Damian Hughes Keynote Speaker

Visiting Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University
Co-founder and Co-host - The High Performance Podcast
Author of Eight Best Selling books

Damian Hughes's Biography

Damian Hughes is a bestselling author who combines his practical and academic background within sport, organisational development and change psychology, to help organisations and teams to create a high performing culture.

He is the author of eight best-selling business books, including Liquid Thinking, Liquid Leadership, How to Change Absolutely Anything, How to Think Like Sir Alex Ferguson and The Five STEPS to a Winning Mindset.

His latest books, High Performance: Lessons from the Best on Becoming Your Best and How to Change Your Life, have both been number one Sunday Times best sellers. His latest book, MicroHabits: Tiny Changes That Supercharge High Performance was released in January 2026. His work has been translated into fifteen languages.

He has also been nominated for the 2007 William Hill Sports book of the year award for Peerless, his biography of boxing great Sugar Ray Robinson. He co-authored a critically acclaimed biography of boxing legend, Thomas Hearns and in 2013, his book, Marvelous Marvin Hagler became the UK’s best-selling sports biography.

He was appointed as a visiting Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Change for Manchester Metropolitan University in September 2010.

He is the co-host of The High Performance Podcast, an acclaimed series of interviews with elite performers from business, sport and
the arts, exploring the psychology behind sustained high performance. The podcast has over 300 million downloads.

He has served as a member of the coaching team for England Rugby League, England Roses, Scotland Rugby Union and a wide range of international and national sporting teams.

He is also the founder of The School Coat Charity, a charity which addresses the challenges of children living in poverty, by providing coats for those most in need.

Unlocking the DNA of a High Performing Culture

The Winning Mindset

The Business of Winning and Sustaining Success

High Performance Lessons

How to Change Absolutely Anything

He combines academic research in organisational behaviour and change psychology with frontline experience working alongside elite sporting teams to help leaders build resilient, high-performing cultures.
He translates lessons from world-class performers in sport, business and the arts into practical frameworks that help organisations strengthen leadership, mindset and sustained performance.
He draws on insights from hundreds of conversations with elite achievers through The High Performance Podcast to reveal the habits, behaviours and environments that drive long-term success.
He is the bestselling author of multiple business titles including High Performance, How to Think Like Sir Alex Ferguson and MicroHabits, equipping audiences with practical tools to drive personal and organisational change.
His sessions challenge leaders and teams to rethink how they build culture, develop talent and maintain momentum in fast-changing and high-pressure environments.

Videos of Damian Hughes

Damian Hughes showreel

How Peak Performers Find the Path to Courage | Damian Hughes | TEDxManchester

The Importance of Humility | High Performance Podcast

Creating A High Performance Culture | Journey Further Podcast

The Keys to High Performance

Articles, Media & Podcasts

The High Performance Podcast

Books by Damian Hughes

Micro-Habits

How to Change Your Life: Five Steps to Achieving High Performance (2023)

High Performance: Lessons From the Best on Becoming Your Best (2021)

The Barcelona Way: Unlocking the DNA of a Winning Culture (2019)

The Barcelona Way: How to Create a High-Performance Culture (2018)

The Winning Mindset: What Sport Can Teach Us About Great Leadership (2016)

How to Think Like Sir Alex Ferguson: The Business of Winning and Managing Success (2014)

How to Change Absolutely Anything: Practical Techniques to Make Real and Lasting Changes (2012)

Liquid Leadership: Inspirational Lessons from the World's Great Leaders (2007)

Liquid Thinking: Inspirational Lessons from the World's Great Achievers (2005)

Comments & Testimonials

“Seven years ago Damian inspired, provoked and challenged me when I attended one of his Liquid Thinking sessions and I have incorporated my learnings from this session into every part of my life personal and professional. Seven years on and Damian has done it again. Using thought provoking and inspiring stories he has challenged and inspired us and more importantly given us a common language with which we all can use. Thank you Damian!”

Emma Mirrington, Head of Talent, Mars Chocolate UK

Damian was asked to help our team think about engaging an organisation after a period of significant change. He inspired the room with his down to earth approach, fabulous stories and really challenged our thinking on what effective communication really is. I would recommend Damian as a speaker for any group looking for new thinking and inspirational leadership ideas; delivered in a way that really makes you challenge yourself and consider why you didn’t think of that because it’s explained in such a simple common sense way.

Clare Hall, Senior Vice President, People, McDonald’s

Damian helped us in shaping a successful, vibrant and inspiring conference. He affiliates with the audience and he was able to adapt his speech to the target as well as to our specific needs. He was brilliant in connecting our purpose of the meeting (Teamwork, personal responsibility, future orientation) to clear outstanding examples. Feedback from our people confirmed a positive feeling.

Federico Sarzi Braga, Country Business Manager, Nestlé Waters UK