She didn’t fit the mould, so she became the blueprint.
Keeran Gunnoo is a powerhouse in personal and corporate employer branding, shaping narratives for some of the world’s most recognisable companies, including LinkedIn, Unilever and Flow. In this raw and empowering conversation, she shares how she built a career that broke every rule and why it worked.
From being headhunted by LinkedIn before people knew what LinkedIn was, to being complimented by Barack Obama on her Louboutins, Keeran’s story is as inspiring as it is unconventional.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why squiggly careers aren’t chaotic, they’re strategic
How your reputation is your brand (especially when you're not in the room)
The uncomfortable truths about diversity, employer branding and internal comms
How to build a career and life that align with your values, not societal norms
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⏱️ Chapters
00:00:00 – Intro: She Became the Blueprint
00:01:04 – HR was never the plan
00:02:10 – From cold calls to leadership: the Essex charisma advantage
00:03:27 – Getting headhunted by LinkedIn before it was big
00:04:58 – Meeting Obama & the power of great shoes
00:06:04 – Unilever hired her without an interview
00:07:19 – Becoming a Strategic Career Architect
00:08:31 – Reporting to Chanel’s future CEO
00:10:33 – The importance of working for brands you believe in
00:11:51 – Flow, reproductive health, and brand affinity
00:13:00 – What a squiggly career really means
00:14:44 – Breaking ceilings: race, gender & neurodiversity
00:17:20 – Ditching the fairytale career path
00:20:20 – Culture add, not culture fit
00:21:51 – Why Gen Z are changing career norms
00:23:01 – Internal bias, ATSs, and being mistaken for a man
00:24:58 – Writing job ads that actually speak to humans
00:26:17 – Helping companies overcome DEI friction
00:27:59 – The truth behind Glassdoor reviews
00:29:49 – Who owns comms: HR vs. Marketing
00:33:42 – Creating Unilever’s first editorial team
00:35:11 – Data, communication, and internal trust
00:37:47 – Taking Unilever from #24 to #7 on Glassdoor
00:39:07 – EVP: What’s in it for me?
00:40:35 – Stuck? Give yourself a performance review
00:41:39 – Self-belief and your personal brand
00:42:50 – Audit your energy—don’t stay where you can’t shine
00:43:59 – Final message: If they’re not advocating for you, go
