Keynote speaker
Talks that changehow people lead.
“I don't speak to motivate for a moment. I speak to shift how people lead.” Toby brings lived experience, hip hop culture and a proven method to stages, staff rooms and boardrooms.
Signature keynotes
Four talks. One promise.
Every talk is shaped around the room in front of him. These are the starting points organisers book most often, from school leadership conferences to corporate offsites.
Resilience · Personal story
Transforming pain into purpose
From a coma at eleven to Buckingham Palace: the decisions that turned exclusion into leadership. Raw, funny and practical, this is the talk Toby gave on the TEDx stage in Warsaw.
- Why the labels people are given do not decide who they become
- How to turn a setback into a responsibility to others
- Three habits that rebuild confidence from nothing
Leadership · The Gorniak Method
Unlock individual genius
Every person has genius, and most systems crush it early. Toby shows leaders how to see the brilliance their culture is missing and build teams where people contribute instead of comply.
- The eight pillars of the Gorniak Method, in practice
- Reading a culture: how power moves and where respect breaks down
- Teach to Teach: making change outlast the facilitator
Culture · Belonging
Human beings are the system
Most change programmes fail because they are imported, performative or dependent on outside control. This talk is about building cultures that are held by the people inside them.
- Psychological safety without weakness
- Authentic leadership: without masks, domination or fear
- What has to be true for a culture to hold when the consultant leaves
Film · Keynote · Dialogue
That Boy: hate and healing
A private screening of the film that premiered at the European Parliament, followed by Toby's keynote and a facilitated session. Uncomfortable, human and healing.
- Where hate comes from, and what interrupts it
- Identity, belonging and the choices that shape two lives
- Practical tools to build inclusive communities
Formats
However you need him.
Six ways to bring Toby in. Pick the one that fits your room and the form arrives already filled in.
Main stageKeynote
Opening or closing keynotes for conferences, summits, awards evenings and festivals.
Enquire about this format
Hands-onWorkshop & masterclass
Interactive sessions for staff, students or leadership teams, built on the Gorniak Method. Movement optional, energy guaranteed.
Enquire about this format
ConversationPanel & fireside
A grounded, honest voice on inclusion, leadership, migration, Roma identity and youth.
Enquire about this format
ExperienceThat Boy screening
Private screening, live keynote and Gorniak Method session, shaped for your audience.
Enquire about this format
StrategicExecutive advisory
Culture and leadership advisory for senior teams, education systems and government programmes.
Enquire about this format
RemoteLive online
Virtual keynotes and multi-week online programmes for audiences anywhere in the world.
Enquire about this formatWho books Toby
Rooms that need more than a pep talk.
From grassroots to boardrooms: primary pupils and headteachers, frontline staff and executives, ministers and community groups. The pillars stay constant; how they are lived is always bespoke.
Toby has spoken to
Children develop agency instead of compliance, and staff remember why they started.
Students and researchers face hate, identity and belonging head on, with That Boy as the case study.
Heads and trusts learn to read their culture and build one that holds without them in the room.
Ministries and public services hear what inclusion looks like from someone who lived exclusion.
Officers and leaders explore trust, prejudice and how communities decide who they believe.
Teams under pressure rebuild psychological safety, respect and the energy to keep caring.
Leaders stop performing and start leading, and teams contribute instead of comply.
Boards and frontline staff reconnect with purpose and learn to put people at the centre.
Venues and festivals use hip hop culture to open doors to people who never felt invited.
Selected stages
Where he's been heard.
Hover or tap to step onto each stage.
01TEDx WarsawPoland · 2026 “Transforming pain into purpose”, in the country his family fled.
02Middle East School Leadership ConferenceDubai · 2026 A keynote on a torn Achilles, to a standing ovation.
03European ParliamentBrussels · 2025 The premiere of That Boy during Roma Week.
04Roma SpiritSlovakia · 2025 Live on Slovak national television, with the President of Slovakia.
05TEDxExeterEngland · 2017 With Jo: helping young people find their genius.
06That Boy in KrakówPoland · 2026 Screening and panel, then on Radio Kraków.
07University lecture hallsUK · Europe UCL, Sheffield, Coventry, Plymouth and more.
European Parliament
Middle East School Leadership Conference
Sadler's WellsUCL
University of SheffieldTheatre Royal Plymouth
Roma SpiritBreakin' ConventionTateWhat organisers say
His commitment to positive social change is evident in the countless lives he has transformed, especially those of young people and underserved communities.
Richard Stevens MBE DL
Chair, Plymouth Growth Board · Managing Director, Go South West
I cannot speak highly enough of Toby, Jo and Street Factory.
Emma Ponsford
Producer, Breakin' Convention, Sadler's Wells
It has real, tangible impact and is a powerful tool that pushes boundaries and delivers positive results.
Dr Rosa Cisneros
Associate Professor, Coventry University
The day enlightened us on the power of communication, relationships, and self-confidence: essential elements for our collective success.
Leadership team participant
Plymouth Citybus · Institute of Leadership programme
Before you book
Good questions.
Does Toby travel internationally?
Yes. Toby is based in the UK and speaks across Europe and the Middle East, including recent stages in Poland, Slovakia and Belgium and a keynote at the Middle East School Leadership Conference. TEDxAURAK in the UAE is next.
Can the talk be tailored to our audience?
Always. Nothing is off the shelf. Toby speaks with organisers beforehand to understand the people in the room and what needs to shift.
Can he speak online?
Yes. Toby delivers live virtual keynotes and runs multi-week online programmes.
Which languages does he speak?
English, Polish, Czech, German and Romani.
What does it cost?
Fees depend on format, location and date. Send the details through the booking form and Toby's team will reply with availability and a proposal.
Can we screen That Boy at our event?
Yes, by invitation. The film is shown only in private settings with purpose, usually alongside Toby's keynote and a facilitated session.
Bookings
Bring Toby
to your stage.
Keynotes, leadership sessions, That Boy screenings and whole-system culture partnerships, in the UK and worldwide.