Top HR Influencers In AI and Tech
In the new-age recruitment and HR, it has become crucial for professionals to adopt AI to stand in this rigorous competition. Many voices in HR and recruiting
CONTENTS
- 00Introduction
- 01Key takeaways
- 02Top 30 AI Influencers in HR & Recruiting
- Laura Close
- Martyn Redstone
- Jeanne Meister
- Brigette Hyacinth
- Jim Stroud
- Hung Lee
- Marcel Rietveld
- Steve Boese
- William Tincup
- Jim Durbin
- Craig Fisher
- Sarah White
- Leela Srinivasan
- Jonathan F. Kestenbaum
- Madelin Laurano
- Stacy Zapar
- Matt Alder
- Lou Adler
- Bill Boorman
- Greg Savage
- Jonathan Parsons
- Adam Biddlecombe
- Justin Chia
- Leonard Rodman, M.Sc. PMP® CSM® CSPO®
- Andrew Bolis
- Ruben Hassid
- Audrey Chia
- Martin Crowley
- Anna York
- Lindsay Rosenthal
- 03AI in HR and AI in recruitment: how to choose who to follow
- A five-minute review before trusting AI hiring advice
- 04Conclusion
- 05Frequently Asked Questions
this list combines HR and recruiting voices with AI, HR technology, employer brand, marketing, and workplace commentators. The names are Laura Close, Martyn Redstone, Jeanne Meister, Brigette Hyacinth, Jim Stroud, Hung Lee, Marcel Rietveld, Steve Boese, William Tincup, Jim Durbin, Craig Fisher, Sarah White, Leela Srinivasan, Jonathan F. Kestenbaum, Madelin Laurano, Stacy Zapar, Matt Alder, Lou Adler, Bill Boorman, Greg Savage, Jonathan Parsons, Adam Biddlecombe, Justin Chia, Leonard Rodman, Andrew Bolis, Ruben Hassid, Audrey Chia, Martin Crowley, Anna York, and Lindsay Rosenthal. Use each profile for its stated topic, then verify current relevance.
Key takeaways
- AI and HR technology: Martyn Redstone, Hung Lee, Sarah White, Jonathan F. Kestenbaum, Madelin Laurano, Adam Biddlecombe, Justin Chia, Leonard Rodman, and Martin Crowley discuss automation, technology, research, or learning.
An applicant tracking system gives a hiring team one place to follow candidates and hiring stages.
- Recruiting and sourcing: Jim Stroud, Jim Durbin, Lou Adler, Bill Boorman, Greg Savage, and Matt Alder focus on recruiting practice, sourcing, talent acquisition, or the future of hiring.
- Employer brand and people strategy: Laura Close, Jeanne Meister, Brigette Hyacinth, Craig Fisher, Leela Srinivasan, Stacy Zapar, and Steve Boese cover HR, culture, employer brand, leadership, or workforce topics.
- Marketing and AI application: Jonathan Parsons, Andrew Bolis, Ruben Hassid, Audrey Chia, Anna York, and Lindsay Rosenthal bring marketing, content, productivity, or applied-AI perspectives.
- Verify each person’s current role, evidence, and topic fit before using advice in a hiring process.
Top 30 AI Influencers in HR & Recruiting
Laura Close
Laura Close is an HR tech influencer. She is also the co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer at Included.ai, a platform for DEI (Diversity, Equality and Inclusivity) process improvements for HR and the recruiting process of companies which is a culmination of her passion and work to date. She was also named an HR tech influencer to follow in 2026.
Follow Laura Close on LinkedIn.
Martyn Redstone
Martyn Redstone is a Conversational & Generative AI evangelism, education and careers specialist. Founder of PPLBOTS, Martyn brings 18 years of recruitment industry experience, with the last 7 years dedicated to the exploration of automation and AI in recruitment.
Follow Martyn Redstone on LinkedIn.
Jeanne Meister
As a global HR consultant, Jeanne is highly esteemed as an innovator in human resources and learning. With decades of expertise, she has a proven track record of creating and managing peer networks that include HR and education leaders from Fortune 2000 companies. Jeanne, a forward-thinking workplace visionary, helps clients reimagine approaches to work, the worker, the workplace, and the workforce.
Follow Jeanne Meister on LinkedIn.
Brigette Hyacinth
Brigette Hyacinth is a leading HR influencer whose insights have significantly shaped the industry in 2026. With over two decades of experience, she excels as a thought leader, speaker, and author, championing employee-centric practices that emphasize well-being, diversity, and inclusion. Her expertise also covers talent management, leadership development, and organizational culture.
