International keynote speaker
Interactive keynotes and workshops on resilience, AI, communication and storytelling. Help your people win buy-in and move forward through change.
27
countries across 5 continents
12
best-selling books in 6 languages
TOP 10
communication experts globally (Global Gurus, 2025)
Teams I’ve worked withGucci· J.P. Morgan· TikTok· EY· Sony Pictures· Amazon· FedEx· Bristol Myers Squibb· Sun Life· AIA· Citi· HKU
Innovation, trust and growth don’t happen by accident.
They happen when the right conversations happen within your teams.
As a conference keynote speaker and corporate motivational speaker, I help those conversations happen by focusing on three practical skills: curiosity, courage, and communication.
I’m an introvert turned global keynote speaker and corporate trainer. I’ve worked with leaders in 27 countries, with innovative companies like Sony Pictures, TikTok and Gucci.
I’ve written 12 bestselling books, translated into 6 languages, and created a storytelling framework now taught at Harvard Business School.
Some clients book me for one keynote. Others bring me back for workshops and follow-up sessions, so the ideas turn into habits. Either way, we start by talking about your people and what change you’re trying to create.
Tell me the date and who’ll be in the room. I’ll come back with ideas for your keynote.
Every keynote I give on resilience and change is built on three skills. I call them the 3 Cs.
1
When things change fast, the people who do well stay curious. They ask better questions, experiment, and are willing to be a beginner again.
2
What holds most people back isn’t knowledge. It’s identity. Change asks them to stop being the person who knows the answer and become the person who’s willing to try.
3
The most important conversation is the one you have with yourself. The next most important one is with your team.
Curiosity+Courage+Communication
=
Teams that thrive through change
Each keynote runs 45 to 90 minutes and is built around your audience. Here’s where most clients start.
For teams wondering how to keep up with all the change without being overwhelmed. Practical tools for resilience, curiosity and clear communication.
Keep up without being overwhelmed, talk about new tools with confidence, and have bolder conversations when nobody has all the answers.
Turn data and ideas into stories people remember, and lead with clarity when the message matters most.
Start with a keynote. Go deeper with corporate workshops.
Keynotes are 45 – 60 minutes, and designed to help your audience think differently. Workshop runs from 3-hour sessions to multi-day programs, in person or online. Most of the time in the workshop goes to practice: your team applies the tools, in the room, on the spot.
Pitch frameworks, vocal presence and executive presence, plus how to think on your feet when the questions get tough.
Turn technical detail and data into stories that win decisions, buy-in and budget.
Understand what drives client decisions, spot hidden resistance, and close bigger deals without sounding salesy.
Lead team conversations with clarity and confidence, even when you don’t have all the answers yet.
A program of short sessions that turns resilience tools into team habits over weeks, not one afternoon.
Private coaching for leaders with a big presentation, pitch or town hall coming up.
+54%
pitching skills
+47%
story selling skills
+53%
confidence across key skills
Measured before and after my sales and communication training for clients in Asia-Pacific and globally.
“We hired Akash for our Asia-Pacific, European and North American conferences and he was a big hit! Our team could not get enough!”
Kevin Kelly, President, Stampede Global
90%
repeat and referral booking rate from corporate clients across 27 countries
01
My keynotes and workshops are built to change what people do the next day. At EY’s facilitators summit, participants rated my session 4.87 out of 5.
02
I share tools grounded in real evidence, proven to work for businesses and teams like yours. I’ve spent 15 years studying, and teaching, behavioral change.
03
Before I became a keynote speaker and trainer, I was a Chief Commercial Officer. I led a team that won two KPMG awards for being one of the fastest-growing mid-sized companies in the country.
04
I’ve been booked by Gucci, Sony Pictures, EY, J.P. Morgan, TikTok, Sun Life and AIA. FWD rated my session 4.8/5. At HKU, 100% of survey respondents said they’d recommend it.
05
Sessions are highly interactive. Your team is fully engaged, and practicing and applying each tool right away. Whether it’s a keynote or workshop, expect high levels of audience engagement.
06
I have a 90% rebooking rate, which is one of the highest in the industry. I pride myself on being easy to work with, and I work hard to make the keynotes and workshops the best sessions your team has ever attended.
