most requested speakers diversity inclusion

Most requested speakers on diversity and inclusion

Diversity and inclusion have been an important part of 2020’s narrative thus far. With the shocking police brutality in the United States bringing a new energy to the Black Lives Matter movement, the reports that show COVID-19 to be disproportionately affecting BAME communities and successes of women in power such as Jacinda Arden showing the benefits of female leadership in a crisis.

A critical business concern should be that inclusion and diversity are at risk from the pandemic – and they are crucial for business recovery, strength, and improvement. A diverse workplace culture can bring added insights and perspectives, and research has continually shown that gender and ethnic diversity as well as inclusion coincide with improved performance. Reports testify that over the past five years, the probability that diverse companies will beat their industry competitors has grown and so have the penalties for companies lacking diversity. Thus, with the right knowledge, understanding and guidance on diversity and inclusion, a business can see the necessary development to ride out the crisis.

Michelle KingMichelle King

Director of Inclusion, Netflix and Leading Global Expert in Gender Equality

Michelle King is a researcher, writer and advocate with substantial international experience assisting women in sectors such as innovation, technology and generally leading the call for global equality. Currently the Director of Inclusion at Netflix, and the former head of UN Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change, King has consistently leveraged innovative principles to accelerate the achievements diversity and inclusion with recognised results.

Moreover, King has published her own award-winning book ‘THE FIX: Overcome the Invisible Barriers that Hold Women Back at Work’, detailing the challenges women face at work and how to build better working environments. Regularly chosen as a speaker for conferences and private sector events including Amazon, EY, Texas Conference for Women, the Pennsylvania Conference for Women, King is praised for the way she sheds light on topics such as ‘the COVID-19 Workplace: How To Practice Inclusion’, ‘Equality: An Invitation for Leaders to Lead’ and ‘Overcoming the 17 Invisible Barriers Women Face At Work’.

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Sayeeda Warsi Keynote SpeakerBaroness Sayeeda Warsi

Britain’s First Muslim Government Minister

A successful lawyer, author, businesswoman and member of the House of Lords, Baroness Warsi made history when in 2010 she was appointed as Minister without Portfolio in Cabinet, which made Warsi the first Muslim to do so. She later was made both Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister for Faith and Communities and led the fight for Britain became the first western country to issue a Sukuk (Islamic bond).

Warsi has also authored ‘The Enemy Within’, on the relationship between Islam and Britain and has been a key stakeholder of three start-up businesses which have seen much success. Additionally, she has Chaired the Global Islamic Finance & Investment Group and currently chairs The Baroness Warsi Foundation and is Trustee of the Savayra Foundation, which advocate for social mobility and gender equality. Warsi is a sought-after speaker on ‘Gender Issues’, ‘Islamic Finance’ and ‘Diversity’.

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keynote speaker hashi mohamedHashi Mohamed

One of the UK’s Leading Barristers, a Broadcaster at the BBC and an Author

Hashi Mohamed’s story is of someone who defied a life of poverty and hardship and went on to attend the University of Oxford and become a highly respected barrister. A child refugee from Kenya, he spoke basic English when arrived in the UK, he attended failing schools and was raised exclusively on state benefits in a deprived area. Now however, Mohamed is an author and orator with aims to change and improve the development of social mobility.

Mohamed uses his personal journey to create and implement policies and ideas for business and enterprise, public sector and government to improve resilience, focus and flexibility and find success. His insightful Keynotes teach lessons on ‘Harnessing talent and taking risks’, ‘Change in society’, ‘Crossing divides’ and ‘Migration Trends’ to mention a few.

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keynote speaker eddie obengEddie Obeng

Educator, World Class Motivational Speaker, Innovator and Author

Eddie Obeng is Professor at the School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Henley Business School and the Founder of Pentacle (The Virtual Business School). Having begun his career as an engineer at Shell, Obeng became the youngest Executive Director of a European Business School and is now hailed “a leading revolutionary” and a great pioneer of project management.

Using an approach of challenge then champion, Obeng tackles the complexities of business management to bring coherence to the accelerating pace and changing nature of the modern business world. With innovation and the ability to continually adapt ideas and materials under his belt, Obeng can provide advice that will transform your business through enlightenment on ‘Strategy’, ‘Leadership in a Fast-Changing World’ and the ‘Future of Work’.

