About Services Profiles Press Contact

René Carayol

Leadership & Inclusion Keynote Speaker, Advisor, Author & Commentator

London, UK

René Carayol

Gerry Cardinale

RedBird Capital Partners

René’s Biography

View moreless

René Carayol MBE is one of the world’s leading executive coaches.

A passionate and inspiring speaker, René Carayol is an expert on leadership, culture, and transformation. He has advised world leaders including Tony Blair and Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as some of the most powerful CEOs in the world. His current work has a strong focus on diversity and inclusion.

A question that René is often asked is: “are leaders born, or are leaders made?”. In his experience, the answer is neither; leaders are found. The best indicator of tomorrow’s leaders is who can influence and persuade without authority. René has had the privilege of ‘finding’ many leaders over the years.

René was given some advice early in his career: that he would benefit from having a Black male mentor who had served on boards and been a chairman, but at that time none of those existed in the UK.

On joining the board of Pepsi in 1992, he became their first Black Board Director. And again, on joining the board of IPC magazine in 1995. In 2001 he was appointed to the Board of the Inland Revenue as it merged with Customs... René Carayol MBE is one of the world’s leading executive coaches.

A passionate and inspiring speaker, René Carayol is an expert on leadership, culture, and transformation. He has advised world leaders including Tony Blair and Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as some of the most powerful CEOs in the world. His current work has a strong focus on diversity and inclusion.

A question that René is often asked is: “are leaders born, or are leaders made?”. In his experience, the answer is neither; leaders are found. The best indicator of tomorrow’s leaders is who can influence and persuade without authority. René has had the privilege of ‘finding’ many leaders over the years.

René was given some advice early in his career: that he would benefit from having a Black male mentor who had served on boards and been a chairman, but at that time none of those existed in the UK.

On joining the board of Pepsi in 1992, he became their first Black Board Director. And again, on joining the board of IPC magazine in 1995. In 2001 he was appointed to the Board of the Inland Revenue as it merged with Customs and Excise to become HMRC.

At that time, there were no diversity or inclusion programmes, but René found it exhilarating to be in a ground-breaking and pioneering role. It was where he first met the burden of being a role model, which energised him to be the best that he could be.

René is a co-author of the bestselling books Corporate Voodoo and My Voodoo. His most recent book, SPIKE, focuses on identifying the things that we excel at to build self-esteem and confidence.

The range of René’s experience and audience is vast. He is a regular guest of BBC Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live, ITV, Sky, Channel 4 and BBC TV as a business commentator. He is a regular contributor to various publications and broadsheets on the subjects of leadership and business transformation.

In 2004 René was awarded an MBE for his outstanding contribution to the business community. moreless

René’s Newsfeed

René Receives Honorary Doctorate

The University of Roehampton has recognised René Carayol with an Honorary Doctorate. As part of Roehampton University’s Business School Advisory Board, René devotes his time and resources to inspire the university’s students and management.

The Times

Diversity is not a project: it is permanent cultural change

René Carayol, a leading executive coach, writes about inclusion and leadership in The Times.

View News Archive

René’s Background

René Carayol

Global Leadership Keynote Speaker & Chief Executive

Mar 2000 - Present

London, UK

René is a top executive and leadership coach; inclusion and BLM keynote speaker; advisor to CEOs and heads of state, as well as a bestselling author and commentator. His work focuses on diversity and inclusion, allyship and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Medallia

Executive Vice President of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

May 2021 - Present

Medallia is an employee and customer experience management company headquartered in California with offices worldwide including in London, Munich, Paris and New York. Medallia’s supplies its software to retail, hospitality, financial services and business-to-business companies around the globe.

Inspired Leaders Network

Founder & Chief Executive

Mar 2006 - Present

London, UK

Inspired Leadership Network is a conference and events company that focuses on leadership. The network runs across the UK and Africa with a growing presence in emerging markets.

Leadership Magazine

Columnist

2015 - 2018

Leadership Magazine is a South African publication that features interviews and insights from across the continent.

Director Magazine

Columnist

2010 - 2012

London, UK

Director Magazine is a publication for business leaders, each issue full of insightful interviews with company directors and entrepreneurs.

The Observer

Columnist

2004 - 2006

London, UK

First published in 1791, The Observer is a British newspaper, and the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. It is the sister publication of The Guardian, and The Guardian Weekly.

Time Inc. UK

Managing Director

1999 - 2000

London, UK

Time Inc. UK is owned by Future plc and was previously known as IPC Media. The publishing company has a rich history of delivering quality content through its well-known magazines including Horse & Hound, Country Life, Marie Claire, Wallpaper, NME, Ideal Home, Woman & Home, TV Times, Woman’s Weekly and Decanter.

