Naomi Sesay.
Naomi Sesay is the former Head of Creative Diversity at Channel 4.
Throughout her 25-year career in media, Naomi has served as a powerful advocate for diversity and inclusion, and become a trailblazer in social enterprise. Prior to her role at Channel 4, where she was responsible for developing and delivering diversity initiatives and ensuring commissioning reflected the UK’s culturally and ethnically diverse community, Naomi was Head of Innovation and Diversity for Media Trust, utilising the skillset of the creative industry to help charities, young people and under represented communities develop a stronger voice in the media.
She recently embarked on her biggest social enterprise to date, developing the first smart sustainable female-centric city in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Naomi has attracted and invited many organisations to join her in this opportunity to create an equitable, regenerative, and eco-first-city, as a prototype of how we could live and work collectively and sustainably in future.
keynote speeches.
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In 2020 Naomi founded Matamp City on ancestral land in Sierra Leone. She has gathered a team of architects, scientists, environmentalists, investors and government officials, and the first phase of the city is set to be opened to the public next year. Matamp is a smart city rooted in ancestral wisdom, solar technology, regenerative economics, and ethical AI.
Drawing on her background in media, development strategy, DEI, and systemic transformation, Naomi makes the case that future cities must go beyond sustainability and become coherent ecosystems, fusing high technology with ancient intelligence, and urban design with critical human upgrades. In doing so, she shows how Africa is positioned to be the author of these new social, technological, and economic systems needed for global human flourishing.
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Creating a truly diverse workforce in this day and age is paramount. But we struggle to swiftly make that change which is so desperately sought. Perhaps, now is the time to think of a smarter way. This thought provoking and inspirational keynote examines how the information we currently possess lock us into an unconscious holding pattern which can result in unfortunate situations and faux pas. By taking a close look at our emotional and cultural intelligence, Naomi demystifies the sticking point of change, interactively shows examples of palatable connection and moves us into a new place of diverse thought and action.
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Is it possible to consciously push the dial of change toward diverse and inclusive leadership? Well, only if we understand specifically which dial we are pushing. This interactive talk reveals powerful tools leaders in the D&I space will need to adapt in order to make their teams and organisations effective and agile with precision. We will examine the nuances of diversity, how thought leadership is essential for future leaders, and how to activate the cutting edge science discoveries of how we connect, resonate and powerfully lead a diverse cohort.
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An urgent wake up call. In a rapidly evolving world, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are no longer just buzzwords, they are essential to building high performing, dynamic teams. But what happens when artificial intelligence enters the scene, automating the creation of the “perfect” team, designed specifically for profit and growth? Would you trust a machine to get it right? Naomi Sesay delves into this exhilarating yet daunting future of work; a landscape brimming with potential but fraught with the peril of unintended consequences. As technology races ahead, the impact on our culture, wellbeing, and livelihoods is inevitable, raising the stakes for how we navigate this transformation. The time to upgrade ourselves is now. This keynote is fundamentally a powerful call to action. Naomi challenges leaders and organisations to confront the future with courage, embracing a transparent world where data driven insights spark inclusive, groundbreaking innovations. It’s time to decide: Will you shape the future, or let it shape you?
videos.
Speaking Highlight
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in the news.
frequently asked questions.
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Naomi Sesay’s work focuses on diversity, inclusion, leadership, and cultural intelligence, with particular attention to how change actually happens inside organisations. Drawing on her career across media, social enterprise, and senior diversity leadership, she explores unconscious patterns, emotional intelligence, and the practical behaviours that move organisations from intent to action.
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She is typically engaged for keynote speeches at conferences, leadership events, and organisational programmes. Her keynote speeches are highly engaging and often interactive, combining insight, storytelling, and audience participation to challenge assumptions and shift thinking.
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Yes. Beyond keynote speeches, Naomi contributes to panel discussions, fireside chats and is also an experienced presenter and facilitator. These formats allow for deeper exploration of inclusive leadership, organisational culture, and the human dynamics that shape change.
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Her work is particularly relevant to organisations seeking to build genuinely inclusive cultures and more effective leadership. She is especially valuable where organisations are struggling to translate diversity and inclusion strategy into meaningful, sustained behaviour change.
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She most commonly engages with senior leaders, leadership teams, people professionals, and mixed employee audiences across corporate, public-sector, and creative industries. Her work resonates strongly with organisations operating in diverse, fast changing environments.
Audiences include CEOs, senior leaders, leadership teams, HR professionals, people leaders, managers, and employee audiences. -
Her approach is energetic, thought provoking, and emotionally intelligent. She combines warmth with challenge, creating space for honest reflection while encouraging audiences to engage with complexity rather than seek simple answers.
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Naomi adapts her content to reflect the audience’s sector, maturity, and objectives. She adjusts emphasis between leadership behaviour, cultural intelligence, storytelling, or emerging technologies, ensuring her insights remain relevant and impactful across contexts.
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Yes. The themes she addresses around inclusion, leadership, and human connection translate effectively across cultures and international contexts. Her work is particularly relevant for global organisations navigating complexity and rapid change.
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Pricing for Naomi is influenced by factors such as event location, format, and time commitment. Speaking Office ensures fee consistency across all enquiries, whether via speaker bureaus or direct clients, so that pricing remains aligned and non-competitive across channels. Accurate and up-to-date pricing can be provided once event details are shared, ensuring alignment with both the client’s requirements and Naomi’s long-term positioning.
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Speaking Office aims to respond promptly to all enquiries regarding Naomi typically within one business day. Response times may vary slightly depending on event complexity and time zone, but all enquiries are handled with care and attention.
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Naomi is available for virtual and hybrid events, as well as in-person engagements, depending on availability and event requirements. Speaking Office can advise on the most appropriate format based on audience, objectives, and technical considerations.
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Advance booking is recommended for Naomi, particularly for peak periods and international events. While shorter lead times can be accommodated, early enquiry allows for greater flexibility and planning.
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Speaking Office exclusively represents Naomi for speaking engagements and live events work. Details regarding availability, fees and general enquiries are managed by his speaker manager Andrew Hickman via the contact information on this page.
How do I book Naomi for a speech?
Speaking Office exclusively represents Naomi Sesay for speaking engagements.
To discuss arrangements, please contact Speaking Office: