Synopsis
We talk about inclusion. We write policies about it. We even celebrate it in annual reports. But too often, inclusion is an illusion, experienced differently depending on who you are, where you sit, and how you show up in the world.
Award-winning DEI leader, speaker, and cultural transformation expert, Hannah Awonuga invites us on a powerful journey through her life and career. From homelessness at 15 to the boardroom as Partner at a global real estate firm, and now CEO of Illume Executive Consulting, Hannah knows what it means to lead from the margins and challenge the centre. The Illusion of Inclusion exposes the invisible lines of bias, privilege, and power that shape culture, and equips leaders with the courage and strategies to drive real, lasting inclusion.
Drawing on over two decades of experience in financial services and real estate, Hannah blends personal storytelling with practical insights to help readers:
- Recognise the silent barriers that hold organisations back.
- Understand how leadership behaviours impact lived experiences at work.
- Develop the skills to build cultures where inclusion is not a policy but a reality.
Through vulnerability and strategic insight, Hannah shows that true inclusion requires more than good intentions. It demands self-awareness, unlearning, and a relentless commitment to doing the hard, human work of change.
This is not just a book for senior leaders and HR professionals, it’s a wake-up call for anyone ready to reimagine how we live, work, and lead in a complex, divided world.
Details
06 April 2027
9781804094853About the author
Hannah Awonuga is an award-winning cultural transformation and inclusion consultant with over 20 years of corporate experience. She specialises in Cultural transformation and inclusive leadership equiping medium-sized businesses with the resources to drive organisational culture change. As the Founder and CEO of Illume Executive Consulting, and the founder of the Inclusive Foundations Programme, Hannah partners with executive teams and boards of SME businesses to embed systemic inclusion into the very systems, processes, and decision-making structures that shape workplace culture.
With senior roles at Knight Frank as Group Head of DEI, NED for Progress Together and as Global DEI Director at Barclays, where she held a 17-year-long career, Hannah brings deep expertise in aligning culture and inclusion with inclusive leadership and business strategy at scale. She is a globally recognised leader, with an extensive global network of over 80,000 professionals on Linkedin. She is frequently called upon to advise leaders navigating complex cultural challenges and leadership development strategies.
Hannah currently serves as a Non-Executive Director at Progress Together and has been recognised as one of HR Magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential DEI Practitioners. She is the author of The Illusion of Inclusion.
Books by Hannah Awonuga
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