Follow Brigette Hyacinth on LinkedIn.
Jim Stroud
Jim Stroud is a writer, blogger, and public speaker specializing in human resources, recruitment, and AI-based job search strategies. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Jim has gained recognition for his work, including being named one of Monster.com’s “Top Ten Employment Bloggers to Follow on Twitter” and securing the seventh position on the “Top 25 HR Digital Influencers” list.
Follow Jim Stroud on LinkedIn.
Hung Lee
Hung Lee is a leading expert in HR and recruiting, recognized for his work in talent acquisition, technology, and innovation. As the founder and CEO of Workshape.io, he developed a platform that used machine learning to align developers with job opportunities. Lee is highly respected for his thought leadership and impact on talent acquisition practices.
Currently, he is the curator at Recruiting Brainfood where he writes a weekly newsletter for the talent industry covering AI, blockchain, culture, the future of work and a lot more.
Follow Hung Lee on LinkedIn.
Marcel Rietveld
Marcel is among the best HR tech influencers, with the diverse, intelligent content he shares on social platforms! Marcel leads TalentMapper, a game-changing organization that offers recruitment consultation, guiding you to land the best candidates.
Follow Marcel Rietveld on LinkedIn.
Steve Boese
Steve is the President of H3 HR Advisors. He is an award-winning HR blogger, author, speaker, and moderator, as well as a prominent HR social media influencer.
On his weekly podcast, HR Happy Hours, Steve explores the latest in HR technology and trends, along with strategies for managing business peers. With 20 years in the HR industry, he brings a wealth of expertise to his roles.
Follow Steve Boese on LinkedIn.
William Tincup
William Tincup is a highly experienced professional in HR and talent acquisition, known for his profound understanding of the interplay between technology and talent. He provides insightful and thought-provoking content, helping professionals navigate the latest trends and strategies. His engaging style and knack for clarifying complex subjects set him apart in the industry.
Follow William Tincup on LinkedIn.
Jim Durbin
Jim Durbin, known as the “Social Media Headhunter,” is a prominent expert in recruitment and social media strategy. He offers practical tips and advice for recruiters and HR professionals, with real-world examples that make his guidance highly actionable and relatable.
Follow Jim Durbin on LinkedIn.
Craig Fisher
Craig is the creator and expert in employer branding and marketing strategy at TalentNet Media, where he focuses on developing employer brands and recruitment plans. He also guides HR technology and digital strategies to various businesses. Craig has worked with major companies such as LinkedIn, Toyota, and YUM! Brands, and HootSuite. Notably, he founded North America’s first LinkedIn-certified training company and pioneered the first Twitter chat for recruiters.
Follow Craig Fisher on LinkedIn.
Sarah White
Sarah is the CEO of Aspect43. She focuses on researching and writing about HR and recruiting technologies while working with software and solution providers, as well as investors, to apply data-driven approaches. Since 2007, Sarah has been a speaker at numerous HR, business, and technology conferences and has been featured in various publications, including SXSW, Fast Company, NBC News, Huffington Post, HR Executive, and the Wall Street Journal.
Follow Sarah White on LinkedIn.
Leela Srinivasan
Leela Srinivasan is the Chief Executive Officer at Parity and a leading expert in employer branding and talent acquisition. Combining her marketing and HR background, Srinivasan provides a distinctive viewpoint on the intersection of technology and recruitment. Through her LinkedIn posts, she explores key topics such as employer brand strategy, candidate experience, and the influence of AI on HR, delivering valuable insights for organizations aiming to attract and retain top talent.
Follow Leela Srinivasan on LinkedIn.
Jonathan F. Kestenbaum
Jonathan F. Kestenbaum is the Managing Director of AMS. AMS is a global total workforce solutions firm. Specializing in emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and automation, Kestenbaum offers expert analysis and insights on the future of work. His LinkedIn posts cover the latest trends and advancements in talent acquisition technology, positioning him as a key resource for HR professionals aiming to stay ahead in the industry.
Follow Jonathan F. Kestenbaum on LinkedIn.
Madelin Laurano
Madeline Laurano is the founder of Aptitude Research, a research-driven advisory firm focused on talent acquisition and HR technology. She offers valuable insights and thought leadership to assist organizations in enhancing their recruitment processes. She addresses a variety of topics, including predictive analytics in hiring and the future of remote work, establishing her as a trusted resource for HR professionals aiming to drive innovation within their organizations.
