Shola Kaye

In this tech-heavy world, Shola’s work helps humans deepen their levels of humanity and connection.

She works with global organisations using the power of empathy, effective communication and bold action. She calls this combination EMOTIONAL AUDACITYTM and the tools she shares facilitate the deepening of resilience, emotional intelligence and readiness for change.

Shola’s keynotes are frequently described as engagingly practical, easily implementable and inspiring. She shares moving stories, accessible case studies and actionable insights gained from working with international corporations across a wide range of industries, and sessions may be modified for leaders or for broader audiences.

Shola’s clients include American Express, Deloitte, Google, IBM, Nestle, Meta, Target, The United Nations, Kaiser Permanente, GSK, Henkel, Reckitt, HSBC, LVMH, Capital One and Oracle. She is the author of two books and has written for a variety of industry publications.

Shola’s experiences working for global corporations have given her an understanding of some of the many challenges faced by companies today as they seek to create environments of empathy and high performance, supporting their ever-more demanding, often remote, teams in a world of constant disruption.

Early in Shola’s career, after studying at Cambridge University, she worked in consulting and account management in New York and London with clients such as Goldman Sachs and British Airways. She has also conducted neuroscience research at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
What differentiates Shola as a speaker is that she has also spent time performing across the globe and captivating audiences as a professional entertainer. She therefore understands what it takes to keep her keynote attendees engaged and participating throughout the session, and she provides multiple opportunities for valuable self-reflection and outstanding levels of interaction.

Her cornerstone keynote, ‘Emotional AudacityTM’ explores practical ways to build trust, connection, and influence through emotionally intelligent communication and courageous leadership.

Shola’s most booked keynote is ‘Elevating Empathy’. In today’s challenging workplaces, it’s crucial to meet people where they are, demonstrating curiosity and understanding. An empathic approach is also valuable when it comes to helping reduce resistance to change, such as restructuring, entering new markets or embarking upon new initiatives.

Shola also works with global teams that need to reach across differences, creating an atmosphere of collaboration, belonging and high performance. Her session ‘Create a People-First, Speak Up Culture’ has been booked by a variety of international organisations, whether for leadership teams or wider groups.

For organisations looking to improve the quality and quantity of feedback given, Shola’s keynote ‘Create a Positive Feedback Culture with Daring, Caring Communication’ is an ongoing, year-round favourite.

Finally, her keynote ‘The Art of the Ask’, on the power of networking and aspirational asking, is very popular for women’s events and among organisations seeking to empower their staff to be more unstoppable, whether in sales or in making bold internal career moves.

As an introvert herself, she loves to create experiences in which everyone feels deeply involved and empowered to participate fully. Her virtual keynotes often elicit hundreds of comments in the chat, with off-the-chart participation from attendees.

She’s also a popular speaker for International Women’s Day and has worked with many organisations delivering communication programs that help women and other groups speak up and cut through the noise, enabling them to go further, faster, in their careers.