Fiona is a keynote speaker, coach, and thought leader who combines her extensive experience in global investment markets with expertise and thought leadership in human potential, purpose, leadership, spirituality, and self-actualisation. Passionate about the areas of life that are innately human, the red thread that runs through all her work is exploring who we are and how we want to show up in the world. Recognised as a contemporary thinker and inspiring speaker in purpose, purposeful leadership, and self-actualisation, she has spoken globally at events in over 30 countries and was a semi-finalist in the Nordic Business Forum global speaking contest in 2022.
In her previous career, she worked in global investment markets for nearly 20 years with institutional clients across multiple markets. In 2015, she was one of 50 women globally chosen to participate in the W50 Program in UCLA, California, which aims to build the next generation of global women leaders.
Through her MSc in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, Fiona researched how spirituality, meaning, purpose, and authenticity manifest for individuals in our modern society. She continues to focus on her research areas of personal leadership, meaning and purpose, self-actualisation, authenticity, and spirituality through her speaking, thought leadership, and writing.
She writes a Substack publication called Expression with Fiona English, which features personal essays on what it means to live a fully expressed life and amplify our impact on the world. Alongside her speaking practice, she coaches and advises purpose-led entrepreneurs, business leaders, and individuals seeking to deepen their understanding of who they are so they can live, work, and lead with greater impact and authenticity.
She lives in Dublin, Ireland. She loves to run, hike, and spend time in nature, where most of the creative inspiration for her work comes from. She practices yoga and meditation and is a certified mindfulness and meditation teacher.
Purpose, at its core, is about choice, says Fiona English. Purpose asks us what matters to us – as people, as citizens of our world, as employees and leaders in business. What do you really value? And How does that understanding infuse your decision-making process? Purpose Is rooted in who you are. It is real clarity on what matters to you and the choices you will make as a result. In this keynote, Fiona speaks to the three questions everyone, regardless of their position, should be able to answer if purpose and purposeful leadership are to be evident in their work and life. Audiences come away feeling more connected to what purpose means to them and compelled to act in a way which makes a bigger impact in our world.
Fiona English believes that our natural impulse is to grow and change, and self-actualization is about fully expressing our innate potential. She argues that the modern definition of purpose is too singular, often reduced to something we do or monetize, which oversimplifies its true essence. Success in a purpose-filled life is neither linear nor one-dimensional. Instead, it involves accessing and expressing your whole self across all aspects of life. Fiona emphasizes that your work, relationships, and legacy should naturally flow from this holistic self-expression. Attendees will learn how to unlock their potential and become their true selves in service of a better world.
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