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Matthew Syed is a globally recognised thought leader in cognitive diversity, high performance, and inclusive leadership. As a best-selling author, award-winning journalist, and keynote speaker, he challenges organisations to harness diverse perspectives to drive innovation and success. His research into growth mindset, psychological safety, and workplace inclusion has transformed leadership strategies across global corporations, public institutions, and elite sports teams. Through his work, he has influenced some of the world’s most forward-thinking organisations, proving that diverse teams make better decisions and achieve stronger results.
Matthew’s career began in elite sport, where he became a three-time Commonwealth Champion and England’s No. 1 table tennis player, representing Great Britain at the 1992 Barcelona and 2000 Sydney Olympics. His experience competing at the highest level shaped his understanding of resilience, mindset, and performance. Transitioning into journalism, he became a leading columnist for The Times and The Sunday Times, where his award-winning work explores the intersection of culture, leadership, and human potential. His expertise in high performance led him to write some of the most influential books on mindset and diversity, including ‘Rebel Ideas’, ‘Black Box Thinking’, and ‘Bounce’.
As the founder of Matthew Syed Consulting, he works with organisations to embed cognitive diversity and inclusive leadership into their workplace cultures. His firm has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and sports organisations to implement strategies that foster innovation and psychological safety. Recognised as one of HR Magazine’s Top 30 Most Influential Thinkers, Matthew’s research has shaped policies on leadership, decision-making, and diversity & inclusion. His work has been instrumental in helping organisations break down silos, challenge biases, and unlock untapped potential.
As a keynote speaker, Matthew Syed has delivered high-impact talks at global conferences, leadership summits, and corporate events. His dynamic and engaging style inspires audiences to embrace diverse thinking, create psychologically safe workplaces, and lead with an inclusive mindset. By sharing real-world case studies and evidence-backed insights, he equips leaders with the tools to drive meaningful change and enhance performance at every level of an organisation.
“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 Diversity and Inclusion Speakers Agency has been one of the UK’s leading bureaus for inspirational figures of different races, genders, sexualities and abilities since 2020. 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, to ensure that audiences of all industries receive tailored, impactful advice on diversity and inclusion.
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