Lena Thompson Keynote Speaker

Emotional intelligence expert for corporate leadership transformation
Former Microsoft and Morgan Stanley consultant
Top 100 Voice in Future of Work Leaders

Lena Thompson's Biography

Lena Thompson transforms high-achieving professionals from burnout to breakthrough by teaching emotional resilience as the foundation for authentic leadership and decision-making, especially during times of pressure and change.

As an international keynote speaker and emotional intelligence expert, Lena draws from 15+ years in corporate tech consulting for Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, and global financial institutions. Her unique perspective combines professional success with personal achievement as a marathon runner and two-time Commonwealth Games competitor representing South Africa in fencing.

Organisations facing leadership challenges amid uncertainty benefit from Lena’s distinctive blend of corporate strategy and emotional intelligence methodologies. Her approach integrates NLP communication techniques, trauma-informed coaching, and Human Design principles to help executives recognise burnout signals, develop sustainable leadership practices, and create cultures where authentic decision-making thrives even under pressure.

Audiences leave Lena’s presentations with practical tools for emotional regulation during high-stakes situations, frameworks for making values-aligned decisions when facing competing priorities, and strategies to build teams where psychological safety and performance coexist. Her workshops create immediate shifts in how leaders approach both personal resilience and organisational challenges.

Book Lena when your organisation needs more than inspiration—when you need transformation that begins with emotional intelligence and results in sustainable, authentic leadership.

Wired but Tired - How to Find Balance in the Digital Age

In this talk, Lena explores the challenges of staying connected to yourself in today’s fast-paced tech-driven world. She sheds light on how constant connectivity often leads to distraction and burnout. Lena will share the importance of regaining mental clarity and making confident decisions under pressure. Attendees will gain practical mindset shifts to restore energy, manage distractions, and maintain focus, all while using technology effectively. By the end of the session, participants will walk away with actionable strategies to boost their energy, productivity, and overall impact at work.

The Decision Trap - How to Quiet Mental Noise and Make Confident Decisions Under Pressure

In this keynote, Lena addresses the growing challenge of decision fatigue, and its impact on performance, engagement, and overall well-being. She emphasises that many professionals don’t lack answers, but rather the mental clarity and space needed to access them. "The Decision Trap" explores the emotional drivers behind overthinking, hesitation, and self-doubt, offering practical tools to reduce cognitive overload and make effective decisions, even in moments of uncertainty, limited data, or time pressure. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to transform doubt into clarity, enhance decision-making under pressure, and regain forward momentum in both their leadership and day-to-day roles.

How to Stop Your Emotions From Running & Ruining Your Life

Lena challenges the common belief that our emotions are merely reactions to external events, a mindset that often leaves us stuck in reactive cycles and drained of energy. She reframes emotions as energy in motion, showing how states like frustration, impatience, anger, judgment, and guilt can cloud decision-making, limit growth, creativity and productivity in the work place. In this session, attendees will learn how to recognise and shift unhelpful emotional patterns, manage their energy more intentionally, and prevent temporary emotions from driving long-term decisions. Participants will walk away with practical tools to master their emotional responses, turn challenges into opportunities for growth, and enhance their leadership effectiveness.

She is an emotional intelligence and resilience expert who helps leaders navigate pressure, uncertainty and change with greater authenticity and effectiveness.
She brings exceptional credibility through more than 15 years of experience in corporate consulting, working with organisations including Microsoft, Morgan Stanley and global financial institutions.
She is an engaging and transformational speaker who combines emotional intelligence, leadership development and practical performance strategies.
Her unique perspective blends corporate expertise with elite sporting experience as a Commonwealth Games competitor and marathon runner.
Her insights equip leaders and teams to prevent burnout, strengthen resilience and build high-performing cultures grounded in trust, wellbeing and authentic decision-making.

Videos of Lena Thompson

WorkCongress 2026 | Lena Thompson | Forget Common Advice: The Real Cure for Burnout

Employer of the Future Berlin - The New Age Of Productivity (full keynote) | Lena Thompson

Optimise You Life - 3 Hacks To Effortless Productivity | Lena Thompson

How To Set And Achieve Goals - DevOps days Eindhoven | Lena Thompson

Comments & Testimonials

“I had an amazing opportunity to work with Lena Thompson at the 2023 Annual Business Leadership Summit organized by the Strategic Leadership Association for Zimbabwe Engineering, Iron and Steel Industry ( SLAZEISI). Lena gave a memorable Keynote on the New Age of Productivity which gave significant insights to the delegates and an impact on the Summit`s theme " Shaping the future of business leaders in Zimbabwe towards achievement of national aspirations". We do not hesitate to recommend Lena to any relevant stakeholders across the entire global village who requires the services of an international and Keynote Speaker.”

Matthias Ruziwa Secretary General at Engineering Iron and Steel Association of Zimbabwe

“Lena was a Keynote speaker at DisruptHR in Guernsey in February and also gave a presentation to myself and my work colleagues the following day. She gave a very insightful talk on each occasion which was well received by both audiences. She introduced us to the concept of human design and how best to use your energy according to your what your type is, which was a bit of aha moment for me and something I will am keen to explore further. Thank you, Lena.”

Vicki Eppelein HR and Payroll Service Manager at Leapfrog Recruitment Consultants

“Lena was a speaker at our company event: Employer of the future in Berlin, Germany on Monday, 10th of October 2022 and we couldn't be more thankful for her participation. Her presentation skills are outstanding and a delight to watch. The feedback we received from our viewers is exclusively positive and I personally find her topic extremely interesting and absolutely valuable in todays society. As the organizer of the event I also would like to point out that Lena is amazing and fun to work with. We highly recommend her as a speaker and can't wait to welcome her again at our events. Thank you Lena!”

Sabine Krause Event Marketing Manager at WorkMotion

“As the organizer of Disrupt HR Belgrade 2023, I cannot overstate the impact Lena Thompson made as our opening speaker. Her presence was magnetic and her insights profound. She not only set the stage for the entire event but also enchanted every attendee with her transformative content. If you're seeking a speaker who can truly make a lasting impression, look no further than Lena. Her ability to deliver phenomenal content is unparalleled.”

Nevena Stanisavljevic Founder of HR World Adria

“Lena recently spoke at our Tech in Hospitality Summit and challenged our delegates to think differently and deeply! Amazing response from the room and will certainly be booking Lena again -thank you for your expertise!”

Natasha Cobbold Brand Licencing