Dr Mark McBride-Wright MBE

Dr Mark McBride-Wright is a safety engineer, leadership expert, author and speaker specialising in psychological safety and inclusive leadership within high-hazard industries. With more than a decade of experience in engineering safety and risk management, Mark is trusted by global organisations to help leaders create cultures where people feel safe to speak up, challenge decisions and contribute fully. His rare ability to connect operational safety with human behaviour makes him a compelling voice for organisations seeking measurable cultural change.

After completing a PhD at Imperial College London, Mark began his career as a safety engineer with ERM and KBR, advising major clients on risk and process safety. Recognising the lack of visible LGBT+ representation in engineering, he co-founded InterEngineering, a professional network championing inclusion across the sector. The organisation won Corporate Rising Star at the British LGBT Awards, signalling its national impact. Mark later progressed into senior diversity and inclusion roles and consultancy positions with institutions including the Royal Academy of Engineering, Eurostar, GKN Aerospace, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Vodafone.

In 2017, Mark founded EqualEngineers, a platform connecting inclusive employers with diverse engineering and technology talent. He also established the Engineering Talent Awards, celebrating underrepresented professionals across STEM. As a Visiting Professor of Inclusive Engineering Leadership at University College London through the Royal Academy of Engineering, he designs executive training focused on inclusive leadership in technical environments. Mark is the author of ‘The SAFE Leader’, host of the SAFE Leadership podcast and an MBE recipient for services to diversity and inclusion in engineering. He has served as a judge for the Women’s Engineering Society Top 50 Women in Engineering and the Ingenious Awards, and has been recognised as a STEM Category Leader in Attitude 101.

As a diversity and inclusion speaker, Mark translates inclusion into operational performance. Working with clients such as EDF Energy and McLaren Racing, he demonstrates how trust, belonging and psychological safety directly influence innovation, risk management and decision-making in high-risk sectors. Through his SAFE Leadership Framework (Share, Act, Feel, Empower), Mark equips leaders with practical tools to build cultures where safety and inclusion are inseparable drivers of success.