Belinda Parmar

Belinda Parmar OBE is a diversity campaigner and the CEO of The Empathy Business and a Non-Executive Director for the Ministry of Defence. Parmar uses the science of empathy to change the way companies transform their organizations focusing on leadership, communications and operations. She is the creator of the Global Empathy Index which was published in the Harvard Business Review- the first index to measure empathy and inclusion at scale. She has just developed the new Empathy Index powered by AI which combines large language models with sentiment analysis while using human intervention to deliver an empathy ranking for companies.

Parmar works with large companies to implement hundreds of ‘nudges’ and interventions that organically build an empathy revolution and give people simple practical ways they can create more inclusive cultures. Her focus is on belonging and diversity and creating more courageous cultures.

Parmar was Empathy-In-Residence at Barclays, Lloyds and Centrica and she created the first ever Empathy Hub in Europe’s largest bank. Parmar was chosen in 2019 to speak at Davos as she is a Young Global Leader for the World Economic Forum.

Parmar was awarded an OBE in 2015 by the Queen for her services to women in technology. In 2020, she was chosen as one of the top 20 Global Public Figures in Diversity and in 2021 she was voted a top 20 Diversity Champion.

Parmar has a law degree and a languages degree and believes that the magic in companies happens when you combine rational and emotional thinking to drive change.

Parmar is the author of "Little Miss Geek" which is used in schools to inspire young women to become tech pioneers and was shortlisted for Woman of the Year 2022 in the Women in IT Awards.