Matt Sims is an internationally recognised authority in Lean leadership, operational excellence and high-performance cultures. Labelled an underachiever at school, Matt faced early challenges with anxiety and mental health that could have held him back — but instead became the fuel for a meteoric rise from the mailroom to the boardroom. Now, with over 25 years of experience architecting and leading change, transformation and continuous improvement at household names including Royal Mail and Amazon, Matt brings a charismatic presence, unmatched credibility and authentic insight — all underpinned by a grounded, people-first approach that drives real, measurable culture change.
Starting his career on the front line and rising to executive level, Matt has shaped global functions across operations, continuous improvement and learning and development. He holds elite credentials including a Lean Master Black Belt and a Lean Six Sigma Post-HBO Black Belt. He is a graduate of the World Class Manufacturing Academy, and the creator of The Bridge to Inspirational Leadership — a proven, practical high-performance framework used by leaders across industries to build cultures of excellence.
In 2025, Matt received two major honours: the BQF Excellenteer Award, presented by HRH The Princess Royal at Wembley Stadium, and a Global Recognition Award™ for visionary leadership and transformative global impact. He has delivered talks on some of the most respected stages, connecting with audiences across industries and leadership levels. He is the host of the multi-award-nominated Ever-So-Lean Podcast, streamed in over 115 countries, where he shares real-world stories, leadership insight and conversations with global voices in leadership, improvement and change.
Beyond speaking, Matt is passionate about developing capability. He is the founder of the Ever-So-Lean Learning Series — a suite of fully accredited development programmes for professionals — and Ever-So-Lean Rising Stars™, an innovative initiative introducing Lean thinking to the next generation aged eight and up. If you're looking to energise your event, equip your people, or embed a culture of continuous improvement, book Matt to deliver talks that energise, inspire and drive action.
Books
The Emergence of an Unexpected Leader: From Adversity to Influence: An Inspiring Journey of Growth, Leadership, and Continuous Improvement
Building the Bridge to Inspirational Leadership: A Guide to Leading for High Performance
Matt Sims' official speaker topics are listed below:
- Business Transformation & Culture Change
- Learning & Development Strategy
- Leading Through Disruption
- An Entrepreneurial Mindset
- Operational Excellence & High Performance
- Leadership - High Performing Teams
- Communication & Generational Diversity
- Podcasting as a Platform for Growth
- Risk Taking to Support Growth
- Mailroom to Boardroom: A Career Against the Odds
- Leadership Excellence: Empower Your Teams
- Mastering Communication: The Art of Impactful Diverse Leadership
- From Boring to Binge-Worthy: How to Make Business Podcasts Fun and Engaging
Living with Anxiety: A Personal Journey of Balance and Resilience
Living with anxiety can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to define you. In this talk, I share my journey of learning to live with anxiety, the challenges I’ve faced, and the tools that have helped me turn anxiety into a powerful catalyst for growth.
Key Takeaways:
1. Reframing Anxiety: Shift your perspective on anxiety and recognise it as part of your experience, not a limitation.
2. Practical Tools for Balance: Discover techniques like exercise, boundary-setting, and self-compassion to manage anxiety and stay grounded.
3. Support and Self-Awareness: Learn how understanding your triggers and building a support network can help you navigate anxiety confidently.
Success and Mental Health: Finding Success in the Struggle
Mental health challenges don’t have to stop you from achieving your goals. In this talk, I’ll share how I’ve balanced managing mental health while building a successful career. It’s an honest discussion about breaking the stigma, overcoming adversity, and creating a career that aligns with your well-being.
Key Takeaways:
1. Authenticity in Success: Learn how embracing your struggles strengthens connections and redefines success.
2. Prioritising Well-Being: Explore strategies for balancing mental health with career goals, including setting boundaries and managing stress.
3. Thriving Through Adversity: Discover how to turn challenges into opportunities for growth and long-term success.
Both talks offer actionable insights and real-life strategies for overcoming challenges and thriving—whether it’s living with anxiety or balancing mental health with a successful career. I’d love to bring these messages to your team, event, or organisation!
High Performance: The Bridge to Inspirational Leadership
This talk introduces the Bridge to Inspirational Leadership, a values-based framework designed to help leaders build sustainable, high-performing teams. Using the analogy of a well-constructed bridge, the framework is founded on four key pillars: Respect for People, Authenticity, Engagement, and Empowerment.
Through practical examples, attendees will learn how these core values create a resilient leadership foundation that develops trust, collaboration, and motivation. The session also explores strategies for continuous learning, improvement, and turning challenges into growth opportunities, providing leaders with actionable steps to inspire and guide their teams toward lasting success.
Key Takeaways:
1. Core Values as Leadership Foundations: The four pillars create a stable, high-trust environment that motivates teams.
2. Commitment to Continuous Improvement: Leaders who encourage ongoing growth enable teams to adapt and innovate.
3. Turning Challenges into Opportunities: By involving teams in problem-solving, leaders can transform setbacks into valuable learning experiences.
Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Adapting and improving continuously is essential for staying competitive and achieving long-term success. This talk will explore how to build a culture of continuous improvement within your team or organization. We’ll dive into practical strategies to engage employees, foster innovation, and create an environment where small, consistent changes lead to significant progress. Whether you’re a leader, manager, or team member, you’ll learn how to drive improvement at all levels, ensuring sustained growth and resilience.
Key Takeaways:
1. Engaging and Empowering Employees: Understand the importance of involving team members in the improvement process and learn how to empower them to take ownership of change.
2. Establishing a Growth Mindset: Discover how to create a culture where continuous learning, adaptability, and innovation are encouraged and rewarded.
3. Practical Tools for Continuous Improvement: Gain actionable techniques and tools to implement small, consistent changes that drive efficiency, reduce waste, and boost performance.
Organisational Transformation: The Alchemy of Success
Transforming an organisation is like turning lead into gold—it requires vision, strategy, and the right combination of elements to create lasting change. This talk will unpack the essential components of successful organisational transformation, from reshaping culture to driving strategic initiatives. We’ll explore blending leadership, innovation, and employee engagement to turn challenges into
opportunities and build a thriving, agile organisation that’s right in the goldilocks zone of high performance. Whether leading a transformation or navigating through one, you’ll gain insights on how to catalyse success and sustain it over the long term.
Key Takeaways:
1. Vision-Driven Leadership: Learn how clear, inspiring leadership can set the direction for transformation and unite teams around a common goal.
2. Harnessing Innovation and Agility: Discover the importance of embracing change, fostering creativity, and building an adaptable organization that thrives amid shifting landscapes.
3. Engaging People for Sustainable Change: Gain strategies to engage and empower employees at all levels, ensuring that transformation efforts are embraced, supported, and sustained throughout the organisation.
Effective Communication & Generational Diversity
The workplace today is more diverse than ever before, and effective communication across generations is crucial for collaboration and productivity. This talk explores the unique traits, values, and communication styles of age groups, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z, and how to bridge the gaps between them. You’ll learn how to adapt your communication approach to engage and motivate people across generational divides, ensuring that your message resonates with teams. Whether you’re leading a multi-generational team or collaborating across age groups, this session provides insights to enhance understanding and cooperation.
Key Takeaways:
1. Understanding Generational Differences: Gain insights into the values, expectations, and communication preferences of different generations, helping you connect more effectively.
2. Adapting Communication Styles: Learn practical strategies to tailor your communication to engage and motivate teams of all ages, fostering inclusivity and collaboration.
3. Creating a Cohesive Team Culture: Discover how to bridge generational gaps, promote mutual respect, and build a cohesive team environment where diverse perspectives are valued and high performance conditions are created.
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
"Among many Podcasting programs which focus on the Lean and the next generation of optimized manufacturing systems, I find Ever-So-Lean Podcast to be on the top. Matt is truly a master in producing well-structured and scientifically founded interviews with the leading experts on the topic. Matt's ability to cover all aspects of lean effects in an organization and his attention to useful details of continuous improvement is second to none." – Michael, OCM Sensei & Quantum Lean Grand Master, Consultant
"Matt's ability to captivate and educate his audience is exceptional. Whether he is hosting his podcast or presenting at a conference, his style is consistently engaging, passionate, and seemingly effortless. This approach not only makes complex topics accessible but also deeply resonant. At our recent event, Matt masterfully connected with the audience, delivering insights that were both thought-provoking and immediately applicable. What sets Matt apart is his unique blend of authenticity and expertise. His presentations go beyond mere information sharing; they inspire and provoke meaningful change. This rare quality has made a significant impact on my professional development and, undoubtedly, on that of many others." – Polina, Change Analyst, Luminate, Leeds City College
"Matt spoke at our annual Continuous Improvement event. He is one of the most engaging speakers. I watched as the audience leant in as he spoke, all captivated by his enthusiastic delivery style. I recommend listening to his Ever-So-Lean podcast, spreading the word globally of the benefits in embracing a continuous improvement / operational excellence ethos and culture. I can’t recommend Matt highly enough and firmly believe he’d bring a sprinkle of magic to any endeavour." – Jayne, Head of CI, STFC RAL Space
"I just had to collaborate with him and invited Matt along to host our annual internal awards which was a huge success. He was well received among our guests and understood the audience, which was truly impressive. As well as having great professionalism, conversations I've had with Matt have shown that his interest in Lean is truly authentic, asking us lots of questions about our business and how we deploy our Lean management. Working with him has been easy from start to end and would happily recommend." – Sarah-Jane, Continuous Improvement, Smiths Group Plc
