Sinha

VP HR and Global Head of GTM Org Success at Miro

Where to follow:

Manjuri Sinha has over 20 years of international HR experience spanning talent acquisition, talent management, DEI, and HR business partnering across tech, e-commerce, and consulting. She is recognized on the Talent100 Global Power List and has spoken at LinkedIn Talent Connect New York, Unleash World Paris, HR Core Lab Barcelona, and dozens of other global conferences.

What she speaks about:

Why HR teams should book her: Manjuri speaks from genuine practitioner experience at high-growth tech companies and brings a data-informed perspective to talent topics that HR leaders can immediately apply.

7. Theo Smith

Founder of Neurodiversity at Work | Award-winning author and keynote speaker

Where to follow:

Theo Smith is a leading neurodiversity advocate, talent acquisition leader, and co-author of the award-winning book Neurodiversity at Work. He has worked with global organizations including EY, LinkedIn, Zalando, and the NHS to build neuroinclusive hiring frameworks and train hiring managers. He hosts the Neurodiversity with Theo Smith podcast and has trained 50,000+ professionals across 25+ countries.

What he speaks about:

Why HR teams should book him: Theo brings lived experience and practitioner depth to a topic that most HR teams are still figuring out. His sessions consistently generate the highest Q&A engagement of any panel or event.

8. Nickle LaMoreaux

Chief Human Resources Officer and SVP at IBM

Where to follow:

Nickle LaMoreaux is IBM's CHRO, overseeing people strategy for a 275,000-person global workforce. She was named HR Executive of the Year in 2024 and keynoted HR Tech 2025 in Las Vegas, where she shared insights from IBM's AI transformation journey, including how AI agents are reshaping employee experience and HR operations at scale. She is one of the most credible voices on what AI-powered HR actually looks like in practice at enterprise scale.

What she speaks about:

Why HR teams should book her: Nickle speaks from the experience of running one of the world's largest people functions through a major AI transformation. She shares insights that are directly applicable to enterprise HR teams navigating the same shift.

9. Stacy Donovan Zapar

Founder of The Talent Agency | Recruiting expert and keynote speaker

Where to follow:

Stacy Donovan Zapar has over 20 years of experience in talent acquisition, including roles at Amazon, Netflix, and Zappos. She founded The Talent Agency, a boutique consultancy specializing in talent attraction, sourcing, and executive search. She is a sought-after keynote speaker on modern recruiting practices, employer branding, and candidate experience, and has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, and The Washington Post.

What she speaks about:

Why HR teams should book her: Stacy combines deep practitioner experience with an approachable, practical speaking style. Her sessions on candidate experience and modern recruiting practices are relevant to any HR team actively hiring.

10. Katrina Kibben

Founder of Three Ears Media | Recruiting writer and keynote speaker

Where to follow:

Katrina Kibben founded Three Ears Media after starting their career as Monster.com's first social media hire. They specialize in helping organizations write better job postings and build more human-centered hiring strategies. Their workshops have helped recruiting teams at Fortune 100 companies transform how they attract and connect with candidates.

What they speak about:

Why HR teams should book them: Katrina covers a topic every HR team deals with, which is "how to write about open roles."

HR AI and Future of Work Experts

Speakers focused specifically on how AI and emerging technologies are reshaping work, hiring, and the HR function.

11. Anastasia Dedyukhina

Founder of Consciously Digital | Two-time TEDx speaker and author of Homo Distractus

Where to follow:

Dr. Anastasia Dedyukhina is a globally recognized expert on digital wellbeing and the founder of Consciously Digital, an international network of 130+ digital wellbeing coaches. A two-time TEDx speaker and bestselling author of Homo Distractus, she has delivered over 1,000 keynotes worldwide for clients including Microsoft, Google, HSBC, and Lush. Her work explores how technology use affects focus, trust, cognitive performance, and employee wellbeing in the AI age.

What she speaks about:

Why HR teams should book her: Anastasia addresses one of the most urgent and underserved challenges in HR – employee wellbeing in an always-on, AI-saturated work environment with research-backed insights and a compelling personal story.

12. David Timis

AI & Future of Work Speaker | Global Shaper at WEF | Communications Manager at Generation

Where to follow:

David Timis is a keynote speaker focused on the impact of AI on the future of work. A Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum, he has delivered keynotes and workshops for Google, the European Commission, Coca-Cola, KPMG, Cambridge University, and TEDx.

What he speaks about:

Why HR teams should book him: David is one of the most active voices on AI and the future of work, with a broad range of formats from keynotes to interactive workshops.

13. David Green

Executive Director at Insight222 | People analytics expert and keynote speaker

Where to follow:

David Green is a globally recognized expert in people analytics and data-driven HR. As Executive Director at Insight222, he works with global organizations to use employee data ethically and strategically. He previously served as Global Director of People Analytics at IBM Watson Talent, and hosts the Digital HR Leaders podcast, one of the most widely followed shows in the HR tech space.

