Matthew Syed

Matthew Syed is a best-selling author, broadcaster and high performance expert who helps organisations and individuals unlock potential through mindset, diversity of thought and continuous improvement.

Matthew Syed is a leading thinker in the field of high performance and mindset. As a best-selling author, award-winning journalist and in-demand speaker, he helps organisations think differently, build stronger teams and create cultures that embrace challenge, innovation and change.

Matthew has written seven best-selling books that explore performance through the lens of psychology, data and human behaviour. Titles such as Bounce, Black Box Thinking and Rebel Ideas have become essential reading for those looking to understand how people and organisations can unlock potential and adapt to a fast-moving world. His children’s books – You Are Awesome, Dare To Be You and What Do You Think? – introduce these ideas to younger audiences, with a focus on confidence, resilience and curiosity.

His most recent book, Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking, explores how cognitive diversity – the ability to draw on different perspectives and experiences – is crucial to problem-solving and success. Through fascinating case studies and real-world examples, he shows how diverse teams outperform even the most talented individuals when it comes to complex challenges.

Matthew’s background in elite sport – he was England’s number one table tennis player for almost a decade – gives him a unique insight into what drives individual excellence. Combined with his career in journalism, where he writes regularly for The Times and The Sunday Times, he brings a rare combination of lived experience and thoughtful analysis to his work. He also presents Sideways on BBC Radio 4, a series now in its sixth season, exploring the ideas that shape how we think and live.

Beyond writing and broadcasting, Matthew is the co-founder of Matthew Syed Consulting (MSC), which works with global organisations across business, education and the public sector. Through thought leadership, advisory work and digital learning tools, MSC helps clients embed a growth mindset and build cultures of continuous improvement. Their work is designed not just to inspire but to create meaningful and lasting change.

Matthew is also committed to improving opportunities for young people. He is a founding trustee of Greenhouse Sports, a charity using sport to help young people realise their potential, and an ambassador for the PiXL Educational Foundation, which supports schools across the UK.

Whether speaking to business leaders, educators or young people, Matthew brings clarity, insight and energy to the stage. He helps audiences reframe how they think about success, failure and progress – showing that with the right mindset, real change is possible.