Health & Wellbeing

Why organisations work with Helen Lawal Clinical credibility that few wellbeing speakers match: 15 years as an NHS GP, MRCGP, and a postgraduate qualification in nutrition, so the science in the room is hers, not borrowed. A rare specialism in ADHD and AuDHD in women, shaped by a private practice focused on nutrition and sustainable behaviour change for this group. Named ambassador for ADHD UK and trainer on the National Autism Training Programme, so the neurodiversity content is informed by advocacy and training work, not a topic pick-up. Television presenting experience on Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped and How to Lose Weight Well, which translates into a speaker who can hold a large room and explain science without losing it. Lived experience as a late-diagnosed AuDHD woman, which grounds the work in something buyers trust more than a deck. Biography highlights NHS GP with 15 years of clinical experience, MRCGP, MBBS (Hull York Medical School), BSc Sport and Exercise Science (University of Leeds), DFSRH, MNutr. Celebrity Ambassador for ADHD UK (charity number 1188365). Trainer on the National Autism Training Programme. Presenter on Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped; co-presenter of How to Lose Weight Well with Dr Javid Abdelmoneim. Runs a private practice supporting ADHD and AuDHD women with nutrition, eating habits, and sustainable health behaviour change. Media contributor across BBC, ITV’s This Morning, Steph’s Packed Lunch, and BBC Radio Leeds on women’s health, nutrition, and neurodiversity. Biography Most corporate wellbeing content still assumes a neurotypical employee. For the quarter of any workforce that is neurodivergent, and especially for the women diagnosed in their thirties and forties after years of being told they were simply disorganised, the standard advice lands badly. That gap is where Dr Helen Lawal’s work sits. She came to it through clinical practice. Fifteen years as an NHS GP, MRCGP-qualified, with a medical degree from Hull York Medical School and a first degree in sport and exercise science from Leeds, gave her the grounding. A postgraduate qualification in nutrition and a specialism in ADHD turned it into a defined practice area. She now runs a private service for ADHD and AuDHD women focused on eating, energy, and sustainable behaviour change, the areas where standard GP time runs out. The public-facing side has been built in parallel. She presents Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped and co-presents How to Lose Weight Well, work that has trained her to explain food science and weight management to a mainstream audience without losing the evidence base. She is a Celebrity Ambassador for ADHD UK and a trainer on the National Autism Training Programme, which keeps the neurodiversity content anchored in advocacy and training, not marketing. For an organisation, the value is a speaker who can talk credibly to HR, DEI, and wellbeing leads about what actually helps neurodivergent employees, particularly women, and who can do it in a register that works for an all-staff audience as well as a clinical one. Key speaking topics ADHD and AuDHD in women Neurodiversity in the workplace Nutrition and eating behaviour Women’s health and hormones Sustainable weight management Neuroaffirming health and wellbeing Health communication and behaviour change Ideal for HR, DEI, and wellbeing leads designing neuro-inclusive programmes Employee networks and ERGs focused on women’s health, neurodiversity, or both Healthcare, pharma, and insurance organisations briefing clinicians and communicators Conferences and internal events that need a clinician who can present to a non-clinical audience Audience outcomes A clearer picture of how ADHD and AuDHD present in women, and why late diagnosis is common Specific, evidence-based guidance on nutrition and eating behaviour for neurodivergent adults Language and framing for neuroaffirming conversations at work A realistic view of what sustainable behaviour change looks like, separate from diet-industry claims Practical signals managers and HR can use to support neurodivergent colleagues

John Mackey: From Whole Foods to Whole Living John Mackey is an entrepreneur and the co-founder and visionary of Whole Foods Market. In his 44 years of service as CEO, the natural and organic grocer grew from a single store in Austin, Texas, to 540 stores in the U.S., U.K., and Canada with annual sales exceeding $22 billion and more than 105,000 Team Members. A pioneer of natural and organic foods and a passionate advocate for capitalism as a force for good, Mackey has focused on building a more conscious way of doing business. His vision inspired the Whole Planet Foundation to help end poverty in developing nations, the Local Producer Loan Program to help local food producers expand their businesses, the Global Animal Partnership’s rating scale for humane farm animal treatment, and the Total Health Immersion program to promote health and wellness with Whole Foods Market Team Members. A strong believer in free market principles, Mackey co-founded the Conscious Capitalism Movement and co-authored a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling book entitled Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business to boldly defend and reimagine