Matthew Gould Keynote Speaker

Former UK Ambassador to Israel and acting UK Ambassador to Iran
A diplomat for 25 years and a tech leader for 10
Led digital transformation for the NHS through Covid

Matthew Gould's Biography

Matthew Gould is the only person to have been Ambassador or Acting Ambassador to both Israel and Iran, giving him a unique perspective on events unfolding in the Middle East. In addition, he was the Representative of the UK’s Joint Intelligence Committee in Washington DC, as well as serving on the personal staff of two British Prime Ministers and heading the office of two Foreign Secretaries.

After diplomacy, Matthew became a pioneering leader in tech policy for the UK Government, acting as Director of Cyber Security and then the first Director General in the UK Government for Digital Policy. He then served as CEO of NHSX, where he led the digital transformation of health and care in England. His team developed the NHS Datastore, enabling real-time data management during the pandemic, and built the award-winning NHS Covid Pass, providing vital solutions during a period of intense pressure on healthcare.

Matthew served as CEO of the Zoological Society of London (2022–2025), the international conservation charity that runs London Zoo.

Middle East, foreign policy and diplomacy

Technology and Government (as the British Government’s first Director General for Digital Policy)

Health and Technology

Resilience for leaders (based on experience in the NHS during Covid)

Nature & Conservation

Matthew is also a skilled chair, panel host and interviewer

He is the only diplomat to have served as Ambassador or Acting Ambassador to both Israel and Iran, giving audiences a rare, first-hand perspective on geopolitics and security in the Middle East.
He draws on senior roles across British government, including advising two Prime Ministers and representing the UK’s Joint Intelligence Committee in Washington, to explain how high-stakes political and security decisions are made.
He led the digital transformation of health and care in England as CEO of NHSX, sharing practical lessons on leading complex change and deploying data and technology at scale.
His briefings help leaders interpret geopolitical risk, understand the strategic impact of technology and make better decisions in a rapidly changing global environment.

Videos of Matthew Gould

Breaking the Species Divide: Data and Gorillas with Credit Cards | DLD Nature

Articles, Media & Podcasts

Matthew Gould - Articles

The Spectator

The Binyamin Netanyahu I knew: ending Iran’s regime is his life’s work

The Times

Why the Ayatollahs might be harder to remove than Trump thinks

The Spectator

Iranians fear the secret power of Britain – if only we had any

The Telegraph

Why elephants, otters and whales are nature’s secret weapons against climate breakdown

The Guardian

Letting thousands of poorer families into London Zoo for £3 has changed us for ever

The Guardian

‘Fewer snakes than Whitehall’: Why David Cameron’s Israel envoy swapped politics for London Zoo

The Telegraph

I used to defend Britain against accusations of anti-Semitism. I’m not sure I could today

The Telegraph

How to negotiate with Iran, by a diplomat who succeeded

The Times

Comments & Testimonials

I have used Matthew to speak on several RAF senior leadership development programmes. Matthew is a brilliant and inspirational speaker who speaks openly, and candidly, generating insightful reflections for our participants. His broad and varied background enables him to cover a wide variety of topics and in Q&A he is always prepared to allow the conversation to go to where it is most useful for the cohort. I highly recommend him as a speaker.

Group Captain Emma J Keith BA MSc RAF Commandant, Tedder Academy of Leadership

Matthew spoke about the Middle East at one of our dinners for senior business leaders. He was insightful, engaging and thought-provoking, and provided the basis for an excellent discussion.

Niva Thiruchelvam Hakluyt and Co