Karen Hilton

Karen is a senior business leader with a blend of corporate, start-up, and scale-up experience. She’s led teams from 5 to 1200 people, taken businesses from pre-revenue to £20m+, and held leadership roles across sales, operations, marketing, and strategy.

She is currently Managing Director at BA Euroflyer, BA’s short-haul airline based out of London Gatwick. This follows three years as CEO of heycar UK, where she led the business through growth and transformation. Previous roles at Nested, carwow, and Volkswagen gave her hands-on experience building and leading commercial and growth teams in fast-paced settings.
Known for her commercial sharpness and energy, Karen offers a candid view on what it takes to lead authentically — whether scaling a disruptor or stepping back into the corporate world.

Karen is our guest speaker on topics including “Careers in Leadership.”

Leading Beyond Industry Boundaries: Lessons from Karen Hilton

At OnUpBeyond, I regularly invite leaders who’ve built remarkable careers to share what they’ve learned. My recent conversation with Karen Hilton, Managing Director of British Airways Euro Flyer, was a masterclass in leadership, agility, and navigating big career transitions.

Karen’s career path spans 10 years in corporate automotive, 12 years scaling high-growth startups, and now running a 105-year-old airline’s newest venture. Her journey shows how consultants and business leaders can succeed across industries by leaning into curiosity, adaptability, and people-first leadership.

Key Takeaways for Consultants

1. Industry knowledge isn’t everything
When Karen stepped into aviation, she wasn’t expected to be an expert on planes. Instead, she focused on building trust, asking the right questions, and uniting teams — a reminder that leadership skills can transcend sectors.

2. Startup lessons apply everywhere
From modernising communication to fostering agility, Karen brought the best of startup ways of working into a corporate setting. For consultants moving into larger organisations, this is a powerful way to add value quickly.

3. Vulnerability builds credibility
Karen was candid about not knowing everything in a new industry. Her willingness to admit gaps and learn openly accelerated her credibility with teams and peers.

4. Choose your battles
One of Karen’s most practical lessons: “not every hill is worth dying on.” By conserving energy for the issues that really matter, leaders create greater impact and sustain performance.

5. Networking creates options
Karen reinforced what we often tell our members — most opportunities don’t come directly, but through the network of your network. Strategic, ongoing relationship-building keeps doors open for the future.

Why it matters for you

For consultants thinking about their next step, Karen’s story shows that:

You don’t need deep industry expertise to take on senior leadership roles.
Agility, curiosity, and people skills are often more valuable than technical knowledge.
Success comes from combining past experience with the courage to learn in public.

🎥 Want the full story?

From building ventures to managing 90 flights a day, Karen shares how to adapt, stay effective, and lead through complexity.

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See More Guest Speakers

Explore insights from other leaders who’ve made bold career moves — from consulting and corporate roles into startups, private equity, and beyond.

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How Karen Hilton Went from Startups to Leading an Airline

Learn how Karen moved from startups to leading BA Euro Flyer. Her lessons will help you adapt to new industries, lead with confidence, and accelerate your own career progression.

GUEST SPEAKER PROFILE