Kate Richardson-Walsh
Olympic Gold Medallist & Keynote Speaker on Leadership, Teams & Inclusion
Kate is an Olympic gold medallist, leadership expert, and one of the most respected and capped captains in British sport.
Today, she helps leaders and organisations build high-performing teams through trust, inclusion, resilience and authentic leadership, sharing practical lessons from elite sport that translate directly into business performance.
Subject Expertise
- High-performing teams built on trust & shared purpose
- Authentic leadership under pressure
- Resilience through setbacks and adversity
- Inclusive cultures where difference drives performance
Who is Kate Richardson-Walsh?
Kate Richardson-Walsh is one of the most successful and respected leaders in international team sport. Over an 18-year international career, she became the most capped female hockey player in her country’s history and captained the GB and England women’s hockey teams for 13 years.
Her journey to Olympic gold was far from straightforward.
Kate guided her team through triumphs and setbacks, including a broken jaw during London 2012 and a disappointing 10th-place finish at the 2014 World Cup, before leading Team GB to Olympic victory at Rio 2016.
But her impact extended far beyond medals. In pursuit of a really clear vision; “Be the difference, create history, inspire the future”, Kate helped build a culture of trust, unity and shared purpose that transformed a struggling squad into one of the highest-performing elite sport teams.
Off the pitch, Kate also made history as one half of the first same-sex married couple to win Olympic gold together. Her commitment to inclusion, diversity and authentic leadership continues to inspire audiences around the world.
Today, Kate works with organisations, teams and leaders to help them unlock potential through collaboration and empathy to drive a high-performance culture.
The most capped female hockey player ever with
375
international caps for Great Britain & England
Competed in
4
Olympic Games
Achieving an average NPS of
+91
Considered World Class
*from scores received in 2025 & 2026.
Watch Kate's Speech Highlights
The Keynote: What it really takes to build a High-Performing Team
Kate’s keynote tells the story of overcoming under-performance by understanding each team member and building harmony under immense pressure.
Kate shares the behaviours, structures and values that shaped one of the most successful and resilient teams in British sport. Through honest reflections on both success and struggle, she explores the key drivers of team excellence and what it truly takes to perform together at the highest level.
- Building trust, vision and accountability: How high-performing teams create shared ownership, clarity and collective responsibility.
- Inclusion and psychological safety: Why teams perform best when individuals feel seen, valued and able to contribute authentically.
- Leading through adversity: Lessons in resilience, courage and authenticity from leading under pressure on the world stage.
- Culture transformation: How changing behaviours, relationships and standards transformed a struggling team into Olympic champions.
- The power of difference: Why embracing difference strengthens teams, improves collaboration and drives long-term performance.
As a female leader who reached the pinnacle of elite sport, Kate also speaks passionately about equality of opportunity and the need for broader, more inclusive definitions of leadership.
Her message is simple: our differences are our strength – when teams know themselves and each other, they thrive.
What will your audience take away?
An honest, human perspective - and practical tools - for building high-performing teams that thrive under pressure.
- A practical framework for building trust, accountability and alignment across teams.
- Clear insights on how strong cultures are built, why difference strengthens teams, and how resilient leadership creates long-term success.
- A fresh perspective on leadership – showing how authenticity, empathy and vulnerability strengthen teams under pressure
- Practical behaviours and communication strategies that improve team dynamics immediately
- A shared understanding of how resilient teams overcome setbacks and perform together at their best
Inspiration with substance
An engaging, fast-paced talk that moves beyond motivation into practical performance tools.
Emotional connection
Stories that make people reflect on their own goals, habits, and teamwork.
Tailored messaging
Topic and delivery aligned to your goals and context
Actionable
focus
Clear, simple frameworks to help every attendee identify what will truly make their boat go faster.
When to book Kate
Kate’s keynote is the right choice when your organisation is:
- Building high-performing teams rooted in trust, accountability and shared purpose
- Wanting to help leaders lead with greater authenticity, empathy and confidence
- Developing resilient cultures that perform under pressure and through change
- Inspiring individuals and teams to embrace challenge, difference and collective responsibility
Delivery of the Speech
Kate’s speech will take 45 – 60 minutes and is tailored to fit with your key messages. It can be delivered both virtually and face to face. Kate can also deliver optional workshops alongside the speech to ensure your delegates can immediately begin to apply the ideas.
Interested in booking Kate for your next speaking engagement – contact us today and find out more.
Find out more about the book
Winning Together: An Olympic-Winning Approach to Building Better Teams
Winning Together explores the extraordinary journey of the GB women’s hockey team – and what trust, inclusion and shared purpose can unlock in any team. Co-authored by Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh, it’s a practical and deeply human guide to building teams that perform when it matters most.
"Kate Richardson-Walsh delivered an incredible keynote speech at our event. Kate was able to convey the power of trust, teamwork and working towards a shared goal in a way that felt real."
Louise Shepherd, Head of Culture and Communication, Stowe Family Law