Former CEO of Relentless Group & MD of Social Chain, 2x LinkedIn Top Voice & Host of the “I Shouldn’t Say This, But…” Podcast
Katy Leeson is a dynamic marketing leader, entrepreneur, and growth coach, widely recognised for her ability to scale brands and build engaged communities. Often described as the “female Simon Sinek”, she has carved out a career at the intersection of marketing, leadership, and purpose-driven growth.
Katy began her career in 2005 as an Account Manager at Feather Brooksbank, before joining MediaCom North in 2010. Over five years, she progressed from Senior Account Manager to Business Development Controller, and later Head of New Business & Marketing. During this time, she developed a strong commercial foundation, leading strategic growth initiatives and building high-performing teams.
In 2016, Katy joined Social Chain as Operations Director, working alongside Steven Bartlett. She played a pivotal role in scaling the business from a 30-person start-up into a global marketing powerhouse. As UK Managing Director from 2017, she helped grow the company to over 750 employees across 24 international offices, contributing to its rise as a £300 million industry leader.
In 2022, Katy became CEO of Relentless Group, the media company founded by Gary Neville. Here, she led major projects including the growth of Salford City FC’s media presence, transforming its fan engagement strategy. She also played a key role in launching The Overlap and driving the success of “Stick to Football,” helping the platform grow to over 1.6 million subscribers and achieve industry recognition.
Alongside her executive roles, Katy has worked as a fractional CMO for fast-growing brands including NADINE MERABI, Luxe Collective, and Glowwa, before stepping into a Marketing Director role at NADINE MERABI in 2024. That same year, she expanded her impact as a Growth Coach and Consultant, supporting founders and leaders to scale with clarity and confidence.
In 2025, Katy co-founded Blank Space Content Studios, and in 2026, she published Energy Aligned Goals 2026, a practical workbook designed to help individuals set meaningful, sustainable goals.
Her influence extends beyond business. Katy has been recognised as a LinkedIn Top Voice, a Campaign Female Frontier Honouree, and one of Business Live’s 22 Women in Leadership. With a growing audience of over 70,000 on LinkedIn, she continues to shape conversations around leadership, growth, and modern marketing.
Why Hire Katy Leeson?
Katy Leeson is hired as a keynote speaker for her rare blend of commercial success and honest leadership insight. Having scaled a business from 30 to 130 people while increasing revenue by 650% in six years, she speaks from direct experience, not theory.
Her talks focus on building high-performing cultures, navigating imposter syndrome, and leading modern, multi-generational teams with clarity and confidence. She brings practical frameworks drawn from real challenges, from hiring for cultural fit to setting boundaries that protect long-term performance. Katy also tackles burnout and productivity, reframing them as organisational design issues rather than personal failings. For example, she shares how redefining team expectations improved both output and wellbeing during rapid growth.
Audiences value her openness and actionable advice, reflected in Katy Leeson’s official 4.9-star event feedback rating. She leaves leaders with clear, usable strategies to build stronger teams and more sustainable success.
- VIDEOS
- TESTIMONIALS
- SPEAKING TOPICS
- COSTS
“Honestly, Katy was just incredible, the whole presentation was motivational, inspiring and uplifting. I know myself and our teams really resonated with her message and are so grateful for Katy being so flexible as we ran slightly behind schedule.” – Sasha, UK Retail & Education Coordinator, Charlotte Tilbury
“We were delighted to have Katy Leeson speak at our first global event with an external guest, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Katy was incredibly engaging, down to earth, and created a space where our employees felt comfortable opening up and contributing to the conversation. Her session on imposter syndrome really resonated — particularly the message that this is something so many people experience, and that no one is alone in it. She shared practical, actionable tips that our employees can take forward in their day-to-day roles, making the session both inspiring and genuinely useful.” – Gema, Senior Talent Associate, Lowe Rental Ltd
“Katy was a hugely popular choice as our keynote speaker at this year’s MarketEd.Live event, Creative Climate. Many attendees told us they were at the event because Katy was speaking, which is great from an event organiser’s perspective, because you never really know. As the curator, I always like to ensure the sessions are a good fit for our audience, and Katy was very open to this. We met to go through our community, what they enjoy and what our objectives were. This is refreshing, as many speakers are only interested in reproducing their standard talk. On the day, Katy allowed time for questions and was challenged on some ideas articulated in the talk. It was fantastic to hear her respond positively and engage with delegates who were truly able to take something away. Thank you, Katy.” – Paul, CEO, Like Mind Media
“I can confidently say Katy made me better, both personally and professionally… She drilled dedication, discipline and diligence into me in a way that wasn’t just nurturing, but effective. Hands down, one of the most important people I’ve worked with…” – Harrison Taylor Oldham
“I left the session thinking I will doubt myself less and to focus on what I am good at.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Great topic, however for me it was maybe a bit early in the programme to be reflective.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Katy was a very charismatic and inspirational speaker, and I found what she had to say very interesting.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Brilliant, very relevant to myself.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“What a fantastic speaker, got the room talking. The imposter syndrome topic was really empowering.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Very engaging, leaving people questioning themselves and how to improve dealing with this subject. An uplifting presentation.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Great session, lots to take away and work with. Interesting to hear that her workplace offered therapy, which I’ve tried myself and know how much of a difference it can make.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Food for thought.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Really good session, really lifted the audience.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Incredible energy from the speaker, it really resonated.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Had attended a course the week before on the same topic. It would be useful to have more advice on overcoming lack of self-confidence when faced with conflict and struggles.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Very informative and enjoyable session.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“This was a really interesting subject and gave me things to think about.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Really inspiring and insightful session. I will practise the skills and use them moving forward.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Excellent session, I found this very relevant to my experience.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Really liked the presenter, very engaging and reflective. It got us thinking.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Helped me realise imposter syndrome doesn’t disappear, it comes back in moments of doubt. Useful to know others go through it too.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“One of the three best presenters. I would love to see her presentation slides.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Very relevant and shows that we all need confidence sometimes.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“It was interesting to hear about imposter syndrome and how it was addressed.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
“Great session from Katy. The subject clearly resonated with colleagues around the room.” – Attendee, HMFA Event
- What I Learned Scaling a Team from 30 to 130 & Revenue by 650% in Six Years
- Overcoming Imposter Syndrome – How to Turn Your Biggest Fear into Your Biggest Motivator
- Bridging the Generational Gap – Learning Together Across Ages
- Sustainable Performance – Why Burnout is a Design Problem, Not a Personal One
- From Work-Life Balance to Work-Life Blend – Designing How Work Actually Works
- Sustainable Performance in the Modern Workplace – From Balance to Blend
The cost of hiring Katy Leeson depends on your event format, location, duration and any travel requirements. For an accurate and tailored quote, please contact a SpeakOut booking agent for expert guidance.