capitalism and encourage a way of doing business that is grounded in ethical consciousness. In his follow-up, Conscious Leadership: Elevating Humanity through Business, Mackey provides a roadmap for innovative, values-based leadership. Mackey has been recognized as one of Fortune’s “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders,” Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year Overall Winner for the United States,” Institutional Investor’s “Best CEO in America,” Barron’s “World’s Best CEO,” MarketWatch’s “CEO of the Year,” and Esquire’s “Most Inspiring CEO,” while Whole Foods Market was named to Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work for” list for 20 consecutive years. A mission-driven entrepreneur, Mackey is deeply passionate about the connection between food and health. His business venture, Love.Life, unites the power of nourishing food, holistic medical care, and precision wellness therapies to make optimal, lasting health and vitality achievable. Mackey currently serves on the board of directors for Conscious Capitalism, The Motley Fool, The Cato Institute, Institute for Cultural Evolution, and Students for Liberty. His book, The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism, invites readers on the adventure of building Whole Foods Market: the colorful cast of idealists and foodies who formed the company’s DNA, the many breakthroughs and missteps, the camaraderie and the conflict, and the narrowly avoided disasters.

Why organisations work with Annabell Fuller A live competitor’s account of decision-making under public pressure, drawn from major championship cuts at Carnoustie and a top-three finish at a USD 5 million LET event, not retrospective reflection from a retired career. Specific, sport-grounded language for what self-leadership looks like in the seconds before a high-stakes call, useful for leaders briefing teams on composure rather than wellbeing. A credible voice on the gap between physical preparation and competitive output, drawn from CrossFit-led conditioning work integrated into a professional golf schedule. A generational perspective on performing in public view at twenty-three, relevant to organisations thinking about early-career talent expected to operate under scrutiny. Biography highlights Ladies European Tour professional since 2024; tied 5th at LET Q-School to earn her card. 3rd place at the PIF Saudi Ladies International 2025, a USD 5 million LET event. Made the cut at the 2021 AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie as one of only three amateurs that year. Three-time Curtis Cup player for Great Britain and Ireland (2018, 2021, 2022). Two-time European Ladies’ Team Championship gold medallist for England (2021, 2022). 2020 English Women’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Champion; University of Florida NCAA golfer 2020 to 2023. Biography A senior team will commit hundreds of hours of training to a decision that takes two seconds to execute in public. The question of what holds a performer together in that window is rarely treated as a discipline. Annabell Fuller has spent her career inside it. Fuller earned her Ladies European Tour card at Q-School in December 2023 with a tied-5th finish, then spent her rookie 2024 season learning to convert preparation into tour-level scoring. Her strongest result so far, third place at the PIF Saudi Ladies International in 2025, came at a USD 5 million LET event where the field included most of the tour’s established names. The amateur record behind her is the credential most useful to a board audience. She made the cut at the 2021 Women’s British Open at Carnoustie as one of only three amateurs, won the English Women’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 2020, and represented Great Britain and Ireland three times in the Curtis Cup. At the University of Florida she won the Florida Gator Invitational and reached the world’s top 25 in the amateur rankings. What sits underneath those results, and what she speaks about, is the conditioning behind composure: how a competitor builds a decision process that survives the moment a tournament tightens. The talks lean on CrossFit-integrated physical preparation, public accountability at twenty-three, and the specific discipline of recovering from a poor shot quickly enough to compete on the next one. Key speaking topics Composure and decision-making under public pressure Self-leadership in elite competition Physical preparation and performance conditioning Resilience after setback Team performance in individual sport Early-career performance under scrutiny Ideal for Sales leadership conferences focused on quota delivery under pressure Early-career and high-potential talent programmes inside large organisations Executive offsites built around composure and decision-making rather than strategy Employee networks and ERG events on women in performance environments Audience outcomes A working language for what composure under pressure actually involves, drawn from competition rather than coaching theory. A clearer picture of how physical conditioning links to mental performance in a demanding role. Specific examples of recovering from public setbacks fast enough to perform on the next attempt. A credible account of operating under public scrutiny at the start of a career.