What he speaks about:

Why HR teams should book him: David is the most credible and accessible voice on people analytics, which is a topic HR teams increasingly need to understand but often struggle to act on.

14. Jacob Morgan

Bestselling author of The Future Leader | Keynote speaker and founder of the Future of Work Leaders community

Where to follow:

Jacob Morgan is a five-time bestselling author whose books include The Future Leader, The Employee Experience Advantage, and The Future of Work. He founded the Future of Work Leaders community, which is a global network of C-level people leaders. He also hosts the Future Ready Leadership podcast. He has spoken for hundreds of organizations including Cisco, Gartner, and SAP.

What he speaks about:

Why HR teams should book him: Jacob consistently translates big-picture future of work trends into actionable leadership and HR strategies, making him effective for executive and HR leadership audiences.

15. Hung Lee

Curator of Recruiting Brainfood | LinkedIn Top Voice in Talent

Where to follow:

Hung Lee is the curator of Recruiting Brainfood, one of the most widely-read talent industry newsletters globally, and the host of Brainfood Live, a weekly live show covering the latest developments in recruiting and HR tech. A former CEO of Workshape.io, Hung has become one of the most connected and respected community builders in the talent acquisition space.

What he speaks about:

Why HR teams should book him: Hung has his finger on the pulse of the global recruiting community more than almost anyone. His sessions feel current, direct, and grounded in what's actually happening in the market right now.

How to Choose the Right HR Tech Speaker for Your Webinar or Event

Match the Speaker to the Topic, Not Just the Name

A well-known speaker covering the wrong topic won't deliver. Before reaching out, be clear on what your audience needs to hear. Do you need practical talent acquisition advice, a challenge to rethink traditional HR, or a data-driven take on AI adoption? Then find the speaker whose specific expertise matches that need.

Consider Their Audience Overlap With Yours

The best speakers bring their own audience. When evaluating a speaker, look at their LinkedIn following, newsletter, and community presence, not just their credentials. A speaker with an active, relevant audience in the HR space will drive more registrations than a famous name with a passive following.

Check How They Perform in Live, Interactive Formats

Speaking on a stage and performing well in a webinar or panel are different skills. Look for evidence of how a speaker handles live Q&A, audience interaction, and unscripted moments. Testimonials from event organizers, video clips from past webinars, and podcast appearances are the fastest way to assess this.

How to Book HR Tech Speakers for Your Webinar or Event

Booking the right HR tech speaker doesn't have to take weeks. Here's how to find and secure the right person for your event.

The Easiest Way: Use Find a Speaker

Find a Speaker is a free marketplace that connects HR teams and event organizers with verified speakers across HR and other industries without the back-and-forth of cold outreach.

Reach Out With a Clear, Specific Ask

Speakers receive a lot of vague outreach. A clear, specific ask gets a much faster response than a generic inquiry. Include:

Offer Audience Exposure and Distribution

Many speakers, especially practitioners who aren't full-time public speakers, are motivated by audience reach more than fees. If your webinar reaches an HR audience they want to be in front of, lead with that.

Find Speakers Through HR Communities and Events

The best HR tech speakers are active in the communities they serve. Start by looking at speaker lineups from:

FAQs About HR Tech Speakers

What topics do HR tech speakers typically cover?

HR tech speakers typically cover talent acquisition and recruiting technology, AI's impact on HR and the future of work, people analytics, employee experience, DEI, digital wellbeing, skills-based hiring, and workforce planning. The best speakers connect these topics to practical, organization-level implications rather than staying at the trend level.

How do I find the right HR speaker for my webinar?

Start with what your audience needs to hear, not who is most famous. Identify two or three specific topics your HR audience is actively trying to solve, then find speakers with real knowledge in those areas. Check how they perform in live formats. Tools like Find a Speaker can also surface relevant options you might not already know.

How much does it cost to book an HR tech speaker?

Speaker fees vary widely. Industry analysts and authors with large followings typically charge $10,000–$30,000+ for keynotes. Mid-level practitioners and community voices may speak for significantly less or in exchange for audience exposure. For webinars specifically, many practitioners will speak for free if the audience is relevant to them.

Conclusion

The HR tech space has no shortage of opinions. What it does have a shortage of is speakers who combine genuine practitioner experience with the ability to make complex topics accessible and actionable for a live audience.

The 15 speakers on this list represent a range of perspectives from global industry analysts and seasoned CHRO practitioners to neurodiversity advocates and AI-focused future of work experts. Whether you're building a webinar series, planning an HR event, or simply looking for voices worth following in 2026, this list is a strong starting point.