Kate Richardson-Walsh OBE

An inspirational and charismatic leader, Kate Richardson-Walsh OBE has been widely credited for helping build the incredible team ethos and commitment that drove the GB team to a nail biting victory at the Rio Olympic Games.

In winning Gold, Kate also made history in other ways, becoming one half of the first same-sex married couple to win an Olympic medal playing in the same team.

Having retired from international hockey after Rio, Kate turned her experience towards coaching, encouraging the grassroots development of the game and applying the leadership, team and performance lessons of a career in elite sport.

Kate is also an experienced motivational speaker. During the 17 years of playing elite level of hockey, she experienced soaring highs and crushing lows, and playing in teams that were operating at their very best, and those that had deep structural issues and struggled to function.

Taking these experiences into the corporate space, Kate shares the key processes and behaviours that have underpinned the successful teams she has been a part of. The collaborative process to establish a shared team vision, values and behaviours that everyone feels ownership of, and the self-knowledge that each individual within the team developed, empowering them to give their very best to the collective cause.

She touches on the roles, awareness, leadership responsibilities and resilience of individuals within the team structure and shares some of the psychological tools they equipped themselves with and how this affected team cohesion. She also addresses the differences in the team and how they leveraged on this as a strength.

Kate is a highly experienced speaker who can pull out themes and stories to adapt to your brief—from keynotes at leadership conferences to interactive workshops with teams. Kate has worked with a wide range of clients including Barclays, Freshfields, Unilever and Roche, delivering impactful, relevant content across the UK and internationally.

Kate’s Topics:

• High-Performance Teams & Culture Transformation: After finishing 11th out of 12 at the 2014 Hockey World Cup, the GB Women’s Hockey Team underwent a remarkable culture shift that ultimately led to Olympic gold in 2016. Kate, as captain, shares the strategies behind that transformation—how to build a winning mindset, develop team-wide accountability, and embed values and behaviours that unlock collective potential. Ideal for organisations navigating change or aiming to elevate performance through culture.
• Authentic Leadership: Kate offers a compelling view of authentic leadership in action—rooted in empathy, resilience, and trust. Kate, captain for 13 years and chosen by her teammates, reflects on vulnerability, leading under pressure, earning trust, and navigating setbacks. Her experiences offer valuable lessons for today’s leaders seeking to foster inclusive, high-trust environments.
• Resilience & Sustained Performance: With an 18-year international career, Kate understands the demands of staying at the top in uncertain environments—balancing performance expectations with limited funding, job insecurity, and mental health challenges. Their insights help teams manage pressure, embrace uncertainty, and maintain focus through adversity.
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Having made history as the first same sex couple to win Olympic gold in Rio, Kate speaks authentically about the value of inclusion and psychological safety in unlocking individual and team performance. She shares how being able to bring her whole self to the team environment helped her thrive—and how organisations can create similarly inclusive cultures. Her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, inclusion across the board and visible leadership has had a wide-reaching impact in sport and beyond.
• Leading Through Values: The GB team’s success was not just about tactics—it was built on values that were built by the team, for the team. Kate demonstrates how shared values drive alignment, resilience, and accountability across teams. Her message on the importance of translating values into living and breathing behaviours, habits and processes will resonate in all environments.
• Mental Health & Wellbeing: Kate’s experience with poor mental health and psychotherapy throughout her career is shared honestly and candidly. The importance to give time to recovery and preparation in high performance is an often overlooked piece of the excellence puzzle.
• Women’s Leadership & Representation: Kate’s role as captain and ambassador for women’s sport offers a strong example of female leadership in action. She speaks at major forums sharing perspectives on overcoming barriers, building confidence, and championing equity in leadership. Relevant for organisations investing in gender diversity and talent development.