Nihal Arthanayake - Speaker

Nihal Arthanayake is an accomplished broadcaster and TV presenter, renowned for his engaging, insightful conversations that have shaped British media. With over 25 years in the industry, he has become one of the UK’s most distinctive voices. Nihal’s career began in the music industry as a recording artist and publicist before transitioning to broadcasting, where he made his mark at BBC Radio 1, co-hosting Asian Beats and later presenting BBC Radio 1’s Review and Radio 5 Live’s Afternoon Show. His diverse broadcasting portfolio also includes hosting his own Penguin Podcast and award-winning documentaries for BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service, and BBC Radio 2.
In 2019, Nihal’s excellence in interviewing was recognised with the Interview of the Year award at the BBC Radio & Music Awards. He is known for his unique ability to conduct thoughtful, engaging interviews with individuals from a wide range of fields, from musicians and politicians to celebrities and ordinary people. He has also become an advocate for diversity, frequently challenging institutions on the need for greater ethnic representation in media, as evidenced by his leadership roles on advisory boards for the BBC and his candid writings in The Guardian and GQ.
In 2022, Nihal published Let’s Talk: How to Have Better Conversations, which combines his experiences as an interviewer with insights into the psychology of communication. The book has been lauded as both a practical guide and an invigorating manifesto for fostering better dialogues in a fragmented world. Beyond his media career, Nihal is a trustee for several charitable organisations, including Home in Manchester and an ambassador for the British Asian Trust. His contribution to communication and culture was recognised with an Honorary Doctorate in Communications in 2023.