Matthew Gould
Leadership, resilience and digital transformation.
Former UK Ambassador to Israel, and Deputy then Acting Ambassador to Iran. National Director of Digital Transformation for the NHS through Covid. Director of Cyber Security for the UK Government. Chief Executive.
- Stanford Business School
- University of Cambridge (CSaP)
- DLD
- Founders Forum
- PJT Partners
- RSA Conference
- HETT
- techUK
- Weizmann Institute
- Royal College of Defence Studies
- RAF Senior Command Course
- IUCN
“He has an unusual breadth of knowledge and experience – detailed understanding of both Iran and Israel as well as information technology and policy-making – and combines that with a commercial instinct and a delivery that is thoughtful, fluent and amusing.”Keith Craig, Senior Advisor, PJT Partners
A career lived under scrutiny
Matthew Gould has been a UK Ambassador, a National Director of the NHS and a Chief Executive.
He has handled some of the world’s most sensitive geopolitical issues. He has led one of the world’s largest digital transformations. He has driven change across the UK’s largest institutions, all under the sort of scrutiny few leaders ever face.
A career that has reached huge heights and painful lows. It is this combination Matthew brings vividly into the room, for audiences and leaders alike.
Matthew helps leaders answer two questions: how do we transform our organisation, and how do we look after ourselves as we do it?
What Matthew speaks about
Driving Change at Scale
What works, what doesn’t, and why the human element is underestimated. The impact of leadership, and the mistakes that derail transformation.
Leadership Under Pressure
What it is like when things go wrong, how to prepare for it, and how to lead through it. The true meaning of resilience.
Thinking About AI
Drawing on Matthew’s experience scaling AI use across the NHS: what separates success from endless pilots, and the causes of failure.
Understanding the World
Drawing on twenty years in the Diplomatic Service, Matthew explains world events and gives leaders the insights they need to navigate them.
How Matthew works with you
Keynote
For conference or leadership audiences, with Q&A.
Executive briefing
A closed-door discussion for boards and senior leadership teams.
Workshop
Working with a leadership team on a live transformation or resilience challenge.
Fireside conversation
A conversational format suited to smaller and more intimate gatherings.
Testimonials
“Matthew is a brilliant and inspirational speaker who speaks openly, and candidly, generating insightful reflections for our participants.”
“He was insightful, engaging and thought-provoking, and provided the basis for an excellent discussion.”
Why Matthew
- Ambassador to Israel, and Deputy then Acting Ambassador to Iran (the only person to have been head of mission in both countries)
- Representative of the UK’s Joint Intelligence Committee in Washington DC
- UK Government Director of Cyber Security and Director General for Digital Policy
- NHS England National Director of Digital Transformation through Covid
- Chief Executive of the Zoological Society of London
- Board member of the Royal Air Force
- Quantexa plc, Advisory Board member
- Duality Technologies, UK Chair
- Centre for Information Resilience, Senior Adviser
- aql, Senior Counsel for Special Projects
- American Industrial Acquisition Corporation, Senior Adviser
- Writes for the Sunday Times, the Sunday Telegraph, the Washington Post and the Spectator
- Regular guest on Sky News and Times Radio
Speaker resources
Book Matthew to speak
Tell us about your event, your audience and what you want them to leave with.