Follow Madelin Laurano on LinkedIn
Stacy Zapar
Stacy Donovan Zapar is a prominent HR influencer, keynote speaker, and founder & principal recruiter of The Talent Agency, a boutique recruitment firm. She served as the technical editor and contributing author for Wiley’s *LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day* and is involved with multiple advisory boards. Her expertise has been highlighted in publications such as the Washington Post, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review.
Follow Stacy Zapar on LinkedIn.
Matt Alder
Matt Alder is the producer and host of the *Recruiting Future* Podcast, where he explores the future of work through a technological lens. An accomplished keynote speaker and prolific writer, he co-authored *Exceptional Talent* and *Digital Talent*. Alder is also a highly sought-after mentor for emerging companies.
Follow Matt Alder on LinkedIn.
Lou Adler
Lou Adler is the CEO and founder of Adler Group, a performance-based hiring learning system, a consulting and training firm dedicated to helping recruiters and hiring managers globally source, interview, and hire top-tier and diverse talent. He is the author of Amazon’s top-10 best-sellers and a leading blogger in LinkedIn’s Influencer program, where he discusses the latest trends in hiring, employment, and recruiting. Adler’s articles, quotes, and research are featured in Inc. Magazine, Business Insider, Bloomberg, SHRM, and The Wall Street Journal.
Follow Lou Adler on LinkedIn
Bill Boorman
Bill Boorman is the strategic advisor at VONQ. Driven by his passion for enhancing the recruitment process, Bill collaborates with tech start-ups on product development, market fit, and preparing for investment. He speaks on a broad range of topics, from talent acquisition to data tipping points in HR, and has presented at numerous HR and recruiting events globally.
Follow Bill Boorman on LinkedIn.
Greg Savage
Greg is the principal at Savage Recruitment Academy, as well as a speaker, recruitment and leadership advisor, and author of *Savage Truth*. Recognized as one of LinkedIn’s ‘Top Voices’ in 2026, Greg has long been a prominent figure in the HR field and was voted the most influential recruiter in Australia over the past 60 years.
Greg is a trusted advisor and respected authority in the global recruitment and professional services industries. Greg is also a regular keynote speaker at conferences around the world.
Follow Greg Savage on LinkedIn.
Jonathan Parsons
Jonathan Parsons is the brand director and AI leader at Procter and Gamble. He widely talks about the use of AI in marketing through his newsletter “The Marketing Advantage” which has 40,000+ subscribers.
Jonathan has an experience of over a decade in FMCG marketing and is experienced in business and brand strategy and team leadership.
Follow Jonathan Parsons on LinkedIn.
Adam Biddlecombe
Adam Biddlecombe is the Co-Founder and CEO of the popular AI newsletter Mindstream. He aims to share the knowledge of AI and make it accessible to all with his newsletter.
Copywriting is also one of his many skills.
Follow Adam Biddlecombe on LinkedIn
Justin Chia
Justin is a data analyst and AI enthusiast. He is also one of the top voices in data analytics on LinkedIn. With his newsletter, “The Juicer” he provides AI, tech and self-help tips to like-minded people.
He also helps people in adopting AI automation in their businesses.
Follow Justin Chia on LinkedIn.
Leonard Rodman, M.Sc. PMP® CSM® CSPO®
Leo is a corporate training executive and system administrator at Impact Networking, a managed service provider. With 20 years of experience in education and technology, he is enthusiastic about the potential of AI in enhancing corporate training, client education, marketing, and beyond.
Leo specializes in evaluating, testing, and deploying AI systems for enterprise and small-to-medium-sized businesses. Additionally, he offers Agile coaching to organizations.
Follow Leonard Rodman on LinkedIn.
Andrew Bolis
Andrew helps companies leverage AI to optimize their marketing and sales. Andrew has 15 years of experience in marketing leadership as a manager, director, and CEO. He also helps companies generate more qualified leads and sales opportunities, close more deals, and shorten their sales cycle.
Follow Andrew Bolis on LinkedIn.
Ruben Hassid
Ruben is the founder of EasyGen, a writing tool for LinkedIn post writers. He is also the top Artificial Intelligence (AI) voice on LinkedIn with 3,95,098 followers and counting on LinkedIn.
With the help of his weekly paid newsletter, he aims to help people grow their LinkedIn accounts with the help of AI.
