Laila McKenzie is an executive leader with more than 25 years' experience driving organisational growth, leading transformational change, and building strategic partnerships across culture, media, hospitality, technology, live events, education and public policy.

Known for connecting organisations, people and ideas that would not ordinarily come together, Laila brings global brands, industry leaders, technology pioneers, public institutions and creative communities together to solve complex challenges. Throughout her career she has built and scaled organisations, led complex stakeholder relationships, managed significant budgets, and advised businesses, charities and cultural institutions through periods of growth and transformation, developing investment strategies, securing public and private funding, and building commercially sustainable operating models.

Before founding Lady of the House, Laila spent more than two decades building businesses and brands across the live music, nightlife and cultural sectors. She produced hundreds of large-scale events, sold more than 500,000 tickets, managed multi-million-pound event budgets, operated successful venues, developed artists, negotiated commercial partnerships and built internationally recognised event brands. She also stepped in to lead St Paul's Carnival through a critical period of organisational transition, helping safeguard one of the UK's largest and most significant cultural events.

Her leadership extends beyond commercial delivery. She has worked alongside industry bodies campaigning for government support for the nightlife sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee's inquiry into misogyny in music, and contributed to UK Music's "Black Music Means Business" report on the economic and cultural impact of Black music in the UK.

As founder and CEO of Lady of the House, Laila transformed a single publishing project into an organisation reaching more than 300 million people worldwide, supporting more than 5,000 professionals through media, education, mentoring and advocacy across Europe, North America, South America and Africa. Her partners have included Red Bull, Beatport, AlphaTheta (formerly Pioneer DJ), W Hotels and the V&A Museum. She has delivered international projects including a programme as part of Save The Night South Africa, and initiatives in Brazil supporting women and underrepresented communities.

Laila advises organisations seeking to accelerate growth, secure investment, develop strategic partnerships and lead transformational change.