As well as being a TED Speaker, I am a professional public speaker who has worked with some of the biggest and best businesses in the world to help them on their inclusion journeys. And you could be next!
If you are hosting an event (keynotes, presentations, fireside discussions, Q&As, panels etc) and would like me to work with you please drop me a note on *my first name* @SophieWilliamsOfficial.com and I’d love to speak with you!
Themes and Topics
I regularly host presentations, workshops, Q&As, keynote talks, and panels for businesses and organisations on the topics of gender, anti-racism, allyship, intersectionality, women in leadership, the Glass Cliff, and building equality and inclusion into business’ day-to-day and working life. I deliver talks both virtually and IRL.
My areas of specialism are race, gender, and the intersection of the two. My talks are heavily data and evidence led, and aim to leave you and your team with not only a better understanding of the topics being discussed, but feeling empowered to make tangible change for the better – wherever level of business they are in. I also host sessions about the intersections of marginalised identities as shared experiences, such as the connection between race and sexuality.
As a speaker I am open and authentic – demystifying language and leaving the businesses I visit with clear and actionable steps that can be taken on by all employees, regardless of role or seniority, to build better equality and representation into the foundations of our working lives and practices. My talks are informed by the topics of my writing:
- The Glass Cliff focuses on gender inequity in leadership, asking (and providing answers as to) not only why we see so few successful female leaders, but what we can all do to better strive for equality in this area.
- Millennial Black focuses on Black women’s lived experiences in UK and US workplaces, investigating the barriers in place, and what businesses can do to overcome them and make the best use of this often overlooked talent.
- Anti-Racist Ally focuses on the barriers put up by racism in our society, in both the personal and professions spheres. In these sessions we explore language and terms in open and inclusive ways, breaking down barriers and fears and empowering people to use their voices, and actions, for the good of others. Sessions on this topic leave us with practical, actionable tips and tools to make a positive change in, and out of, the workplace.
Selected Previous Clients
I have spoken alongside the CEO of the NHS, the Secretary of State for Health, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and many Fortune and FTSE 100 leaders. I have delivered sessions for many businesses, in many sectors, including:
Business: Apple, Amazon, Google, Netflix, Tesco Bank, Network Rail, NHS, Ad Week, Sky, John Frieda, Vevo, Feeld, Crowd Cube, City and Guilds, Fortune, the BFI, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Young Minds, LVMH, JPMorgan, and many many others
Governmental Bodies: UK Civil Service, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Housing, Department for International Trade, NHS, Quality Care Commission, TFL
Educational Bodies: Central School of Speech and Drama, UAL, Cambridge University, University of Central Florida, Essex Student Union, York St Johns University, UEA
Charities: The Rio Ferdinand Foundation, Primadonna, Bloom, Bloom in Colour, The Dogs Trust, Royal Court Theatre
Literary Festivals & Conferences: Cheltenham Literary Festival, Fortune 500 Most Powerful Women Summit, Primadonna, Hay, Women of the World, Futurebook, Stylist Live at Home, The Royal Economic Societies’ UK Women’s Conference
Selected Client Testimonials
Vevo
Sophie’s session was enjoyable, thoughtful and enjoyable (…) The best presentation we have ever had.
Dept. of International Trade
A fantastic session; impactful and thought provoking delivered with wit, wisdom and empathy (…) a brilliant and incredibly helpful session
NHS –
Quality Care Commission
Wonderfully articulate, meaningful, witty and honest (…) an inspiring talk delivered with compassion that will have a long term impact
The Rio Ferdinand Foundation
Sophie is a captivating speaker with great energy and enthusiasm. Her talk had a profound impact, and each young person has since personally contacted me to express how much they enjoyed the talk (…) Sophie made the young people feel heard and excited to start their own social impact projects – and that is truly invaluable
DAZN
Sophie’s presentation was excellent – insightful, thought provoking, challenging content that has really helped out people continue to think differently about how to make change happen.
Not only that it was – dare I say it – fun!
Sophie makes difficult subjects very accessible with her down-to-earth approach. She fielded a range of tough questions, answering everything our people wanted to know more about without hesitation, very candidly and thoughtfully, I couldn’t recommend her more highly.
Vevo
Before the call was even over the positive feedback was flooding in!
Sophie has thoroughly researched the data she illustrates, and presents it in such a smart and digestable manner that you have to sit up and listen.
Dept. of International Trade
Sophie delivered a session on allyship and understanding microaggressions as part of our Black History Month programme, focusing on the experiences of Black women in the workplace.
We had a huge turnout some to see Sophie, and there was lots of engagement and meaningful discussion by colleagues during the session. Feeback afterwards was overwhelmingly positive – Sophie has helped to consolidate some of our understanding of allyship, but has also given us lots of new food for thought. Her insight will help us individually, and collectively.
DWF Law
I attended the presentation live and was blown away at how Sophie tackled some pretty tricky subjects which definitely gave me permission to be more outspokenly Anti-Racist going forward. I loved the fact that she was happy to admit that she had made mistakes on her journey and encouraged us to make our own. Sophie was great in conveying confidence to us and encouraging us to find our voice.
I thought Sophie’s presentation style was refreshing and energetic and I could have listened to her all day. I hadn’t heard of Sophie before the session but I am a massive fan now. My kids have since watched the session and we’ve spoken about it. All very powerful stuff.
DWF Law
I thought the session was highly informative, insightful and Sophie was an incredibly engaging speaker. Sophie’s use of statistics really opened my eyes to the issues faced, in particular by Black women.
DWF Law
Sophie’s session was exceptional, incredibly thought provoking, and challenging for all the right reasons. I thought that Sophie approached and delivered the session in a very realistic and yet very objective manner, particularly through her reference to personal experience. Sophie’s approach will undoubtedly do much to achieve the requisite levels of buy in.