Simon Sinek (US)

Simon is the bestselling author of Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, where he examines key insights and patterns in the most successful leaders and businesses. His other bestselling books include, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better and Find Your Way.

Start With Why elaborates on the need for businesses to assess not only what they do and how they do it but also, importantly, why they do it. Asking ‘why’ creates the ability to inspire, which in turn has a greater impact on society. His other book Leaders Eat Last looks at the need for empathy in leadership. He argues that strong leadership involves cultivating an environment of trust, support, empathy and cooperation, which in turn will lead to greater innovation and productivity.

Simon is credited with discovering the Golden Circle, a recurring pattern within the structures of the most influential businesses. It provides insight into why and how some organisations become influential, and reveals how good marketing strategies stem from inspiration as opposed to manipulation. Simon is also known for The Millennial Question, which exposes the underlying factors that have created an entitled millennial workforce and reveals how to manage it.

As well as working at the global policy think-tank RAND Corporation, Simon advises corporations and governments on innovative leadership and communication models including Microsoft, MARS, SAP, Intel, 3M, the United States Military and members of the United States Congress. He has also written for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CMO Magazine and BusinessWeek and is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post.