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Matthew Syed is a globally renowned expert on high performance, cognitive diversity, and leadership transformation. Drawing on his rich background as a former elite athlete, best-selling author, and organisational consultant, Matthew inspires audiences to embrace resilience, innovation, and growth. His ability to distil complex concepts into practical insights makes him a sought-after speaker for individuals and organisations aiming to thrive in today’s fast-changing world.
Matthew’s journey to global recognition began in elite sport. He was England’s top-ranked table tennis player for nearly a decade and represented Great Britain in the 1992 Barcelona and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Competing on the world stage gave Matthew invaluable insights into overcoming pressure, building resilience, and driving performance, lessons he carries into his work today. After retiring from competitive sport, Matthew turned to journalism, becoming an award-winning columnist for The Times in 1999, where he continues to explore themes of psychology, leadership, and culture.
As an author, Matthew has written several best-selling books that have reshaped thinking in leadership and performance, including Black Box Thinking, Rebel Ideas, and Bounce. His groundbreaking work on learning from failure, embracing diversity of thought, and building growth mindset cultures has influenced organisations worldwide, from global corporations to public sector institutions. Matthew is also the co-founder of Matthew Syed Consulting, a firm dedicated to driving high performance and innovation through cognitive diversity.
Today, Matthew Syed is a leading keynote speaker, known for his compelling storytelling and ability to connect deeply with audiences. Drawing on his experiences in elite sport, journalism, and consultancy, he delivers transformative talks on creating high-performance cultures, leveraging failure as a tool for growth, and harnessing diverse perspectives for innovation. His presentations empower leaders and teams with actionable strategies to achieve lasting success in a complex, fast-paced world.
Matthew Syed is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:
“Matthew Syed is an extremely inspirational speaker. He succinctly and persuasively encapsulated the winning ethos during his presentation to Vodafone’s Global Heads of Marketing. We departed feeling highly motivated.”
“Matthew Syed’s messages were fantastic. He not only described how champions are made but could also give evidence-based arguments that supported his bold assertions. His influence on our squad and management was an extremely positive one for which we are very grateful.”
“A wonderful speech delivered to 1000 senior executives. Matthew’s messages are powerful and thought-provoking – and they have become central to the strategy of our business.”
The Inspirational Leadership Speakers Agency is one of the UK’s leading bureaus for inspiring global leaders. We supply speakers for corporate and public events across the world and cater to both in-person occasions and online webinars. Our roster includes athletes, psychologists, celebrities and more, each with top industry insight into leadership.
E: agent@inspirational-leadership-speakers.com
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