Paul McGee: The SUMO Guy Paul McGee is one of Europe’s most sought‑after speakers on change, resilience, leadership and wellbeing. A former behavioural psychologist, he brings a rich 30+‑year career to his highly practical, engaging and humorous keynotes. Paul has delivered impactful messages to audiences across 40+ countries and over 1,000 organisations, consistently raising performance and wellbeing globally. A Visiting Professor at the University of Chester (appointed 2019), Paul has inspired more than 1,000 organisations across five continents—including international conferences and elite sports teams. His SUMO (Shut Up, Move On) philosophy, a Sunday Times bestseller, has helped many individuals and teams to overcome challenges, embrace change, and achieve lasting results. His book Self Confidence topped the WHSmith Business Book chart for 24 weeks, and his works have been translated into over 20 languages. Paul’s client list includes major names such as Harrods, Adidas, Virgin, GSK, Lloyds Bank, the NHS, and Manchester City FC. Known for his meticulous preparation, he crafts each keynote and workshop around the specific objectives of the client. His sessions consistently inspire and entertain while equipping audiences with practical, applied strategies for both personal and professional growth. Paul’s impact is widely recognised, with public endorsements from Sir Clive Woodward—Elite Performance Director of the British Olympic Association—and broadcaster Chris Evans, who described his work as “a gift to the world.” Whether delivering a 30‑minute keynote or a full‑day workshop, Paul guarantees a memorable experience that leaves audiences empowered and ready to thrive in the face of change. Why Book Paul McGee? Customises every keynote and workshop to meet the specific goals of your audience Blends psychological expertise with practical, real-world strategies that stick Delivers with humour, warmth, and energy—ensuring engagement from start to finish Trusted by global brands like Harrods, GSK, Virgin, Adidas, the NHS, and Manchester City FC Leaves audiences inspired, equipped, and ready to drive meaningful change

Meet Mc’Dole Chigborogu Born in August 1997, Mc’Dole’s early life in Italy was marked by significant challenges. At the age of 8, following his mother’s departure, he assumed familial responsibilities, cultivating resilience and self-reliance. These formative experiences ignited his passion for personal development and entrepreneurship. Inspired by mentors like Jim Rohn, Mc’Dole transitioned from a promising football career to the sales industry in the UK. His rapid ascent to becoming the youngest branch manager at one of the nation’s largest estate agencies underscores his leadership and dedication. In this role, he led high-performing teams and consistently surpassed sales targets, demonstrating his strategic acumen. As an entrepreneur, Mc’Dole co-founded Mane Might, a pioneering hair growth and wellness brand, showcasing his ability to identify market needs and deliver resonant solutions. His YouTube channel, amassing over 160,000 views, reflects his expertise in dating and mindset coaching, offering actionable insights to a global audience. Beyond business, Mc’Dole is a beacon for mental health and well-being. His compassionate approach has guided numerous clients from the depths of depression back to normalcy, including those who have been sectioned. His firsthand experience with high-stress corporate environments and the accompanying burnout equips him with a unique perspective, enabling him to offer strategies that foster mental resilience and well-being. Happily married, Mc’Dole embodies the principles he teaches. He guides individuals in navigating and excelling in the dating market through self-mastery and ambition, helping them build meaningful and lasting relationships. Mc’Dole’s holistic approach, combining personal experience with professional insight, addresses challenges in mindset, health, and relationships, offering comprehensive solutions. His storytelling, humor, and authenticity create a relatable and inspiring experience for his audience.

