Hamish Taylor

BUSINESS LEADER

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Hamish Taylor's Biography

With a CV that the Times described as “takes some beating”, Hamish Taylor is an award winning CEO whose career has taken him from International consumer goods giant Procter and Gamble, consultancy firm Price Waterhouse and British Airways to become CEO of the channel tunnel railway Eurostar, and then CEO of Sainsbury’s Bank ... all before he was 40! In all cases, he left behind a record of significant business growth triggered by a willingness to challenge the normal way of doing things – so much so that his advice and assistance is now sought by organisations all over the world in many different industries. Hamish’s energetic, thought provoking and humorous keynotes are based on a rare combination of real stories and a fantastic ability to inspire audiences with tailored advice and practical tools. Regularly featured in broadcast media, today Hamish acts as an advisor to some of the world’s largest companies (and even Governments) assisting with specific innovation projects, customer focus and/or people leadership. As the self appointed “chief dumbing down officer” in each of his roles, his approach is simple - but highly effective in delivering breakthroughs. The first thing that has to change is the way you look at your customers (both internal and external) If you look at your customers the same way, you will get the same answers and keep doing the same things. Secondly, you need to use your customer insights to create a new leadership tool – a simple “customer promise” as a platform for ALL future activity that puts customer benefit at the heart. Your customer doesn’t care about what you do, but about how they benefit as a result of what you do – so use this as your key purpose. Thirdly, you must look to other environments and industries if you want breakthrough ideas for product, service, process, leadership and much more. The Inspired Leaders Network dubbed him the “Master thief” due to his track record in this area. Concentrate you major energy on changing the way you engage with the team that will deliver the customer promise. Hamish’s keynotes will demonstrate the major breakthroughs that can be achieved by changing your approach. Three keynote topics are illustrated below, however Hamish’s message can be tailored to a variety of topics and levels within an organisation. 1) The Customer Promise:- Lessons in putting the customer at the heart of all activities within your organisation (or department) Changing the way you understand your customers (both internal and external) brings new insights that enable you create a Customer Promise - a change in the definition of the business (or individual role) to a statement of customer benefit (rather than a description of your expertise). This was the key to both driving innovation and creating a simple leadership tool that unlocked the potential of the whole organisation. How concepts such as “soft insights”, “customer expectations, “customer’s customer” and the “blank sheet of paper” approach gave new insights that enable competitive advantage. How the Customer Promise provides a simple leadership tool that places the customer at the heart of everyone’s work. Implications for both Customer engagement and Leadership. 2) Masterthief:- Lessons in driving innovation and change by “stealing” ideas from outside If you want a breakthrough, look outside your current environment! From yacht designers and Disney assisting BA, to rugby referees in Banking risk management, the need to look for stimulus from outside your current environment has been at the heart of the approach Hamish has brought to organisations. The Customer Promise as your new starting point for innovative masterthief approaches. How to steal ideas from the most unlikely of sources that are highly applicable to your challenges How to get the team onside for the new thinking 3) Playing Reverse Football:- Lessons in making sure you take the organisation with you! The biggest challenge we face is to ensure employee engagement with the change journey. The Customer Promise as a new simple leadership tool to focus activity. Setting the right ambition to drive innovative behaviour. Unlocking the potential of the whole organisation (and, as leaders, learning when to let go) Great communication is, of course important, but other lessons learned include the “Power of Ambition”, “Ruthless simplicity”, “Champions”, “Customer focused organisational design” and the “Make it Easy” model.

SPEAKING VIDEOS
PHOTOS

Hamish Taylor Highlights

Coping with Crisis - 1. Customer promise - looking after others (Hamish Taylor)

Hamish Taylor Overview

SPEAKER TOPICS

Disruptive Innovation Speakers

Customer Experience Speakers

Retail Speakers

Sales Speakers

After Dinner Speakers

Inspiring Speakers

Business Speakers

Marketing Speakers

Hamish Taylor Speech Titles

The Customer Promise: Lessons in Putting the Customer at the Heart of All Activities Within Your Organisation (or Department)

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.

Hamish Taylor's Biography

With a CV that the Times described as “takes some beating”, Hamish Taylor is an award winning CEO whose career has taken him from International consumer goods giant Procter and Gamble, consultancy firm Price Waterhouse and British Airways to become CEO of the channel tunnel railway Eurostar, and then CEO of Sainsbury’s Bank ... all before he was 40!

In all cases, he left behind a record of significant business growth triggered by a willingness to challenge the normal way of doing things – so much so that his advice and assistance is now sought by organisations all over the world in many different industries.

Hamish’s energetic, thought provoking and humorous keynotes are based on a rare combination of real stories and a fantastic ability to inspire audiences with tailored advice and practical tools. Regularly featured in broadcast media, today Hamish acts as an advisor to some of the world’s largest companies (and even Governments) assisting with specific innovation projects, customer focus and/or people leadership.

As the self appointed “chief dumbing down officer” in each of his roles, his approach is simple - but highly effective in delivering breakthroughs.

The first thing that has to change is the way you look at your customers (both internal and external) If you look at your customers the same way, you will get the same answers and keep doing the same things.
Secondly, you need to use your customer insights to create a new leadership tool – a simple “customer promise” as a platform for ALL future activity that puts customer benefit at the heart. Your customer doesn’t care about what you do, but about how they benefit as a result of what you do – so use this as your key purpose.
Thirdly, you must look to other environments and industries if you want breakthrough ideas for product, service, process, leadership and much more. The Inspired Leaders Network dubbed him the “Master thief” due to his track record in this area.
Concentrate you major energy on changing the way you engage with the team that will deliver the customer promise.

Hamish’s keynotes will demonstrate the major breakthroughs that can be achieved by changing your approach. Three keynote topics are illustrated below, however Hamish’s message can be tailored to a variety of topics and levels within an organisation.

1) The Customer Promise:- Lessons in putting the customer at the heart of all activities within your organisation (or department)

Changing the way you understand your customers (both internal and external) brings new insights that enable you create a Customer Promise - a change in the definition of the business (or individual role) to a statement of customer benefit (rather than a description of your expertise). This was the key to both driving innovation and creating a simple leadership tool that unlocked the potential of the whole organisation.

How concepts such as “soft insights”, “customer expectations, “customer’s customer” and the “blank sheet of paper” approach gave new insights that enable competitive advantage.
How the Customer Promise provides a simple leadership tool that places the customer at the heart of everyone’s work.
Implications for both Customer engagement and Leadership.

2) Masterthief:- Lessons in driving innovation and change by “stealing” ideas from outside

If you want a breakthrough, look outside your current environment! From yacht designers and Disney assisting BA, to rugby referees in Banking risk management, the need to look for stimulus from outside your current environment has been at the heart of the approach Hamish has brought to organisations.

The Customer Promise as your new starting point for innovative masterthief approaches.
How to steal ideas from the most unlikely of sources that are highly applicable to your challenges
How to get the team onside for the new thinking

3) Playing Reverse Football:- Lessons in making sure you take the organisation with you!

The biggest challenge we face is to ensure employee engagement with the change journey.

The Customer Promise as a new simple leadership tool to focus activity.
Setting the right ambition to drive innovative behaviour.
Unlocking the potential of the whole organisation (and, as leaders, learning when to let go)
Great communication is, of course important, but other lessons learned include the “Power of Ambition”, “Ruthless simplicity”, “Champions”, “Customer focused organisational design” and the “Make it Easy” model.