Lisa Armstrong is a leading voice in inclusive innovation and ESG transformation, known for helping organisations turn ethical commitments into practical action that improves culture, conduct and customer outcomes. Her work spans Europe, Africa, South Asia and North America, giving her a rare cross-regional perspective on how inclusion fuels innovation. Lisa blends strategic clarity with grounded experience, supporting teams to design products, services and environments that work for underserved groups as well as the wider market. She draws on more than a decade spent shaping behaviour change, organisational transformation and capability building for clients across finance, technology, development and social impact.
Lisa began her career after completing a BA in Business Law and Marketing at London Metropolitan University before expanding her expertise with an Executive Programme in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the London School of Economics. Early roles in marketing and brand management sharpened her understanding of customer behaviour and market dynamics. Her move into global consulting marked a turning point. At Publicis Sapient she held senior digital transformation leadership positions, guiding multidisciplinary teams across UX, strategy and technology. This period solidified her ability to orchestrate complex change programmes and support leaders navigating digital and cultural shifts. In 2016 she founded ChewingRice, where she now serves as Founder and Principal Director, designing inclusive innovation strategies, leadership development programmes and ESG transformation initiatives for clients across multiple regions.
Lisa’s achievements reflect her influence across sectors and continents. She has delivered over 1,000 hours of training, shaped more than 75 ESG related policy improvements and supported transformation programmes that have reached over 50,000 employees globally. She has worked on flagship initiatives covering women’s economic participation, gender lens programmes in East Africa, financial inclusion strategies and organisational culture change. Her work has been recognised with the WACL Future Leaders Award and the Publicis 90 Innovation Grant, two honours that highlight her impact in ethical innovation, inclusive design and leadership capability building. Lisa’s ongoing commitment to designing fairer systems and practical frameworks continues to support companies seeking to build cultures where diverse talent can thrive.
As a keynote speaker, Lisa brings a grounded, engaging style shaped by lived experience and years of hands-on transformation work. She speaks on inclusive innovation, human centred design, ethical leadership, BAME representation and how organisations can align incentives with the behaviours they expect from their people. Audiences value her direct, usable guidance. Lisa offers practical tools leaders can apply immediately, for example mapping decision points where minority perspectives are routinely overlooked. Her talks help organisations embed ethical thinking into everyday practice, creating environments that serve diverse customers, communities and teams.