Meet Thomas Curran A distinguished professor of psychology at the London School of Economics, and author of the international bestseller The Perfection Trap (2023), Dr. Thomas Curran has garnered worldwide acclaim for his research into the rising tide of perfectionism and its implications for well-being and productivity. Focussing on evidence-based strategies and actionable insights, Tom also helps: organisations recognise the hidden costs of perfectionism and adopt strategies for sustainable success, and provides audiences with tools and methods to counter unrealistic standards, reduce burnout, and encourage creativity. Tom’s TED Talk on perfectionism has reached over three million viewers, and his work has been featured in leading publications such as The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and TIME.

About Kelly Mackin Kelly Mackin is a workplace well-being innovator, human behavior researcher, culture consultant, and the best-selling author of the book “Work Life Well-Lived.” She is the CEO of Motives Met, a platform that empowers people to create their best work life and workplace. Through her no-B.S. approach to well-being and groundbreaking research that challenges the status quo, she helps create thriving cultures where people can be well and perform well at work. Kelly’s journey from ill-being to well-being ignited her passion and dedication for helping people cultivate health and happiness in their lives. Her research shows only 16% of people are thriving at work, her mission is to change that. Her expertise spans mindfulness and meditations to fostering psychological safety, from meaningful team workshops to leadership coaching. As a researcher, she gains insights into significant parts of our lives like values, stress, and emotions to develop frameworks to better understand the world and ourselves to make positive change. When asked about her proudest moments, Kelly would tell you it was standing at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and at Mount Everest Base Camp. Hailing from sunny San Diego, California, you can often find her soaking up a sunset, playing beach volleyball, or sparring in the boxing ring.

Why organisations work with Kait Borsay A working broadcast journalist on national radio, not a former presenter. Her interview craft is rehearsed live four nights a week on Times Radio, in front of a politically literate audience. Built and sold a media property. She co-founded The Offside Rule, took it to acquisition by The New York Times in 2022, and understands the commercial side of content from the inside. Comfortable across registers, from Invictus Games and the Boat Race to corporate town halls for PWC, Cisco, Capital One and BNY Mellon. She does not have a single mode. Recognised credibility with senior commercial brands as a podcast host, including P&G and EY, where the brief is sustained editorial conversation rather than one-off stage presence. A reporter’s instinct for the awkward question. Her Times Radio editorial agenda covers Long Covid, care home residents’ rights, children’s mental health and neurodiversity in women, themes that demand a host who can hold difficult material without flinching. Biography highlights Presenter, The Evening Edition, Times Radio, Monday to Thursday Co-founder, The Offside Rule, part-acquired by The New York Times in 2022 Former Drivetime host on talkRADIO, presenting alongside Eamonn Holmes Television news experience at Sky News, Reuters and ITN Began career in sports journalism at Sky Sports Corporate hosting clients include PWC, Capital One, Cisco, BNY Mellon, P&G and EY Live event credits include the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race and the Invictus Games The Offside Rule named in the Guardian’s top five sport podcasts; Vogue’s best football podcast of 2018 Biography The Evening Edition on Times Radio runs four nights a week, covering politics, health, education and social affairs. Kait Borsay presents it. The discipline of live national radio, where every interview is unscripted and audience tolerance for filler is zero, shapes how she works on every other stage she steps onto. Her broadcast career started in sport at Sky Sports, and ran through Sky News, Reuters and ITN before her move into long-form audio. In 2012, she co-founded The Offside Rule, a female-fronted football podcast that took ten years to build and was part-acquired by The New York Times in 2022. It featured in the Guardian’s top five sport podcasts and Vogue’s best football podcast list. The corporate work sits alongside the journalism. She hosts and moderates for PWC, Capital One, Cisco and BNY Mellon, and has run brand podcasts for P&G and EY. Live event credits include the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race and the Invictus Games, formats where the host has to carry hours of unscripted broadcast in front of a live audience. What she brings to a corporate stage is the same discipline she applies to Times Radio. A reporter’s prep, a willingness to push past the corporate answer, and a calm register that holds a room when the agenda slips, when a speaker overruns, or when a sensitive subject lands in the middle of the programme. Key speaking topics Event hosting and conference moderation Panel chairing for senior leadership audiences Awards ceremony presenting Live event hosting for sport and broadcast formats Corporate podcast hosting and brand audio Interview-led fireside conversations Mental health, wellbeing and women’s