The 2025 Angus Millar Lecture brought inspiration, laughter, and powerful observations to the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh on 22 October.
In the presence of Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal and RSA Chair Sir Loyd Grossman, Dr Jo Salter MBE, the RAF’s first female fast jet pilot, took to the stage to deliver a moving and memorable talk. Streamed live to participants around the world. This year’s theme, “The Power of Connection,” captured the imagination of everyone present.
Speaking with warmth and wit, Dr Salter explored the strength of connection, through stories drawn from her remarkable journey, from a Croydon schoolgirl who once dreamed of becoming a hairdresser, to flying Tornado aircraft at 600 miles an hour. Along the way, she narrowly avoided explosions, survived SAS-style interrogations, and even shared a stage with Tom Cruise.
Her message was abundantly clear: true connection (to us, to others, and to purpose) is what fuels courage, resilience, and change.
In her opening remarks, The Princess Royal spoke about the enduring importance of the RSA’s mission, an organisation intent on bringing people together across disciplines and perspectives to solve shared social challenges.
“Connection comes in many forms,” she observed, noting that in 1754, when the RSA was founded, letters and face-to-face encounters were the only options. “Today, the variations are endless – but assessing the quality and sustainability of those connections is more important than ever.”
Her Royal Highness reminded the audience that while technology expands our reach, true connection still depends on understanding, empathy, and dialogue. She also offered a memorable reflection on scale: “There is no good idea which cannot be defeated by scale.” The RSA’s challenge, she suggested, is to help society find balance between ambition and wisdom, growth and integrity, speed and depth.
Head to Circle to share your reflections and explore how the RSA community is putting “The Power of Connection” into action.
The highlight of the evening was the lecture itself, delivered by Dr Jo Salter MBE, the RAF’s first female fast jet pilot and an innovator in leadership, organisational transformation and AI ethics. With her trademark humour and humility, Salter took the audience on an unforgettable journey from childhood to unexpected career choices.
Dr Salter framed her talk around three key connections:
From narrowly avoiding disaster during a live missile exercise to meeting Tom Cruise at the Top Gun: Maverick premiere, her stories were by turns hilarious, harrowing, and deeply human. But each illustrated the same lesson: real growth happens at the edge of discomfort. “Maximum learning,” she said, “is right on the edge of panic. Where you think, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’ That’s where you become stronger, braver, and more connected.”
In the Q&A session, Dr Salter addressed the challenges of connection in an age dominated by artificial intelligence. As someone working at the intersection of technology and organisational evolution, she spoke passionately about keeping humans at the centre of innovation.
“It’s all about balance,” she said. “AI should support and empower us, not replace the creativity, empathy, and purpose that make us human.”
In a world of rapid change, understanding how human dynamics drive progress is more important than ever. The 2025 Angus Millar Lecture was a celebration not just of connection, but of courage. This is the courage to reach across divides, to keep learning, and to lead with humanity.
As Jo Salter left the stage to a standing ovation, one message lingered in the air:
“What keeps you steady?
Who keeps you connected?
Why do you do what you do?”
Because, as she put it, “When we are truly connected, to ourselves, to each other, and to our purpose, we lift each other higher.”
The Angus Millar Lecture has been a cornerstone of the RSA’s work in Scotland since 1999, featuring an impressive roster of speakers over the years, from Andrew O’Hagan and Lord Bilimoria to Lord Skidelsky, Professor Joseph Stiglitz, and Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore. The lecture was established through the generous legacy of Angus Millar FRSA, whose vision continues to inspire and connect with new generations. Thanks to legacy giving, initiatives like this prosper, helping to advance the RSA’s mission well into the future.
Dr Jo Salter MBE has been recognised as one of the Top 50 Most Inspirational Women in the World by Harpers & Queen, and her pioneering career in the RAF has made her a trailblazer for women in leadership. Today, Jo leads on people-driven transformation for companies like PwC and is a sought-after speaker on leadership, resilience and the impact of new technologies.
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