"I was taken back with Matt’s energy, knowledge, and insight on why lean works, and how to make it work. If you ever get the chance to have Matt speak for you, his presentation will be nothing short of premium." – Paul, President, Fast Cap & Author ‘2 Second Lean’
"Matt came to speak at a team development event I arranged. Matt was great; it was an hour-long engaging presentation and relatable for the delegates at the event. There was really positive feedback from delegates who enjoyed the presentation, and they have advised that it has inspired them to do more learning and think more about how they can apply the principles shared in their roles going forward (which is exactly what I hoped Matt’s presentation would achieve). Matt’s just a generally really upbeat, friendly, relatable, and professional person who is adaptable and listened carefully to meet the brief (and also offered advice and input). It was a pleasure to work with him on this event, and I would definitely consider booking him again!" – Beck, Director of Training Program Management, NHS England
"Matt delivered a hugely engaging session as part of an employability roadshow we offered to a group of young adults. I was massively grateful to him, and his energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge will truly inspire the people he met." – Ian, National Schools Manager, Kingswood Learning & Leisure Group
"Matt is an amazing podcaster and speaker. When my book was published, I recorded many podcasts with a multitude of hosts. Matt stood out as one of the top podcasters that I spoke with." – Lynn, Author & Change Director
"The power in Matt’s panel speech was that 'success' has many measures, and salary is only one of them. He talks from the heart in a highly engaging and inspiring way, sharing his love of podcasting, and his people skills shine through. He was a wonderful speaker for this audience and I hope he will return. I would recommend him as a speaker." – Kathy, Employment Officer, University of Kent
“Matt delivered a hugely engaging session as part of an employability roadshow we offered to a group of young adults. I was massively grateful to him and his energy, enthusiasm and knowledge will truly inspire the people he met.” - Ian, National Schools Manager, Kingswood Learning & Leisure Group
"Matt brings a unique combination of energy, professionalism, and deep knowledge to the table. His ability to simplify Lean concepts while keeping the conversation light and engaging is truly impressive." - Jan, Vice President, Head of Process Transformation
"I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Matt at a speaking event in Cork, and I was genuinely impressed by his clarity of message and the way he connected with the audience. His keynote delivery was not only engaging but also deeply authentic, weaving storytelling seamlessly with powerful insights. Matt's ability to make complex concepts relatable, particularly through the 'Bridge of Inspiration Leadership' framework, left a lasting impact. His approach is both inspiring and practical, providing actionable takeaways for leaders and teams alike. I wholeheartedly recommend Matt as a speaker who brings relatability, authenticity, expertise, and real value to his audience." - Nicola, Career & Executive Coach
"Matt is an engaging speaker, who covers all the important aspects of starting your own business, and particularly the leadership skills that requires. Highly recommend." - Warren, Lecturer at University of Roehampton
"Matt's a dynamo! He has huge responsibility for continuous improvement and lean and still manages to run a professional-level podcast. As you can hear he is high energy and makes his podcasts both deep in content and exciting. I much enjoyed working with him." - Jeffrey, Global CI Icon
“IHG brought together all the Finance leaders from our Leased and Managed hotels across Europe, the theme of the conference was Waste Busting and how we in Finance can add value by eradicating waste and non-value processes. Matt facilitated a keynote and full day session helping us all to see and recognise the wastes, his passion, enthusiasm, and above all his engaging delivery help deliver a conference which was full energy. The only two things that we asked our leaders to come with was an open mind and curiosity, Matt certainly open their minds and they all left the wonderful InterContinental Malta with a great deal of curiosity about busting the wastes. We have now asked Matt to look at supporting us over the next 12 months in delivering this change making project, using Lean Six Sigma to improve our Guest experience, colleague engagement and owners returns. Would have no hesitation in recommending Matt not only for his leadership in Continuous Improvement but also helping lead a culture change to deliver great outcomes for customers, colleagues, and owners. P.S. Doing the Yes No game live in front of 80 colleagues was the most terrifying, exhilarating and above all fun thing I have done at any conference!!!!!!” - Neil, Finance Director, IHG Hotels & Resorts
- 2025 – Received a ‘BQF Excellenteer Award’ from HRH the Princess Royal, for contributions to Business Excellence
- 2025 – UK Excellence Awards 2025 - ‘Finalist Excellence in People Development & Engagement’
- 2025 – Published ‘Building the Bridge to Inspirational Leadership: A Guide to Leading for High Performance’
- 2023 – Nominated 'Best Host', UK Podcast Awards
- 2023 – Nominated 'Best Business Podcast', UK Podcast Awards
- 2024 – Published ‘The Emergence of an Unexpected Leader: From Adversity to Influence: An Inspiring Journey of Growth, Leadership, and Continuous Improvement’
- 2024 – Launched Ever-So-Lean Rising Stars Program™ - Accredited Leadership & Continuous Improvement Education for 11 years and up
- 2024 – Founded Ever-So-Lean Learning Series – Accreditations in Lean and Six Sigma
- 2022 – Launched Ever-So-Lean Podcast – Now a leading platform in 112 countries
How to hire Matt Sims
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Matt Sims for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