health in editorial conversation Ideal for Corporate communications and events leads commissioning a flagship conference, town hall or AGM Brand and marketing teams are developing a corporate podcast series or long-form audio CHRO and internal communications functions are running sensitive all-staff conversations on health and wellbeing Sports rights holders and sponsors running live broadcasts or hospitality formats Audience outcomes A live event that runs to time and holds executive audience attention across long sessions Panel conversations that move beyond rehearsed answers, with interventions calibrated to the room Sensitive editorial content, mental health, women’s health, lived experience, handled with broadcast judgement A presenter that the audience associates with national-quality journalism rather than generic compering

Why organisations work with Lara Lewington Fourteen years inside BBC Click gives her a first-hand catalogue of which AI and health-tech claims held up and which collapsed, useful for boards trying to triage vendor pitches. Hacking Humanity (Penguin, 2025) is a structured, sourced argument on the technologies extending healthspan, not a survey article, so audiences leave with a thesis rather than a topic tour. Formal study in the Ethics of AI at the London School of Economics, layered onto her broadcast work, makes her a credible voice in governance and risk conversations, not only product showcases. She is regularly trusted to host the main stage at AI Summit London, Founders Forum, London Tech Week and the Royal Academy of Engineering, which means she moves comfortably between keynote and high-stakes moderation in the same event. Long-form access to the people building this technology, from Silicon Valley founders to NHS clinicians, lets her describe what is actually being deployed rather than what is being announced. Biography highlights Co-presenter of BBC Click, the corporation’s flagship technology programme, for seven years until the show ended in March 2025; reporter on the programme from 2011. Author of Hacking Humanity: How technology can save your health and your life (Penguin, WH Allen, July 2025). Fronted BBC Panorama’s “Beyond Human: Artificial Intelligence and Us” and BBC One documentary “Forever Young?” on biological age reversal. AI Agony Aunt on ITV’s Lorraine since 2023; recurring technology commentator on Good Morning Britain, Woman’s Hour and BBC Radio 5 Live. Studied Ethics of AI at the London School of Economics; Senior Fellow at the John Schofield Trust mentoring early-career journalists. Host and moderator at AI Summit London, Founders Forum Global, LEAP Tech Arena, London Tech Week and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Biography Most boardroom conversations about artificial intelligence and health technology run aground on the same problem. The pace of announcement outstrips the pace of verification. Lara Lewington has spent 14 years inside the programme that, more than any other in British broadcasting, exists to do that verification on the public’s behalf: BBC Click. She reported for the show from 2011, co-presented from 2018 with Spencer Kelly, and stayed until the programme ended in March 2025. Hacking Humanity (Penguin, July 2025) takes the same instinct into book form. It examines the AI, gene editing and robotics now reshaping medicine, with a clear thesis: the meaningful prize is healthspan, the years lived in good health, not raw lifespan. Endorsed by Lorraine Kelly, Davina McCall and Dr Amir Khan, it draws on access from Silicon Valley founders to NHS clinicians, and frames where the science is real, where it is premature, and where the ethical exposure sits. The AI ethics work is anchored by formal study at the London School of Economics and a steady stream of fronted documentaries: Panorama’s “Beyond Human: Artificial Intelligence and Us”, BBC One’s “Forever Young?”, ITV’s “Tonight: Healthy Ageing”, and BBC Radio 4’s “A Documentary: By ChatGPT”. She is the AI Agony Aunt on ITV’s Lorraine, a regular voice on Good Morning Britain and Woman’s Hour, and a Senior Fellow at the John Schofield Trust. Event organisers book her for two distinct jobs. She delivers keynotes on AI ethics, the human impact of automation and the healthspan revolution. She also hosts and moderates the main stage at AI Summit London, Founders Forum Global, LEAP Tech Arena, London Tech Week and the Royal Academy of Engineering, where the brief is to interview a chief executive or scientist and keep the conversation honest in real time. Key speaking topics Artificial intelligence and its human impact AI ethics and responsible deployment Health technology and the healthspan economy Longevity science and biological age Wearables, diagnostics and consumer health data The role of robotics in care and clinical settings Technology hype versus evidence Ideal for Boards and executive teams setting AI policy and digital health strategy CHROs, chief medical officers and benefits leaders shaping workforce health programmes Health, life sciences and pharma leadership audiences tracking the AI inflection in their sector Conference organisers needing a credible host or moderator for AI, health-tech and innovation main-stage sessions Audience outcomes A clear read on which AI and health-tech claims are evidence-backed and which are still vendor narrative A working vocabulary for healthspan, longevity science and the technologies driving them Sharper questions to put to internal teams and external suppliers on AI ethics and data governance A grounded view of how rapidly diagnostic and preventive technology is moving from research into mainstream use

