Award-winning filmmaker Deeyah Khan’s ability to build bridges between polarised ideological factions can be used in boardrooms to strengthen teamwork and leadership. She is a a globally-recognised voice in conflict resolution whose work focuses on dialogue and empathy. Deeya’s courage in the face of division and antipathy has resulted in two Emmys, a BAFTA, an RTS Award and the Peer Gynt Prize in her native Norway. She is currently the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Artistic Freedom and Integrity.... Read more
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Organisations increasingly mirror the divisions of wider society. Deeyah explores how leaders can interrupt cycles of “us vs. them” thinking, manage controversial conversations without reputational damage, and reduce internal polarization through constructive dialogue.
Often dismissed as “soft”, empathy is a strategic capability. Deeyah shows how human-centred understanding strengthens decision-making, supports leadership in high-emotion environments, and builds trust during cultural or reputational crises.
Leadership success depends not only on what is said, but on how it is heard. Deeyah demonstrates how to communicate hard truths without triggering defensiveness, influence across power and ideology, and align teams around shared values rather than just KPIs. This is storytelling as strategy — not performance.
Today’s leaders must address emotionally charged and controversial issues without damaging trust. Drawing on her experience navigating extreme ideological divides, Deeyah explores how to communicate difficult truths without triggering defensiveness, lead through uncertainty with credibility, and create space for disagreement without fragmentation.
In an era of polarization and complexity, leaders must engage difference without deepening division. Drawing on her work across ideological extremes, Deeyah shows how active listening, trust-building, and values-based leadership help teams navigate conflict constructively and foster environments where people feel heard, respected, and aligned.
Across the world, societies are experiencing growing division and erosion of trust. Having spent years engaging directly with extremists and deeply polarised communities, Deeyah offers insight into the roots of “us vs. them” thinking and what interrupts it, sharing lessons on empathy, dignity, and dialogue for societies and organisations alike.
Deeyah Khan is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. Her work, which focuses on dialogue and empathy, takes a human-centric approach to leadership in today’s polarised world, This has won her two Emmys, two Peabody Awards and a BAFTA, as well as Norway’s prestigious Peer Gynt Prize. Deeyah’s ability to build bridges between seemingly intractable divides translates well into leadership and organisational environments. She helps leaders and teams communicate complex and controversial issues in order to foster a work culture where people feel seen, heard and valued.
Deeyah has spent more than a decade on the frontline of some of the world’s most polarising conflicts, engaging with extremists, jihadists, white supremacists and domestic terrorists. Her work is defined not by confrontation but by courageous curiosity as she seeks to understand the human stories behind hateful ideology. Her unique insights and skills in listening and creating empathy-based approaches have in many cases led to conflict resolution between opposing factions. At the heart of her work lies a simple but transformative principle: people rarely change because they are instructed to, but because they feel understood.
Deeyah Khan’s prize-winning documentaries navigate extreme divides and are recognised for their emotional honesty, moral courage and measurable social impact. These include Banaz: A Love Story (2012), Jihad (2015), America’s War on Abortion (2020) and White Right: Meeting the Enemy (2017). Following the filming of this last title, senior members of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement (NSM) in the US left the organisation after decades of involvement. They credited their engagement with Deeyah as a catalyst for their decision.
Born in Norway to immigrant parents, Deeyah founded her own production company in 2010. Its aim is to create space for more inclusive and diverse stories. In 2016 she was named by UNESCO as its Goodwill Ambassador for Artistic Freedom and Integrity.
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You can book Deeyah Khan through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Deeyah's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Deeyah Khan's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Deeyah tailored to your event.
Deeyah Khan speaks on Authors, Celebrities, Arts & Culture, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Diversity. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Deeyah to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Deeyah Khan for events worldwide, subject to Deeyah's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Deeyah Khan is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Deeyah can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Deeyah Khan on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Deeyah can offer.
Deeyah Khan delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Deeyah Khan's areas of expertise include Authors, Celebrities, Arts & Culture, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Diversity. To get a clear sense of Deeyah's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Deeyah Khan can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Authors, Celebrities, Arts & Culture, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Diversity is relevant. Details of Deeyah's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Deeyah Khan is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Deeyah Khan, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Deeyah's current availability for your dates.