Matt Bishop

Matt Bishop is a highly respected communications strategist with unparalleled expertise in Formula 1, motorsport media and reputation management. As former Chief Communications Officer for McLaren and Aston Martin F1 teams, he transformed public perceptions during critical moments, working alongside World Champions Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. A founder ambassador of Racing Pride and published author, Matt combines decades of editorial leadership with hands-on crisis communications experience. His sessions equip leaders and communications professionals with practical strategies to navigate high-pressure situations, build authentic brand narratives and champion diversity within competitive industries.

When Matt Bishop arranged for four-times Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel to appear on BBC's Question Time in 2021, he achieved something unprecedented: the first time a Formula 1 driver had been invited onto the political debating programme to discuss environmental sustainability and climate change. That moment exemplified the strategic communications vision Matt has applied throughout a career spanning editorial leadership, crisis management, and reputation transformation across some of motorsport's most prestigious organisations. From navigating McLaren through turbulent periods to launching Aston Martin's return to Formula 1, his work has consistently redefined how the sport engages with media, champions diversity, and addresses contemporary social issues.

Matt's credentials combine deep journalistic expertise with high-stakes operational experience. As Editorial Director of Haymarket Motorsport Publications, he led editorial strategy across titles including F1 Racing, then the world's largest selling Formula 1 magazine. In 2008, he joined McLaren Racing as Chief Communications Officer, where he spent nine years transforming the team's public profile whilst working alongside World Champions Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. His ability to manage complex narratives during challenging moments earned him recognition as one of the sport's most influential communications professionals. Matt later served as Communications Director for W Series, overseeing the global launch of the groundbreaking all-female racing championship in 2018, before joining Aston Martin as Chief Communications Officer to lead the British brand's Formula 1 return. His published work includes co-authoring double World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi's autobiography and his own novel exploring LGBTQ+ themes. In 2023, he founded Diagonal Communications, providing strategic counsel to high-profile clients across automotive and motorsport sectors.

Audiences gain immediately applicable frameworks for navigating high-pressure communications challenges, building authentic narratives under scrutiny, and leading cultural change within competitive environments. Matt equips leaders and communications professionals with practical strategies drawn from real-world crisis situations, media transformations, and reputation management at the highest levels of global sport. His sessions explore how organisations can champion diversity and inclusion whilst maintaining commercial credibility, offering tangible tools for managing stakeholder relationships during periods of uncertainty or transition. Whether addressing reputation risk, media strategy, or organisational culture, Matt delivers insight that translates directly into confident decision-making and measurable impact. As a founder ambassador of Racing Pride, established with Stonewall to promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity within motorsport, he demonstrates how purposeful communications can drive meaningful industry-wide change whilst strengthening brand positioning and stakeholder trust.