Joel Mokyr
2025 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences | Robert H. Strotz Professor, Northwestern University | Economic Historian of Innovation & Growth
Rich Hua
Founder of EPIQ Leadership Group | Former Chief EQ Evangelist & Worldwide Head of EPIC Leadership at Amazon | Expert on Emotional Intelligence, Leadership & Culture
Rich Hua is one of the world's foremost experts on emotional intelligence at scale. As Amazon's former Chief EQ Evangelist and Worldwide Head of EPIC Leadership, he built the largest corporate EQ community on earth and reached over 1.5 million people with his EPIC framework: Empathy, Purpose, Inspiration, and Connection. Now founder of EPIQ Leadership Group, he helps organizations lead through AI-driven change by mastering the human factor.
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Rich Hua biography
Leadership speaker Rich Hua is one of the world’s foremost experts on building emotionally intelligent cultures at scale. As the former Chief EQ Evangelist and Worldwide Head of EPIC Leadership at Amazon, he turned emotional intelligence from a personal skill into a global movement, reaching more than 1.5 million people and building the largest corporate-based EQ community in the world. His message is simple but urgent: in an age of accelerating technology, the leaders and organizations that win will be the ones that master the human factor.
Hua’s authority is hard-won. Born in Taiwan and raised in the United States from the age of four, he is candid that emotional intelligence did not come naturally, describing himself as a socially awkward kid with ADHD who set out to become, in his own words, a “genius robot.” He earned a perfect SAT score and studied electrical engineering and computer science at UC Berkeley, then discovered that raw intellect alone had limits. He built his EQ deliberately, proving his own central thesis: emotional intelligence is not a fixed trait but a learnable, scalable leadership skill.
The EPIC Framework and the Human Side of Innovation
At Amazon, Hua created the EPIC Leadership framework, Empathy, Purpose, Inspiration, and Connection, and used it to train more than 150,000 employees and advise thousands of C-suite executives on culture and innovation. He even served as an expert advisor to the team behind Alexa+, helping embed empathy into an AI assistant used across hundreds of millions of devices. As Forbes has reported, his hardest-won insight was that the real challenge of change is not training people, but making the culture itself emotionally intelligent.
Now the founder of EPIQ Leadership Group, Rich Hua brings this work to leaders and organizations around the world. A globally sought-after keynote speaker who has delivered top-rated sessions on six continents to audiences of more than 10,000, he speaks on emotional intelligence, leadership, culture, and how to lead people through AI-driven transformation. Drawing on behavioral research and even his own martial arts practice, he leaves audiences with practical tools to harmonize EQ and IQ, build resilient cultures, and turn emotional intelligence into a genuine competitive advantage.
Rich Hua Speaking Videos
How to Start An EQ Revolution at Work - Rich Hua & Mo Edjlali
Emotional Intelligence with RICH HUA (Global Head of EPIC at AMAZON) - The Silicon Valley Podcast
Rich Hua Keynote Topics
Drawing on the framework he built and scaled at Amazon, Rich Hua shows leaders how to turn emotional intelligence into concrete behaviors, operating systems, and culture. He unpacks the four EPIC attributes, Empathy, Purpose, Inspiration, and Connection, and how they empower future-ready leaders to drive engagement, performance, and innovation. A practical, inspiring blueprint for leading in a world of complexity, uncertainty, and constant change.
Most transformation efforts fail not because of technology, but because of people. Rich shares how he built the world's largest corporate EQ community and reached more than 1.5 million people, and what it really takes to make emotional intelligence part of an organization's DNA. Leaders learn how to avoid "transplant failure," embed EQ into culture without it feeling forced, and turn emotional intelligence into a lasting competitive advantage.
As AI reshapes every industry, the differentiator is no longer just technology, it's the human ability to adapt, connect, and lead through change. Drawing on his work advising on emotionally intelligent AI and guiding organizations through transformation, Rich explores why EQ matters more, not less, in the age of AI, and how leaders can build adaptable, resilient, human-centered cultures where change actually succeeds.
Rich's own story, from a self-described "genius robot" with a perfect SAT score to one of the world's leading voices on emotional intelligence, is living proof that EQ is learnable. In this deeply personal, motivating talk, he shares the mindset and practices that helped him build his own emotional intelligence, and gives every audience member concrete tools to strengthen their empathy, self-awareness, and connection with others, at work and in life.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Rich Hua
Why Rich Hua?
Booking Rich Hua gives audiences a rare, credible voice on the human side of leadership and technology. As the person who built and scaled the world's largest corporate emotional-intelligence movement at Amazon, he has done what few can claim: turned EQ from a nice idea into measurable culture change across hundreds of thousands of people. He pairs deep expertise with a genuinely inspiring personal story and a practical, research-backed approach, and his message about leading through AI-driven change with emotional intelligence could not be more timely. He is ideal for events on leadership, culture, emotional intelligence, innovation, and the future of work. To bring Rich Hua to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Who is Rich Hua?
Rich Hua is a globally recognized expert on emotional intelligence, leadership, and building emotionally intelligent cultures at scale, and the founder of the EPIQ Leadership Group. He is best known as Amazon's former Chief EQ Evangelist and Worldwide Head of EPIC Leadership, where he founded the EQ@Amazon initiative, built the world's largest corporate-based EQ community, and reached more than 1.5 million people with his EPIC framework. Born in Taiwan and raised in the United States, he studied electrical engineering and computer science at UC Berkeley before dedicating his career to emotional intelligence. He has advised thousands of executives, helped embed empathy into Amazon's Alexa+, and keynoted at major events on six continents.
What is the EPIC Leadership framework?
EPIC is the leadership framework Rich Hua created and scaled at Amazon, built around four attributes: Empathy, Purpose, Inspiration, and Connection. It is designed to help leaders translate emotional and social intelligence into everyday behaviors, operating systems, and culture, rather than leaving EQ as an abstract idea. Hua developed EPIC to make emotionally intelligent leadership practical and scalable across large, fast-moving organizations, and it has since shaped the mindset and behavior of leaders at many of the world's leading companies. His related EPIQ framework builds on this by harmonizing emotional intelligence (EQ) with cognitive intelligence (IQ) to help leaders thrive amid complexity and change.
What topics does leadership speaker Rich Hua cover?
Rich Hua speaks on emotional intelligence and EQ at scale, the EPIC leadership framework, building emotionally intelligent cultures, leading people through AI transformation, and how anyone can develop emotional intelligence as a skill. His keynotes suit events on leadership, culture, emotional intelligence, innovation, and the future of work. To book Rich Hua as a speaker, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Rich Hua as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Rich Hua as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Rich Hua's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Rich Hua or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Rich Hua speaking fee?
Rich Hua speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Rich Hua to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Rich Hua.
How can I contact Rich Hua?
We only work with Rich Hua on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Rich Hua and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Rich Hua speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Rich Hua for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Rich Hua for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Rich Hua is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Rich Hua for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
