Helen Richardson-Walsh MBE is a gold medal-winning Olympic hockey player and respected speaker on leadership, team culture and inclusion. With an international career spanning nearly two decades, she earned 293 caps for Great Britain and England, becoming one of the most capped players in the sport’s history. Renowned for her role in Team GB’s historic gold medal victory at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Helen combines elite sporting insight with academic expertise in organisational psychology, making her a compelling and credible voice for events.
Helen’s journey began as a prodigious talent, becoming the youngest female Olympic hockey player and quickly establishing herself as a key figure in the national squad. Her early success included a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games, followed by bronze medals in subsequent tournaments, reflecting her consistency at the highest level. By the London 2012 Olympic Games, Helen had progressed into a leadership role, captaining Team GB to a bronze medal. Alongside her playing career, she developed her coaching expertise, working with Hampstead and Westminster Hockey Club, Cambridge City Hockey Club and later as a Performance and Culture Coach for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
Beyond the pitch, Helen has built an impressive portfolio of achievements across media, academia and thought leadership. She is the co-author of ‘Winning Together: An Olympic-Winning Approach to Building Better Teams’, where she translates her Olympic experience into practical strategies for building high-performing teams. She has provided expert commentary for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Radio 5 Live and BT Sport, further establishing her authority in the sport. Her contributions have been recognised with an MBE for services to hockey and the National Lottery Spirit of Sport Award. Complementing her practical experience, Helen completed a Master’s degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology, strengthening her evidence-based approach to performance and culture.
Helen is hired as a speaker for her unique ability to connect elite performance with inclusive, people-focused leadership. As an openly LGBTQ athlete and advocate, she brings authenticity and lived experience to conversations around inclusion, belonging and team cohesion. Her insights are grounded in both Olympic success and academic research, enabling her to deliver practical frameworks that organisations can apply immediately. With a calm, engaging delivery style and powerful real-world examples, Helen equips audiences with the tools to build resilient, inclusive and high-performing teams.
