Rob Harkavy

Rob Harkavy has been transforming the LGBT+ business landscape since 1993, a leader in the field of gay holidays and representation in the media. As the Editor of Outnews Global, Rob continues to champion diversity and publicly challenges outdated views via thought-provoking news articles. Booked as a speaker for corporate clients, Rob knows first-hand the importance of creating an inclusive company culture and the extended benefits of doing so, which he shares with audiences at events.

Spearheading the world’s most fabulous LGBT+ online magazine, Rob is the current Editor of OutNews Global, a role he has held since 2016. Responsible for the content on the site, Rob and the team combine articles, interviews, opinion pieces and rich media to ensure the online news source is engaging and educational. With inclusivity at the forefront of the site, Rob draws on his extensive experience in the industry to ensure all readers feel welcome and represented in the magazine. He has previously written for the likes of Out in the City, Gay Star News and DIVA Magazine.

Starting his business career as the co-founder of Sensations, Rob later followed by co-founding Respect Holidays. Rob identified the need for speciality gay holiday providers due to the prevalent homophobia in the 90s, leading him to establish Respect Holidays in 1998 which ensured gay individuals could travel safely. Quickly, the business became the largest gay holiday company in Europe, a testament to Rob’s drive and resilience, supporting a minority group. Under his leadership, Respect Holidays went on to acquire hotels, bars and charter planes for their holiday goers.

Currently, Rob is a proud Patron of JAN Trust, which empowers women to overcome barriers to inclusion, and he is an Ambassador for SOS Silence of Suicide, which aims to tackle the suicide epidemic. Having previously been an Ambassador for Stonewall, Rob is evidently a passionate champion of diversity and inclusion, who is well equipped to educate corporate teams on creating a workplace environment of acceptance for all.