“
Akash delivered true value and insights to our executive team. Highly recommended.
Marco Bizzarri, CEO, Gucci
“
Technical excellence alone won’t carry us anymore. We need stronger presence, better storytelling, and deeper client relationships. Huge thanks to Akash Karia for showing us how to close bigger deals faster through story and confidence.
Andrew Heng
Group Managing Partner, Baker Tilly
“
I had the pleasure of taking two of Akash’s workshops at Bristol-Myers Squibb. His workshops were by far the best workshops I’ve ever attended.
Lisa Elkin
Bristol Myers Squibb
“
Akash captivated and electrified our audience, delivering an exceptionally invigorating session with high audience engagement. Our post-session survey revealed a resounding consensus, with 100% of respondents enthusiastically stating that they would recommend this program to others.
Maryam Hejazinia
HKU Careers Office, The University of Hong Kong
“
This is my second time training with Akash. The improvement in my communication skills is amazing—I highly recommend him for corporate training.
Laila Ali
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Government of Dubai
“
One of THE best trainings I’ve had. It really moves you further with your communication skills.
Lucas Miescicki
Market Logistics Director, Mars Wrigley Confectionery
“
Provided real value! Still continue to get positive messages from the conference. People actually changed what they do.
David Cipullo
Group Management Board & VP Brands360, Infront Sports & Media AG
“
Over my 20+ year career, I’ve attended dozens of communication sessions, and Akash’s has been the best.
Chad Waraksa
Bristol Myers Squibb
“
Akash came into our conference 2 years in a row and refocused and re-energized us!
Mark Coxon
Milestone
“
As a neurodivergent individual, I find it hard to connect with speakers and often lose concentration, but Akash had me fully engaged!
Anisha Johal
EY
“
A very engaging, interactive and vibrant session that’s rooted in research and evidence. It is testament to how well Akash did that he was invited back for more sessions.
Taha Khan
PharmD, MS
“
Akash delivered true value to our global team… Relevant insights and tools we can implement immediately in the market!
Mark Butterman
Director, Infront Sports
I’ve worked with leaders in 27 countries. These are the places I speak and train most often:
Home. Sun Life, AIA, Citi, FWD, J.P. Morgan, EY, Sony Pictures and HKU have booked me here.
Keynotes and workshops for Singapore teams and the regional conferences held there.
TikTok Philippines sessions on Pitch Mastery here were rated a perfect 5.0 out of 5.
Tell me where your event is. I travel across Asia-Pacific and beyond.
1
The date, the audience, and what your people are facing right now.
2
We talk about your goals, and I shape the stories, examples and activities around your team.
3
An interactive session in person, hybrid or online, with a panel or Q&A included for keynotes.
4
Optional: follow-up workshops or short virtual sessions, so the ideas turn into habits.
Akash Karia is a Hong Kong-based keynote speaker, corporate trainer and the author of 12 bestselling books. He runs keynotes and workshops on resilience, AI, communication, storytelling and sales for teams across Asia-Pacific. Global Gurus ranked him one of the Top 10 communication experts in the world in 2025.
Keynotes: resilience and change, thriving with AI, bold conversations, storytelling for leaders, influence and sales, high-performance habits and wellbeing. Training: public speaking and presentation skills, business storytelling, sales and value selling, and leadership communication.
Yes. Training runs from 2-hour sessions to multi-day programs, in person or online, and most of the time is spent practising. Some clients add short virtual sessions after a keynote so the ideas turn into habits.
Akash is based in Hong Kong and speaks and trains across Asia-Pacific, including Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Australia. He has worked with leaders in 27 countries.
Yes. Akash delivers keynotes and workshops in person, hybrid and fully virtual. In hybrid sessions, he makes sure the people online are just as involved as the people in the room.
Book at least 2 weeks before your event. Popular dates go earlier, so get in touch as soon as you have a date in mind.
Tell me the date, the audience and what your people are facing right now. I’ll come back with ideas for the keynote and let you know if I’m free.
Prefer email? akash@akashkaria.com
Booked by teams at Gucci, J.P. Morgan, TikTok, EY, Sony Pictures and Sun Life
