Tom Crawford

In a career spanning 30 years and over 30 countries, Tom Crawford understands what it takes to make an organization thrive, particularly through and for its people. He wholeheartedly signs up to the maxim that people come to work not employees.

Through his day to day work he is helping diverse global organizations shape culture and leaders which are not only high performing but respectful and above all mentally positive at the same time. He does not see these as contradictory ambitions, and can explain how and why.

Tom lives by the principle that to not look at mental wellbeing whilst creating a high performance environment is to neglect a critical duty of care. As a leadership expert and someone living with a significant mental health issue, he can coach, guide and educate on how to balance meaningful performance management and mental respect in the same work environment.

As he says, if we wouldn’t punch someone in the face, why would we batter their psyche? For Tom, the mind and the physical body should have equal status but don’t. Changing that and helping leaders and organizations achieve open, stigma free cultures when it comes to mental well being is why he comes to work. Even when his mental health means that he has a mountain to climb in order to do so. In frankly telling his story, about building a successful career in and out of corporate world whilst managing undiagnosed bipolar 2, Tom can pull on the heart strings and the conscience of most people, whilst leaving them with tangible advice with which to lead a more mentally positive life as a person, colleague and family member.

Culture-change expert Tom is our resident big thinker and astute questioner. As a former HRD at Deloitte and Head of Internal Comms & Engagement in several blue chip organisations, Tom has an in-depth understanding of how to implement diversity & inclusion strategies which actually work.

After making the decision to leave corporate world in order to protect his own mental health, he has gone on to consult with clients including Zurich, UBS, Chemring, Deloitte, Aga Khan Development Network and KPMG. Tom is passionate about mental health in the workplace and believes that an openness about mental health is often a litmus test for how inclusive and accepting an organisation is more generally.

An eloquent and engaging presenter, Tom hosts his own podcast, Hysterionics, in which he interviews friends and colleagues from across the corporate world about all things talent and leadership. He’s the author of two novels and has recently published ‘Breaking The Glass Floor’, which relates his own mental health journey.

Tom has lived in the UK, the US, Germany and India and is now based in France with his husband David and their dogs.

Specialises in...