PepsiCo

Systems Director

1992 - 1995

London, UK

PepsiCo is a multinational food, snack and beverage organisation that oversees the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of their products. The company is headquartered in New York and was established in 1965 after a merger between Pepsi-Cola Company and Frito-Lay, Inc.

Marks & Spencer

Senior IT Manager

1983 - 1992

London, UK

Marks & Spencer is a leading UK retailer that sells food, clothing, home products and offers financial services.

View allHide

René’s Gallery

Rene Carayol being interviewed in the street by the press.

Rene Carayol speaking at a conference.

Rene Carayol receiving his MBE from Her Majesty The Queen.

Rene Carayol signing his book SPIKED.

Rene Carayol receiving his Honorary Doctorate from Roehampton University.

Other Business Interests

Black Executives

Founder

London, UK

Black Executives is a membership organisation that offers members a host of benefits designed to accelerate their careers, including media training, mentoring, networking events and digital reputation management.

ITV plc

Inclusion Expert - 'The week that shook the Royals'

Mar 2021 - Mar 2021

London, UK

René acted as an Inclusion Expert, dealing with the fallout from the controversial Oprah interview featuring Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.

View allHide

Previous Board Positions

Marks & Spencer

Board Member

London, UK

PepsiCo

Board Member

1992 - 1995

London, UK

View allHide

Previous Advisory Roles

International Monetary Fund

Advisor and Leadership Support

Washington, DC, USA

Formed in 1945, the International Money Fund is located in Washington D.C. and is an international financial institution. Comprising of 190 countries, the body collaborate on matters including financial stability, global money cooperation, international trade and sustainable economic growth.

African Development Bank

Advisor and Leadership Support to the President

Abidjan, CI

Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is a multilateral development finance institution. Comprising of three entities: the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund and the Nigeria Trust Fund; its mission is to fight poverty and improve living conditions on the continent.

UK Prime Minister's Strategy Unit

Advisor & Leadership Support

London, UK

The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit was formed by Tony Blair and operated within the UK Cabinet Office between 2002 and 2010. The unit was established to support the UK Prime Minister with strategic advice on policy and key priorities.

United Nations

Advisor & Leadership Support

New York, NY, USA

The United Nations is an international organisation established to maintain peace, security and good relations between nations. It was formed in 1945 after the Second World War and strives to improve living standards, encourage social progress and protect human rights.

World Bank

Advisor & Leadership Support to the President

Washington, DC, USA

The World Bank is an international financial institution that aims to reduce poverty around the world by providing grants and loans to economically developing or underdeveloped nations.

View allHide

Philanthropy

Cardinal Hinsley School (now Newman Catholic College)

Governor

2002 - 2004

London, UK

Media

Lead or be led with René Carayol

Podcast series

Oct 2021

In his podcast series ‘Lead or be led’ René Carayol draws from his own experiences, and encourages listeners to realise their true potential with his strengths-based leadership approach.

Reset, the Podcast: René Carayol MBE

Interviewee

May 2021

In this podcast René talks passionately about his experience of race, prejudice and his own journey in having to deal with them.

Publications

Management Today

Columnist

London, UK

René writes a monthly column for Management Today. Click on the Management Today logo to access all of his articles.

SPIKE: What Are You Great At?

Author

Jun 2017

London, UK

SPIKE is an acronym for Strengths Positively Identified Kick-start Excellence. In his book ‘SPIKE: What Are You Great At?’ René explores the idea that everyone has something great to offer, a skill or strength that they can capitalise on. In the world of SPIKE there are no losers.

View allHide

Awards & Endorsements

University of Roehampton

Honorary Doctorate

Sep 2021

London, UK

New Year Honours

Member of the Order of the British Empire

Jan 2004

London, UK

René was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his outstanding contribution to the business community in Her Majesty The Queen's New Year Honours List 2004.

Academic Appointments

Hult International Business School

Visiting Professor

2013 - 2016

Henley Business School

Visiting Lecturer

2005 - 2007

View allHide

Speaking Engagements

The Marketing Academy

Keynote Speaker

Mar 2015

Sydney, AU

René Carayol, UK business guru and media personality, spoke on Leadership and Organisational Cultural to The Marketing Academy’s Australia Leaders' Programme and leading industry professionals

InnoTown Conference

Keynote Speaker

Aug 2019

Alesund, NO

René talks about leadership at the InnoTown Conference, where he elaborates on principles from his book ‘SPIKE: What Are You Great At’. He shares the idea that everyone is or can be a leader and that everyone has a skill or strength to share with the world.

René’s Education

London School of Economics

Politics and Sociology

1978 - 1981