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keynote speaker farah pandithFarah Pandith

Foreign Policy Strategist, Author, and Diplomacy Entrepreneur

Farah Pandith is a leading figure in the field of countering violent extremism and has served three American Presidents to construct platforms, initiatives and networks to defeat the extremist threat. Pandith’s career has included the National Security Council, the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development and her work has been recognised with the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Honour Award. She was also a member of the US Department of Homeland Security’s Advisory Council and acts in leadership roles on numerous boards.

Pandith’s analysis of radicalism and extremism is both powerful and innovative and her work and strategies for conquering it have featured in New York Times, the Washington Post and the BBC to name a few. Pandith speaks to audiences on ‘US Foreign Policy’, ‘Global Youth’ and ‘Extremism, Terrorism & Radicalisation’.

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Carl Lewis Keynote SpeakerCarl Lewis

American Former Olympic Track and Field Athlete

During his Olympic career, Carl Lewis won 10 medals (nine of them gold) and was a member of five different teams. His ability at both at sprinting and the long jump were astounding and with five Olympic appearance all over the world or his Olympic record time, his title of “Athlete of the Century” was well-deserved.

After retiring in 1997, Lewis founded “The Carl Lewis Foundation,” included under which title are charities like the “Best Buddies” organisation, The Wendy Marx Foundation (for organ donor awareness), Ronald McDonald House Charities and youth sport groups. Lewis is an activist for family, youth, education, wellness and fitness, and uses his celebrity status to spreads awareness of these issues internationally.

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keynote speaker nontombi tutuNontombi Tutu

Third Child of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Speaker on Human Rights Issues

Having personally faced challenges of being raised as a black female in apartheid South Africa, Naomi Tutu is a tireless fighter for human rights. An expert on both race and gender relations she speaks to the world on the problems and injustices on judging purely on our physical attributes.

Tutu has experience as a development consultant in West Africa and coordinating programs for race and gender and gender-based violence in Education. Tutu is able to use her passion to lead successful Truth and Reconciliation Workshops for though dealing with conflict. Her humour and her unique and frank perspective on race give her speeches the power to grab anyone’s attention and get their cogs turning.

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Ruby McGregor Smith Keynote SpeakerRuby McGregor-Smith

President of the British Chambers of Commerce and formerly the first Asian female Chief Executive of a FTSE 250 Company

Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith works tirelessly to overcome the issues with prejudice and leadership in the workplace, advocating on abolishing the gender pay gap and the ethnicity pay gap.
She was recognised as a top 50 female world business leader by the FT in 2013 and is a key driver in the performance of businesses through her work and advocacy.

McGregor-Smith is a member of the Women’s Business Council (previously Chair) and was responsible for the Independent Report to the UK Government on Race in the Workplace, published in February 2017, which found that people from BME backgrounds are still being discriminated against and hindered in the workplace because of their race and this was costing the UK economy the equivalent of 1.3% in GDP a year.

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keynote speaker Joy BuolamwiniJoy Buolamwini

Social Impact Technologist and Algorithmic Bias Expert at MIT, Founder, Algorithmic Justice League

Joy Buolamwini uses her coding skills aptly alongside art and research to shed light on the social impact and bias of artificial intelligence. After her MIT thesis discovered both racial and gender bias in AI services used by major companies like Microsoft and Amazon, Buolamwini founded the Algorithmic Justice League and took her work across the globe to fight inequality; with speeches at the World Economic Forum and the United Nations.

Buolamwini has been recognised on lists such as the Bloomberg 50, Tech Review 35 under 35, BBC 100 Women, Forbes Top 50 Women in Tech (youngest), and Forbes 30 under 30 with fortune magazine named her “the conscience of the AI revolution” and she has been published in TIME Magazine and the New York Times. She speaks on topics such as ‘Responsible and Ethical AI’, ‘Facial Recognition Technology’ and ‘Diversity and Inclusion in STEM’.

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Helena Morrissey Keynote SpeakerHelena Morissey

Financier, Campaigner and Author

After missing out on a promotion at her job in the city because there was ‘doubt over her commitment with a baby’, Morissey knew she had to do something for herself and for other women. After then joining Newton Investment Management whose founder, Stewart Newton, trained her to harness the strength of true diversity, she was later appointed the firm’s CEO and for the next 15 years, profits increased exponentially, and asset growth was doubled.

In 2010, Morrissey launched the 30% Club which worked UK corporate boards to improve gender imbalance and was backed by the respective chairmen. A decade later and the results speak for themselves as women represent over 30% FTSE350 directors, previously less than ten percent. Morrissey has been named one of the world’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine and was the Financial Times Person of the Year in 2017. She is a charismatic and insightful speaker who gives audiences both a new understanding and innovation solutions to diversity and inclusion issues.

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