Follow Ruben Hassid on LinkedIn.
Audrey Chia
Audrey is a copywriter and brand strategist who leverages AI frameworks to help your business scale with speed. She is one of the Favikon Top 20 Creators SG and the founder of *Close With Copy*.
Her services include copywriting, advertising, marketing strategy and content strategy.
Follow _Audrey Chia
_ on LinkedIn
Martin Crowley
Martin is one of the top AI voice badge holders and is the CEO of AI Tool Report, an AI-learning newsletter. He strongly believes that AI is the future and actively promotes its use to increase productivity.
Follow _Martin Crowley
_ on LinkedIn
Anna York
Anna is a marketing strategist and consultant who helps business owners scale their brands by connecting content marketing with AI.
She also talks about AI-powered SEO in her free newsletter which has 10,000 hours of industry knowledge.
Follow _Anna York
_ on LinkedIn
Lindsay Rosenthal
Lindsay is the founder of Cred.Marketing and is an AI enthusiast. She provides social media marketing, video production and ghostwriting services. Lindsay’s top skills also include content marketing and AI.
Follow _Lindsay Rosenthal
_ on LinkedIn
AI in HR and AI in recruitment: how to choose who to follow
Audience size matters less than whether a person helps you make a better hiring decision. The NIST AI Risk Management Framework recommends managing trustworthiness across the design, use, and evaluation of AI systems, while the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s AI and ADA guidance explains why accessibility and discrimination risks matter when software evaluates applicants or employees.
| Selection test | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Role relevance | Recruiting, talent acquisition, HR operations, people analytics, employment law, or a clearly related specialty | A useful audience match is more valuable than a broad AI label |
| Evidence | Named research, documented implementation lessons, transparent examples, or links to primary material | It helps separate practical insight from repetition or promotion |
| Responsible-use awareness | Clear discussion of human review, limitations, privacy, accessibility, and bias testing | AI in recruitment can affect people’s opportunities and needs governance |
| Current activity | A current profile, recent work, and links that still resolve | Old job titles and inactive accounts can mislead readers |
| Practical value | Checklists, questions, examples, or methods you can test | The goal is better decisions, not more content to consume |
The Recooty editorial view is to follow fewer people more intentionally. Choose one voice for recruiting practice, one for HR technology, one for responsible AI, and one for the specialist area you hire in. Then compare advice with your own job requirements and candidate data before changing a process. Recooty’s guides on how to use AI in recruitment and AI implementation in HR can help turn ideas into a controlled workflow.
If the team is comparing platforms, this list of AI recruiting software can help narrow the shortlist.
A five-minute review before trusting AI hiring advice
- Identify the hiring step the advice addresses, such as sourcing, screening, interviewing, or communication.
- Check whether the recommendation describes the input data, output, reviewer, and possible failure modes.
- Look for a clear boundary between assistance and an automated employment decision.
- Test the idea on a small, representative workflow and record corrections or exceptions.
- Keep only advice that improves a defined recruiting outcome without weakening candidate rights or review quality.
Conclusion
Use this list as a starting point for focused learning. Choose voices whose work matches your hiring problem, trace important claims to evidence, and test one low-risk idea with human review before changing a recruiting process.
The Recooty guide to using AI in recruitment can help you connect a useful idea to a defined hiring step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all the people on this list HR specialists?
No. The list includes HR, recruiting, AI, marketing, employer-brand, and technology voices. Check the person’s current LinkedIn profile and recent work before treating the advice as relevant to your hiring problem.
How should recruiters evaluate AI hiring advice?
Check the use case, input data, human reviewer, limitations, accessibility, and possible discrimination risks. The NIST AI Risk Management Framework provides a risk-management structure, and the EEOC AI and ADA guidance explains why applicant and employee assessment tools need careful review.
Should an influencer’s follower count determine whether I follow them?
No. Use role relevance, evidence, current activity, responsible-use awareness, and practical value as your selection criteria. A smaller specialist account may be more useful than a broad account for a specific recruiting workflow.
How can I turn influencer content into a recruiting process improvement?
Choose one idea, test it on a limited workflow, record the result, and review it with the people responsible for hiring and compliance. Recooty’s guide to using AI in recruitment can help you connect the idea to a defined hiring step.
Source: https://recooty.com/blog/top-hr-influencers-in-ai-and-tech/
Practical recruiting playbooks, HR tutorials and hiring trends from the team behind Recooty — hiring software for growing teams.
