Meet the Team: Shauna

Name: Shauna Kiely 

Title: Head of Content, EMEA

How long you have been at HumanX: Since the end of 2025

What’s your background, and what brought you to HumanX?

Before joining HumanX, I spent nearly seven years at Web Summit, in my past 3 years as the Media Team Lead, for our flagship 70,000-person event in Lisbon. My job was two-fold: I was responsible for bringing the world’s top journalists and media executives to our global events , while simultaneously working directly with the world’s biggest CEOs, founders, and beyond to help them shape their own press strategies and maximize their exposure. I also spent a year diving into agency world in London as an Account Director for a PR agency, working with clients in the sport, music and lifestyle fields. 

What really lit a fire under me was programming media executive panels and firesides, collaborating with top editors and speakers to curate content that actually moves the needle. When the opportunity at HumanX came up, it felt like the perfect next step. I wanted to take everything I’ve learned about international event scaling and tech storytelling, and inject it into what is easily the most exciting, fast-moving industry right now.

What are you most excited about for this year’s HumanX event?

Right now, Europe is going through a massive, buzzy moment in AI, and you can really feel that energy building. I am incredibly excited for the world to see our inaugural European event this September, and all the work the team is doing to make Amsterdam the place to be. Our event is going to be the ultimate crossroads, bringing global leaders together with the European AI ecosystem. On a personal note, it’s been incredibly rewarding working on this from start to finish, and I can’t wait to see it come to life on the ground.

What’s been your favorite HumanX moment so far?

HumanX San Francisco was a pretty incredible event, as a remote team it was such a highlight meeting some colleagues for the first time and I really value those moments of getting to know each other beyond a screen. Also… the dog park. Enough said.

How has AI changed the way you work?

AI has completely transformed my daily workflow. Tasks that used to eat up hours of my day, like heavy admin work, can now be tackled in seconds. It has essentially stripped away the busywork, freeing me up to focus on what actually matters.

What’s one tool or habit that helps you stay on top of your game, either personally or professionally?

I am a massive fan of Granola. It has completely changed how I show up to meetings, whether they're virtual video calls or in-person syncs. Instead of frantically scribbling down notes while someone is speaking, I can actually be fully present and engaged in the conversation. Plus, its "Next Steps" summaries are a lifesaver, they make it impossible for me to forget anything I promised I’d do.

If you could teleport anywhere for lunch, where are you going?

I feel like I’m cheating choosing the city I’m living in, but the food scene in London is truly unmatched. Trullo in North London will always have my heart and I always try to bring friends visiting there. Special shout to Corrochio for the best margarita in London. Iykyk.

What’s one playlist or podcast that gets you through the day?

I love my Spotify ‘daylist’ because I never know what it’s going to throw at me. It can go anywhere from an indie Monday morning to an upbeat "pop girlie" afternoon, to a country hour and everything in between. My music taste truly has zero boundaries, but the second we hit the disco house friday afternoon, I know the weekend is near.