After Dinner Speakers
Business Leader
In this compelling session, Hamish Taylor introduces his signature concept of the "Customer Promise"—a powerful reframe that shifts organisational focus from internal expertise to external benefit. Drawing from leadership roles across British Airways, Eurostar, and Sainsbury’s Bank, he shares how redefining success through the lens of customer value creates alignment, clarity, and innovation across every department.
By rethinking how we understand our customers—using tools like “soft insights,” “the customer’s customer,” and the “blank sheet” method—Hamish demonstrates how leaders can unlock real transformation. It’s a simple, actionable model with wide-reaching impact.
Masterthief: Lessons in Driving Innovation and Change by “Stealing” Ideas From Outside
Innovation rarely happens by staying in your own lane. In this energising keynote, Hamish Taylor makes the case for becoming a “masterthief”—borrowing bold ideas from outside your industry and applying them to your biggest challenges. From Disney to yacht designers, rugby referees to tech disruptors, he shares surprising examples of cross-sector inspiration in action.
Hamish shows how starting with the customer promise can open the door to new thinking, new products, and new ways of working. This is innovation at its smartest: relevant, fast, and radically different.
Playing Reverse Football: Lessons in Making Sure You Take the Organisation With You!
Change is easy to plan but hard to deliver—unless your people are truly on board. In this talk, Hamish Taylor explores how to engage teams at every level through simple, purpose-driven leadership. By starting with a clear and compelling customer promise, organisations can create the alignment and motivation needed to turn ambition into action.
From “ruthless simplicity” to “make it easy” models, Hamish equips leaders with practical tools to inspire ownership, drive innovation, and unlock the full potential of their teams. This is people-first transformation with real results.
