Matthew Syed

Matthew Syed is a journalist, writer, and high-performance expert who focuses on how divergent thinking drives teams. Known as "the ping-pong guy" thanks to his podcasting days with Freddie Flintoff and Robbie Savage, Matthew is also an accomplished broadcaster and former table tennis player. Drawing from his remarkable career, Matthew now assists top organizations in fostering a mindset of continuous improvement. 

Matthew has written seven bestselling books on mindset and high performance and has worked with many leading organisations to build a continuous improvement mindset. His book titles include Rebel Ideas, Black Box Thinking, Bounce, The Greatest, and his celebrated children’s books, What do you think? You Are Awesome and Dare To Be You. He is also a multi-award-winning journalist for The Times and The Sunday Times and presenter of the popular BBC Radio 4 programme Sideways. Matthew is a regular contributor to television and radio and, in his previous career, was the England table tennis number one for almost a decade.

Matthew’s work explores a thought-provoking approach to high performance in a complex and fast-changing world. By understanding the intimate connection between mindset and high performance, organisations can unlock untapped potential in individuals and teams, driving innovation and agility to secure a future-proofed environment.

He shares compelling examples from various fields, such as healthcare, business, education, sport, and even his experience co-authoring David Beckham's autobiography. Matthew emphasizes the importance of implementing a growth culture and its positive impact on individual and organisational performance. 

Leveraging insights from his bestselling book, Rebel Ideas, Matthew underscores the critical role of diverse thinking in every organization. He has had the privilege of speaking to major companies like Apple and Microsoft and most recently served as an advisor to the England football team during the 2020 Euros.