EUROUT 2025: More than a conference—a community
London Business School’s Out in Business conference leads the way in LGBTQ+ Inclusion and Leadership
On 13-15 November, London Business School (LBS) welcomed more than 500 delegates to EUROUT 2025, Europe’s largest student-led LGBTQ+ business conference. The three-day event brought together students, alumni, business leaders, and advocates to confront urgent diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) challenges—and to inspire new visions for the future.
The annual conference seeks to empower LGBTQ+ graduate business students to build the life and career they want. Now in its fifteenth year, the theme of this year’s conference was ‘Redefine the Room’, with participants invited to challenge the boundaries of who belongs, who leads, and who sets the agenda.
Opening the festivities, EUROUT President Max Taylor emphasized the importance of community in turbulent times and praised longstanding support from partners like BCG, which hosted the opening drinks and networking session on 13 November. LBS Dean Sergei Guriev delivered a heartfelt message, underscoring LBS’s unwavering commitment to inclusion. As global events put pressure on many institutions to pull back, LBS has doubled down, embracing diversity not only as a business imperative but as a core value.
Across two additional days of personal reflections, insightful panels and practical workshops delegates were urged to connect, share optimism, and foster resilience. The conference also spotlighted LGBTQ+ professionals thriving in varied sectors.
Joey Gonzalez, Executive Chairman of Barry’s, discussed the brand’s organic approach to inclusion with BBC broadcaster Evan Davis, recounting the growth of Barry’s from a small fitness studio to a global phenomenon. He underscored the value of staying true to one’s brand and identity, even in challenging markets.
Johnattan Leon (Burberry Senior Vice President of Commercial & Chief of Staff) and Jakob Jensen (BCG Managing Director and Partner) shared their insights on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and beyond.
McKinsey’s Emily McNabb and Nina Ma shared insights on balancing ambition with authenticity, the importance of inclusive workplaces, and the transformative power of role models. A Lesbian Leadership panel explored the unique strengths and challenges faced by queer women in the corporate world, highlighting the importance of intentionality, mentorship, and networks.
The importance of being able to bring your authentic self to work, with ZS Associates Sean Summers, Deveshi Agarwal and Zhenyu Lei offering insight into how LGBTQ+ employees can thrive in the workplace. Kieren Sharman and Amira Izhar from Lloyds highlighted the role that ERGs can play in helping employees to feel belonging.
Mentorship and sponsorship emerged as key themes, with Bain & Company’s Thijs de Sterke and Pablo Zurdo-Santos illustrating how personal advocacy and psychological safety empower career growth.
A standout session tackled the “manosphere”—the online world fuelling toxic masculinity and extremism. Panellists urged compassionate engagement, responsible role modelling, and proactive education to counter harmful narratives.
A DEI Redesign panel, which included insights from LBS Professor of Organisational Behaviour Aneeta Rattan, addressed the global retreat from formal DEI roles. The panellists emphasised the need to link inclusion efforts to core business outcomes and to integrate DEI into everyday strategy and operations.
Workshops on AI and inclusion showed how emerging technologies are reshaping the workplace. Experts from OpenAI, Salesforce, and 21/20 Studios discussed the vital need for diverse perspectives in designing and implementing AI—and called for intentionality and ethical vigilance.
Inclusive leadership, as presented by ZS Associates, was defined by six core practices: commitment, courage, cognizance of bias, curiosity, cultural intelligence, and collaboration. Everyday actions—from rotating meeting leadership to using inclusive language—help build more connected and high-performing teams.
Shalini Chudasama, EUROUT Board Chair, and Alberto Padilla Rivera celebrated the introduction of the Peter Johnson Accessibility Fund, ensuring more delegates could participate. With continued sponsor support and ever-expanding reach, EUROUT sets a benchmark for LGBTQ+ inclusion in business education and practice.
EUROUT 2025 affirmed that London Business School is not only committed to diversity and inclusion, but is leading the conversation and action. From candid personal stories to the EUROUT Career Fair and EUROUT Ball, the conference exemplified a community determined to “go far together.” In a year of uncertainty, EUROUT was a beacon of optimism, authenticity, and transformation—proving once again that business can and must champion diversity, equity, and inclusion for everyone.