Prior to starting up his own advising and speaking business, Hamish Taylor worked in management roles for some of the best-known global brands.
He was first a brand manager for Procter and Gamble and then a consultant for Price Waterhouse. He then moved to British Airways where he became their Manager of Brands (First, Concorde, Traveller, Club, Domestic), followed by two years at the Eurostar Group as their MD and then CEO of the channel tunnel rail operator. This latter job saw him voted the 1998 Rail Professional Business Manager of the Year. More recently, he has worked as the CEO of Sainsbury’s Bank, which saw a nine-fold increase in profit, and then as CEO and Board member of VISION Consulting.

In all of his positions, Hamish left behind a record of impressive business growth, triggered by his willingness to challenge the “normal” way of doing things. His ability to transfer ideas between sectors and industries saw him named the “Masterthief” by The Inspired Leaders Network.
Today, Hamish is in huge demand from global organisations, Governments, and business schools. His customer-centric messages inspire those at the forefront of the digital age, as well as teams and individuals looking to create more influence inside their organisations.
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Hamish Taylor – Keynote Speaker
Hamish is an energetic and humorous keynote speaker, merging his real-life experiences with an ability to inspire audiences with practical advice and tools.
He offers keynote talks, in-person and virtually, workshops, and moderating services. Whilst he has particular keynote talks, he can tailor to a variety of topics and levels.
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Hamish Taylor – Talk Topics
The Customer Promise: Hamish provides lessons in putting the customer at the heart of everything your department, or wider organisation, does. Audiences will learn:
– How concepts such as ‘soft insights’, ‘customer’s customer’, ‘customer expectations’, and ‘blank sheet of paper’ approach gave new insights that enable competitive advantage.
– How the ‘customer promise’ provides a simple leadership tool that places the customer at the heart of every individual’s – and the wider company – work.
– Implications for leadership and customer engagement
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Masterthief: Hamish Taylor talks about how important it is to “steal” ideas from outside of your industry. From yacht designers and Disney assisting BA, to rugby referees in banking risk management, it is vital to look for stimuli from outside your current environment. Audiences will learn:
– ‘The customer promise’ as your new starting point for masterthief approaches.
– How to steal ideas from unlike sources and apply them to your challenges.
– How to get the team onside for new ways of thinking.
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Playing Reverse Football: Lessons in making sure you take the organisation with you, to ensure that employees are engaged when things change. Audiences will learn:
– ‘The customer promise’ as a new simple leadership tool.
– Setting ambitions to drive innovative behaviour.
– Unlocking the potential of the whole organisation.
– Great communication is important, but other lessons are necessary, such as the power of ambition, ruthless simplicity, and customer-focussed organisational design.
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Hamish Taylor’s other speaking topics include:
– How can we drive more innovation in all aspects of our business?
– How can we be more effective in the way we manage change?
– How, as leaders, can we step change our performance?
– How can my organisation put the customer at the centre of everything?
– Marketing and branding
– Service Excellence
– Leadership
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To check fees and availability for customer insight and transformation speaker Hamish Taylor, contact Great Business Speakers on 0044 (0)1753 439289