Nelufar Hedayat Keynote Speaker

News & Doc Emmy for Plastic Time Bomb (Outstanding Sci/Tech/Env, 2023)
Gracie “Correspondent of the Year”; Peabody‑nominated Kabul Falling (2021)
MMU “Journalist of the Year” (2017); Livingston & Broadcast Digital Awards

Nelufar Hedayat's Biography

Nelufar Hedayat is an Emmy-winning journalist exposing injustice across the globe. An Afghan-British refugee, she offers a rare insider‑outsider lens to stories of marginalised communities, illicit economies and the unintended consequences of consumer choice.

Her directorial debut, Plastic Time Bomb (2023), won the News & Docs Emmy for exposing global plastic-waste mismanagement. With Fusion, she fronted the eight-part investigative series The Traffickers (2016–18), securing access to organ brokers, gun runners and corrupt officials, and led Food Exposed, a pioneering probe into food ethics. Her credits extend to Nat Geo’s guest-host stint on The Story of God, directing episodes for In Real Life, and writing the foreword to the 2021 children’s book Civil Rights Stories: Refugees and Homelands. Her newest documentary, PayDirt, releases in March 2026 and focuses on regenerative agriculture and the climate crisis.

A digital native, Hedayat shapes non‑traditional narratives through web series and thought‑leader interviews with Malala Yousafzai and Yuval Noah Harari. She hosts Doha Debates’ podcast Course Correction, and the AR‑style docuseries Generation C premiered in 2025. Her documentary pilgrimage on BBC Two aired April 2025, reflecting on faith and cultural belonging.

Her storytelling has earned a Peabody nomination for Kabul Falling (2021), the Gracie Award, a Livingston Award, Broadcast Digital Award, and invitations to the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences—where she signed the Council of Europe’s resolution on organ trafficking. Fluent in English, Farsi, Hindi and Dari, she continues to engage global audiences with accessible, impact-driven journalism.

On stage, Hedayat equips leaders and teams to interrogate supply chains, counter misinformation, connect across cultures and act with integrity under pressure—turning investigative insight into practical change.

Generation Covid: A Workforce Forged by Crisis

Following on from her documentary of the effects of the Global Coronavirus pandemic this speech focuses on young professionals who have entered the workforce amidst unprecedented disruption. Nelufar draws parallels with their own journey of navigating chaos and finding purpose, emphasising the adaptability, digital fluency, and strong sense of purpose characteristic of this generation. Aimed at managers working with Generation Covid as well as the team themselves the core message is one of resilience in the face of adversity.

The Climate Crisis: Good News! Where We Really Are with the Climate Crisis. Lessons from the Field.

In this edgy and uplifting speech, journalist and documentary filmmaker Nelufar Hedayat explores the climate crisis, drawing on her extensive experience as a journalist reporting on its global effects. Through personal anecdotes, such as witnessing environmental degradation in Alaska’s glacial ice fields and how changing climate is impacting people’s everyday lives in Tanzania, Nelufar vividly illustrates the urgency and profound impact of climate change. The good news is 89% of the world are on her side. The presentation underscores a widespread global desire to combat climate change, highlighting significant opportunities for businesses to take meaningful action.

Culture Code-Switching: A Hidden Tool for Success

Afghan-British journalist and documentary filmmaker Nelufar Hedayat delves into "culture code-switching", the practice of adjusting one's behaviour and communication to suit diverse environments. Nelufar shares personal experiences of leveraging their unique cultural background for success. The presentation provides a four-cornerstone guide for young professionals, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, on how to effectively use code-switching to foster connection and authenticity in the workplace.

Regenerative Agriculture and The Climate Crisis

Sustainability and Climate Change

Woman and Equity

Wellness and Spirituality

She has reported from the frontlines of illicit economies and humanitarian crises, securing rare access to organ brokers, gun runners and corrupt officials to expose the systems that enable injustice.
She translates complex global challenges, from plastic waste and food ethics to climate and regenerative agriculture, into clear insights that help leaders understand the unintended consequences of policy and consumer choice.
She brings an Emmy winning investigative lens and cross cultural perspective that equips organisations to interrogate supply chains, counter misinformation and lead with integrity under scrutiny.
She engages audiences with the authority of an award winning journalist and the lived experience of an Afghan British refugee, offering leaders a sharper understanding of risk, ethics and cultural belonging in a fractured world.
Her keynotes challenge executives and teams to connect narrative with action, turning frontline reporting into practical frameworks for responsible decision making and long term impact.