Gill Kernick

Gill Kernick is an internationally recognized strategic consultant, author, speaker, and thought leader specializing in safety, leadership, culture, and systemic change. With decades of experience working alongside senior executives in high-hazard industries, she helps organizations develop the leadership capabilities and organizational cultures necessary to prevent catastrophic events and create sustainable, long-term performance improvements.

Kernick has worked globally across sectors including energy, mining, pharmaceuticals, project management, and construction, partnering with multinational organizations to strengthen safety leadership, organizational learning, and cultural transformation. Her work emphasizes the critical importance of listening to frontline voices, fostering psychological safety, and creating environments where people feel empowered to speak up about risks and concerns.

Her commitment to understanding and preventing disasters is deeply personal. From 2011 to 2014, Kernick lived on the 21st floor of Grenfell Tower in London. On June 14, 2017, she witnessed the Grenfell Tower fire, a tragedy that claimed the lives of 72 people, including seven of her former neighbors. Motivated by a determination to ensure that lessons would be learned from the disaster, she has become a prominent advocate for systemic reform, organizational learning, and disaster prevention.

Kernick is the author of the acclaimed book, "Catastrophe and Systemic Change: Learning from the Grenfell Tower Fire and Other Disasters," which examines why organizations and societies repeatedly fail to learn from major accidents and explores how leaders can create meaningful systemic change. She has also hosted and contributed to numerous podcasts, publications, and public policy discussions focused on safety, culture, leadership, and organizational resilience.

Recognized as one of the United Kingdom’s most influential voices in health and safety, Kernick continues to advise organizations, policymakers, and industry leaders on preventing catastrophe through courageous leadership, inclusive cultures, and a relentless commitment to learning.