Why organisations work with Ivelyse Andino She runs a revenue-generating company built inside the communities most health strategies talk about but rarely reach, so her recommendations are tested against real outcomes, not theory. She holds a seat on the American Medical Association’s External Equity and Innovation Advisory Group, which gives her a direct read on how the largest US physician body is attempting to embed equity into clinical innovation. She has built and commercialised an AI product, Radical Relay, that prepares patients for clinical visits, so she can speak credibly to boards about the operational gap between AI hype and AI that earns community trust. She has translated health equity from slogan to structure by founding the first Latina-owned-and-operated Benefit Corporation in New York City, offering a concrete model for mission-aligned commercial design. Her fellowships with the Roddenberry Foundation and the Aspen Institute, alongside Crain’s Whole Health Heroes recognition, signal that her perspective is taken seriously by institutional and philanthropic funders shaping the next decade of health policy. Biography highlights Founder and CEO, Radical Health, the first Latina-owned-and-operated Benefit Corporation in New York City. Member, American Medical Association Center for Health Equity External Equity and Innovation Advisory Group. 2022 Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellow and 2019 Roddenberry Foundation Fellow. Former Commissioner, New York City Commission on Gender Equity. Recognised in Crain’s New York and Empire BlueCross BlueShield Whole Health Heroes, and reported on Rock Health’s Top 50 in Digital Health Luminaries. Featured in Washington Post, Forbes, Nasdaq and Crain’s New York; speaking credits include Aspen Ideas Festival, Harvard Intercollegiate Business Convention, and TEDx Bronx. Biography Health equity is one of the most heavily cited commitments in corporate and clinical strategy, and one of the least operationalised. Radical Health was built to close that gap from the bottom up. The company, founded and led by Ivelyse Andino, combines kitchen-table community organising with AI-enabled tools that help patients walk into clinical visits prepared, informed and able to advocate for themselves. Andino came to this work through the health technology industry, not around it. She spent her early career launching digital health products, including a mobile prescribing platform, and working with clients such as NHS London and Kaiser Permanente. When her mother was diagnosed with cancer, the limits of that system became personal, and the distance between clinical knowledge and community access became the problem she decided to solve. Radical Health is a Benefit Corporation, legally structured to hold commercial performance and community outcomes together. Its flagship product, Radical Relay, has been described as a “know your rights” app for healthcare, using peer-informed prompts and natural language tools to reduce the information asymmetry patients face in clinical settings. That product design sits alongside workshops and training that surface the social determinants of health inside workforces and provider networks. Her institutional standing reinforces the field work. She serves on the American Medical Association’s External Equity and Innovation Advisory Group, helping shape how the largest US physician body directs investment toward equitable innovation. She is a 2022 Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellow, a 2019 Roddenberry Foundation Fellow, a former Commissioner on the New York City Commission on Gender Equity, and a recipient of the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper grant for work on social determinants of health in NYC Community Schools. Key speaking topics Health equity as an operating discipline Community-led design in healthcare and employer wellbeing AI and digital health products that earn community trust Benefit Corporation models for mission-aligned growth Social determinants of health inside workforces and benefits design Women, Latina and founder-of-colour perspectives on health innovation Patient self-advocacy and health literacy at scale Ideal for CHROs and heads of benefits rebuilding employee health, wellbeing and maternal health programmes around underserved populations. Healthcare, payer and life sciences executives who need a credible outside voice on equitable AI deployment and community trust. DEI, ESG and impact leads accountable for measurable outcomes in health-related commitments. Foundation, public health and policy audiences working on health system reform and social determinants of health. Audience outcomes A clear view of where current health equity and wellbeing strategies are failing the people they claim to serve, and why. A working model for how a commercial organisation can hold mission and margin together through benefit-corp structure and community governance. A grounded assessment of how AI is being used in health settings today, which uses build trust and which erode it. Language and frameworks that CHROs, benefits leaders and clinical teams can use to reset conversations with marginalised employee and patient populations. Named examples from Radical Health, the AMA advisory work, and NYC community programmes that leaders can adapt for their own context.

