John Amaechi OBE

John Amaechi OBE is a leading organisational psychologist and the Founder of APS Intelligence Ltd. He is trusted by global organisations to help leaders build environments where sustained excellence is possible. John’s expertise sits at the intersection of leadership psychology, organisational design and performance under pressure, focusing on how cultures, behaviours and systems either enable or limit results. A Chartered Scientist and Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, he is widely respected for translating complex behavioural science into practical strategies that elevate individual and team performance.

John’s career began in elite professional sport, where he built a pioneering career as the first British player to establish himself in the NBA. Competing at the highest level of international basketball demanded discipline, resilience and constant improvement, shaping his early understanding of what it takes to perform consistently under scrutiny. Transitioning from sport into consultancy, John founded APS Intelligence, where he began applying the lessons of elite performance to business, leadership and organisational life. This shift allowed him to explore how mindset, accountability and culture determine whether teams merely function or truly excel. John is also a Professor of Leadership at the University of Exeter Business School, a Research Fellow at the University of East London, a Non-Executive Director of Greencore and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, a Training Partner of the NHS Leadership Academy and a Trustee of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

John’s authority in high-performance leadership is reinforced by the senior advisory and governance roles he has held across major organisations and public bodies. He has served on the Diversity & Inclusion Board of Sanofi, the Inclusive Leadership Board of KPMG UK, the Inclusion Advisory Panel at Tesco and the Commissioner’s Ethics Committee of Greater Manchester Police, helping organisations align ethical leadership with performance outcomes. He was also a member of the LOCOG Diversity Board for the London 2012 Olympic Games, advising on performance culture at a global scale. He is also a bestselling author of three books, ‘Man in the Middle’, ‘The Promises of Giants’, and most recently, ‘It’s Not Magic’.

As a high-performance speaker, John is compelling because he challenges leaders to rethink what excellence truly requires. He reframes high performance as a product of everyday behaviours, psychological safety and courageous leadership, rather than pressure alone. His talks inspire audiences to take ownership of standards, make better decisions under stress and build cultures where people can perform at their best consistently. Combining elite sport experience, evidence-based psychology and board-level insight, John equips leaders with the mindset and tools to achieve sustainable high performance in demanding, fast-moving environments.