Rene Carayol

René Carayol MBE is one of the world's leading executive coaches and leadership authorities, specialising in emotional intelligence, authentic leadership, and organisational transformation. A former managing director at IPC Magazines and board member at Pepsi, IPC Media, and the Inland Revenue, he has coached influential leaders including Jim Yong Kim at The World Bank, Antony Jenkins at Barclays, and Mario Greco at Generali. His critically acclaimed book, Spike: What are you great at?, and his role as visiting professor at Cass Business School underpin his reputation for combining academic rigour with frontline insight. René's keynote sessions equip leaders with immediately actionable tools to inspire their teams, navigate complexity, and lead with clarity and impact that transforms performance.

After decades leading at the highest levels of business, René Carayol MBE shifted his focus to solving a problem most organisations fail to address: chief executives are handed the most demanding role in business with no manual, no training, and often no handover. Drawing from his own career as managing director at IPC Magazines and his service on boards including Pepsi, IPC Media, and the Inland Revenue, René recognised the isolation and pressure that define executive leadership. Today, he coaches CEOs and their teams to navigate transformation, build high-performing cultures, and lead with emotional intelligence under intense scrutiny. His work extends beyond the boardroom into major regeneration and infrastructure initiatives, where he advises on projects including Earls Court Phase 1 and the London Cancer Hub, demonstrating how leadership principles apply across sectors and scale.

René has built an exceptional reputation coaching some of the most influential leaders across Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 organisations. He has worked closely with Jim Yong Kim, President of The World Bank, Antony Jenkins, CEO of Barclays Bank, Mario Greco, CEO of Generali, and Maria Ramos, CEO of Absa Bank, delivering tailored support that reflects the unique fingerprint of each leader. His approach is never formulaic: it is grounded in real-world insight, shaped by frontline case studies, and informed by years of sustained success at the sharp end of executive leadership. As a visiting professor at Cass Business School, René combines academic rigour with practical wisdom, and his critically acclaimed book, Spike: What are you great at?, challenges leaders to identify and leverage their inherent strengths. His philosophy is simple yet transformative: if you accept your limitations, you go beyond them. His advisory work on London's most ambitious regeneration programmes underscores his ability to translate leadership thinking into tangible outcomes across complex, high-stakes environments.

René's speaking engagements are unforgettable experiences that blend powerful storytelling with actionable leadership insights. Recognised among the best leadership keynote speakers for 2026, he shows audiences how contemporary leaders can inspire their people through authentic emotional connection and practical behaviours that drive real change. His sessions are never theoretical: they are filled with compelling anecdotes, emotional intelligence in action, and tools that leaders can apply immediately to electrify their teams and achieve what others thought impossible. Audiences leave not just informed, but moved, equipped, and ready to lead differently. René delivers lasting impact that transforms how leaders connect, inspire, and perform.