Salma El-Wardany is a leading diversity and inclusion expert, who has forged a successful career as a spoken word artist, poet and writer working with the likes of HuffPost, Buzzfeed, Metro and Stylist Magazine. Currently the Chief Diversity Officer for Solutions Driven, Salma liaises with organisations to set up successful diversity initiatives and create change. Born in Egypt, half Egyptian, half Irish, Salma knows the pain of discrimination, now working to ensure that society is more inclusive to all. When booked as a diversity & inclusion speaker, Salma shares how she has struggled with stereotypes and marginalisation, using her platform to give women a voice.
From a young age, Salma has had a passion for writing and storytelling, performing pretend news reports in her bedroom at just six years of age. Coming to England as a young child, Salma went on to claim a BA and Masters degree in English Literature, building the foundations for her career in communications and marketing. She began her career as an Events Manager for the British Scout Association, before becoming the Head Training Coordinator of Home Group. She later became the Head of Content and Bid Management for Harvey Nash and the Head of Marketing and Social Media for Recruitment Entrepreneur.
Salma has also acted as the Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Marketing & Content for Digitally Human. As a Muslim woman of colour, Salma knows first hand the discrimination that exists within society, using her role as Chief Diversity Officer to ensure that businesses are more inclusive countrywide. Along the course of her career, Salma has partnered with various organisations to give women a voice, including Always, Virgin, Plan International, the BBC and Bumble. She has also worked on the Dangerous Woman Project in partnership with Edinburgh University and worked with The British Library. When not running her marketing business, Salma is writing poetry or articles on how women are dominated in a patriarchal world.
Giving a voice to those who have been ignored by society throughout history, Salma has authored the book These Impossible Things, and is now booked as a diversity and inclusion speaker for corporate events. Previously, Salma has delivered two TEDx talks, titled Burka and Bikinis and Where Are You From?, demonstrating her powerful and moving capabilities as a speaker. Fusing her expertise in marketing, communications and diversity, Salma engages with corporate audiences to build diverse brands and encourage workplace cultures of inclusivity. When looking for an expert diversity & inclusion speaker for your next event, book Salma El-Wardany today!
“It was a pleasure working with Salma on our video series. She added poignant and interesting insights to aid conversations on diversity and inclusion. She was thought-provoking, professional and brought a fresh perspective”
“Salma was our keynote speaker at a special client event we held at The Shard. She delivered exactly what I was hoping for: a punchy, intelligent and savvy talk which gave the perfect blend of informed opinion and personal perspective. I would highly recommend her to you”
“Salma is an amazing advocate for girls’ rights around the world. As a speaker on our panel event, looking at how we can end violence against women and girls, Salma brought the issue home to the audience with a brilliant and moving piece of spoken words. She went on to speak passionately and knowledgeably about her experience as a woman living in Cairo and London. Her energy on stage is infectious and the feedback we received from the audience was so positive. We’d love to welcome Salma back to speak at one of our future events”
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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