Keynote Speaker • Strategic Advisor

Cut Through the Noise.
Lead What Matters.

Your audience won't just be inspired — they'll leave with a new way of thinking. Bev McPhee brings 30 years of real boardroom experience to the stage, delivering provocative, practical talks that challenge leaders to cut complexity and lead with purpose.

HR.COM LEAD Award Winner
YWCA Woman of Distinction Nominee
30+ Years Executive Experience
PwC Women in Leadership Co-Facilitator

Talks That Change How Leaders Think

Keynotes, workshops, and executive seminars drawn from three decades on the front lines of organizational transformation.

#EpicFail

Why the most valuable lessons in leadership come from the failures nobody wants to talk about. A candid, high-energy keynote on what goes wrong, why it matters, and how to build something better from the wreckage.

Ideal for: All-hands events, leadership conferences, innovation summits

The Minimalist Organization

What if the answer to complexity isn't more processes, more tools, more people — but less? A keynote on stripping organizations back to what actually makes them essential to customers, colleagues, and communities.

Ideal for: Executive offsites, strategy retreats, operational leaders

Leadership That Reflects Your Values

Are your leadership programs producing great leaders, or are your leaders an authentic reflection of what you actually prioritize? A talk that challenges organizations to look honestly at the culture they've built.

Ideal for: HR conferences, leadership development programs, C-suite retreats

Transformation Without the Chaos

Drawing on experience leading $25M–$350M change initiatives, a practical framework for organizational transformation that strengthens adaptability without breaking what works.

Ideal for: Change management teams, PMO conferences, transformation kickoffs

Women in Leadership

Co-facilitator of PwC Canada's award-winning Women in Leadership program since 2013. A keynote and workshop built on accelerating women's advancement through insight, sponsorship, resilience, and authentic leadership.

Ideal for: Women's leadership summits, D&I conferences, executive women's networks

Culture: Toxic or Misunderstood?

Is your culture actually toxic, or are a few key behaviours having a disproportionate effect on company success? A nuanced talk that separates real cultural problems from symptoms.

Ideal for: People & culture forums, board retreats, organizational health initiatives

Real Experience

30 years in the room, not just on the stage

Candid & Provocative

No platitudes. Talks that challenge and energize.

Customized Content

Every talk tailored to your audience and goals

Actionable Takeaways

Your team leaves with tools they can use Monday

Available Formats

Keynote (45–90 min)
Workshop (Half or Full Day)
Panel Moderator
Virtual & In-Person
Executive Seminar

The Minimalist Mindset

What if you just do less?

Bev McPhee doesn't arrive with a pre-made solution and work backwards to justify it. She begins with your problem. Then she makes it simple.

Rather than adding more into an already crowded environment — more processes, more tools, more meetings — she reduces, removes, and declutters. The result is organizations redesigned around their core purpose, where every element serves multiple functions.

It's a minimalist mindset with a fierce focus on revealing and reinforcing what makes you essential — to your customers, your colleagues, and your community.

1

Start With Your Problem

Not a pre-packaged framework — your actual challenge

2

Reduce & Remove

Strip away complexity that obscures organizational purpose

3

Redesign to Serve

Every element serves multiple functions and purposes

4

Reveal What's Essential

Fierce focus on what makes you matter

Thank you for bringing your energy and inspiration, and always creating a space for all of us women to feel safe, celebrated, and special. Bev continually touches hearts — she doesn't just inspire, she gives you the frameworks to do something different when you get back to the office.
PwC Women in Leadership Program Graduate
WiL Cohort Participant

Recognition & Qualifications

Award-winning work across consulting, leadership development, and academia.

HR.COM LEAD Award

Innovation in Leadership Design, 2018 — Women in Leadership

YWCA Woman of Distinction

Nominee

MBA Chancellor's Award

Highest academic achievement, Royal Roads University

Kelly Outstanding Teacher Nominee

Royal Roads University, 2017

IBM Service Excellence Award

15 years of leadership at IBM

PROSCI & SDI Certified

Human-Centered Design Thinking trained

Sectors Served

IT Services
Energy & Utilities
Mining
Manufacturing
Transportation
Natural Resources
Healthcare (PHSA)
Education (K-12)

Organizations That Work With Bev

Diverse sectors. Shared commitment to meaningful change.

IBM BC Government BC Ferries PwC Royal Roads University Justice Institute BC Brookfield Kinross Gold PHSA BC DevEx

Professional Journey

From IBM boardrooms to the keynote stage.

Current
Principal & Founder
Bev McPhee Inc. — Victoria, BC
Keynote speaking, executive advisory, and organizational consulting. Leading transformation strategies for public and private sector clients across Canada.
Current
Associate Faculty & Sessional Instructor
Royal Roads University • University of Victoria
Graduate-level course development and instruction in Organizational Communication and Culture, Consulting Methodologies, and International Communications. Facilitated MBA residencies in China.
15 Years
Senior Executive & Org Change Lead
IBM
Led organizational change on flagship accounts ($25M–$350M) across public and private sectors. 12 years serving the K-12 education sector. Operational accountability for 500+ staff.
Ongoing
Strategic Advisor
Global Leaders & Executive Teams
Partnering with senior executives solving complex problems — helping leaders and teams connect with their significance and each other.

Education & Certifications

Master of Business Administration

Royal Roads University
Chancellor's Award — Highest Academic Achievement, 2002 Cohort

PROSCI Change Management Certification

Industry Standard for Change Practitioners

SDI (Strength Deployment Inventory) Certified

Relationship Intelligence Assessment

Human-Centered Design Thinking

Trained Practitioner

The Person Behind the Podium

Based on Vancouver Island, Bev brings the same directness and warmth to her personal life as she does to the boardroom. She believes the most effective leaders are authentic ones — people who show up as themselves, not a performance.

When she's not on stage or in a strategy session, you'll find her embracing the west coast lifestyle that keeps her grounded and energized.

Skiing Cycling Sunday Brunch West Coast Living Vancouver Island
V.I.

Vancouver Island

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Ready for a Keynote That Actually Changes Something?

Let's talk about bringing Bev's signature energy, candour, and 30 years of insight to your next event, conference, or executive offsite.