Why organisations work with Maria Conceicao A first-person account of running a registered charity in Bangladesh for twenty years while financing it through endurance feats few professional athletes attempt. A specific lens on resilience as a long horizon discipline, drawn from summiting Everest and K2, completing the Explorers Grand Slam, and running ultramarathons across seven continents. Concrete material on starting with nothing: from working as a cleaner in Portugal to building an education programme that has served more than 600 children in Dhaka’s slums. A voice that lands with mixed corporate audiences, with keynote appearances at Harvard Alumni events, Mindvalley, and the John C. Maxwell annual event. A founder’s perspective on social impact that is operational, not aspirational. The Maria Cristina Foundation is registered in three jurisdictions and supports active enrolment in Dhaka schools. Biography highlights First Portuguese woman to summit Mount Everest (2013) and K2 (2024). First Portuguese person and 17th woman globally to complete the Explorers Grand Slam (2024). Ten Guinness World Records across ultramarathon, Ironman and endurance disciplines (2014 to 2023). Founder of the Maria Cristina Foundation, established 2005, registered in the UK, USA and Portugal. Author of A Woman on Top of the World (2022), Butterfly Stories Vol 1 and 2 (2023), Altered Path (2023) and The World Needs Superheroes (2024). Keynote speaker for Harvard Alumni events, Mindvalley summits and the John C. Maxwell annual event. Biography A routine layover in Dhaka in the early 2000s set the trajectory. Maria Conceicao was working as an Emirates flight attendant when she walked into the slums of Bangladesh. Within months she had sold her belongings, cancelled a planned trip and returned to set up a school. The Maria Cristina Foundation followed in 2005 and has supported more than 600 children since. Funding a registered charity from a flight attendant’s salary was never going to scale, so the endurance work began. She had no athletic background. She learned to climb, run and swim well enough to set ten Guinness World Records, summit Everest and K2, ski to both poles, and complete the Explorers Grand Slam as the first Portuguese person and the seventeenth woman in the world to finish it. The commercial proposition for corporate audiences is the discipline underneath those numbers. Twenty years of running a foundation in Dhaka through every cycle of regional disruption. Ten records earned without sponsorship infrastructure most professional athletes rely on. Four published books, all written while training and fundraising. Keynote appearances at Harvard Alumni events, Mindvalley and the John C. Maxwell annual event. Her early life is part of the credibility, not a footnote. She lost her adoptive mother Cristina at nine, worked as a cleaner in Portugal as a young woman, and built every credential from there. The foundation is named for Cristina. Key speaking topics Resilience under sustained pressure Self-leadership and composure Purpose-driven leadership Humanitarian entrepreneurship Endurance and goal setting Founder-led social impact Ideal for CHROs and people leaders rebuilding engagement after periods of fatigue or restructure Senior leadership offsites focused on resilience and self-leadership Conferences for purpose-led organisations, foundations and ESG functions Female leadership networks and emerging leader programmes Audience outcomes A first-hand account of decision-making at altitude, where margins are physiological and consequences are immediate. A working definition of resilience as a twenty-year practice, not a coping technique. Specific examples of operating a registered charity across three jurisdictions while funding it through personal endurance challenges. A reframing of what is possible from a starting point of no resources, no network and no formal training.