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Panel Session People & Talent Impact Delegate
Location: Stage 4 - Thu, 2 Jul 2026 · 13:15 – 13:45 (Europe/London) (30 minutes)

Owning Your Purpose With Courage: The foundation of authentic, lived experience and leadership grounded in now.

Purpose is often talked about as something organisations define, refine and communicate. But the most powerful purpose is not simply written down; it is lived, tested and expressed through the choices leaders make every day.

This session explores what it means to own your purpose with courage, drawing on authentic lived experience and the realities of leading in the present moment. It will look at how leaders can move beyond performative purpose and connect more deeply with the values, experiences and convictions that shape how they lead.

What it is about

This session is about the relationship between purpose, courage and authentic leadership.

It will explore how lived experience can become a source of clarity, resilience and influence, and how leaders can use that understanding to make better decisions, build trust and lead with greater conviction.

Rather than treating purpose as a statement or brand message, the session will focus on purpose as something active: a foundation for how we show up, how we respond to challenge, and how we create meaningful impact now.

Who should attend

This session is for founders, business leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, professionals and anyone who wants to lead with greater authenticity, courage and self-awareness.

It will be particularly relevant for people navigating change, building teams, shaping culture, or trying to align personal values with professional impact.

Why attend

Attend to reflect on what purpose really means in practice, and how courage, lived experience and authenticity can strengthen the way you lead.

You will leave with a deeper understanding of how to connect who you are with how you lead, and how to make purpose something that is not just spoken about, but lived.
Hosted by
Arad Reisberg
Arad Reisberg
Associate Pro Vice Chancellor (Social Mobility)

Arad's passion is to transform the lives of others by creating a supportive, open, and collaborative environment. He is an innovative, empathetic, compassionate, and visionary change-maker and leader who seeks to get the best from everyone. His latest podcast interview is over here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/179-arad-reisberg-the-clarity-he-discovered-on/id1613086637?i=1000739049491 [1] A Founding Board Member of the Social…

Speakers
Jo Whight
Jo Whight
CEO & Founder at Red Lotus Consultancy

Jo Whight is a multi-award-winning senior leader with 20+ years in financial services, specialising in commercial roles, DEI and culture. From a low-income background and homeless at 18, Jo built a career leading high-performing teams and delivering large-scale transformation. Jo founded Red Lotus to help organisations support the talent they’re missing, equipping professionals to grow with confidence.…

Marissa Lloyd

No biography on file for this speaker.