Business Strategist, Founder of ChoiceOdds, Former Comedy Writer & Author of ‘The Set Up’ & ‘The Inside Job’

Felix Riley is a business strategist, writer and founder of ChoiceOdds, recognised for his rare ability to bridge creativity, finance and high performance thinking. With a career spanning the creative industries, high finance, natural resources and technology, Felix brings a uniquely multidisciplinary perspective to modern business challenges. A graduate in Mental Philosophy from the University of Edinburgh, he is now widely sought-after by organisations looking to unlock sharper decision making and innovation in the age of AI. His work focuses on helping leaders and teams think differently, act decisively and perform under pressure.

Felix began his career in the creative industries as a comedy writer for BBC Radio 4’s Week Ending, later becoming a Script Associate and winning the BBC Radio Comedy Writers’ Bursary. He has also performed as a stand up comedian and contributed to leading UK radio programmes, including The Zoë Ball Radio 1 Breakfast Show, The Chris Moyles Show, The Rory Bremner Show, The 11 O’Clock Show and The Big Breakfast. He went on to create, write and produce Cross Talk for BBC Radio 4. In 2003, Felix transitioned into finance, joining Cantor Fitzgerald in London before becoming a regular media contributor across Bloomberg News, CNBC Europe and BBC Radio 5 Live. He later founded ChoiceOdds, scaling the business rapidly before selling it to MF Global within 15 months, where he remained as Managing Director and joined the Global Executive Board.

Throughout his career, Felix has achieved significant milestones across multiple sectors. He served as Head Negotiator for the Kitwe Mines in Zambia, personally brokering copper mining agreements with President Rupiah Banda. As an author, he has published two thrillers, ‘The Set Up’ and ‘The Inside Job’, both inspired by the realities of global finance and crisis. He continues to write for television, with projects such as ‘Bad Blood’, ‘King of Detroit’ and ‘Good Cop’, exploring themes of morality, psychology and decision making in high stakes environments.

Today, Felix works with organisations across law, consultancy, the military, private banking, healthcare, housing, finance, charities and start ups. His sessions draw on real world experience to challenge conventional thinking and develop practical frameworks for better judgement, resilience and performance in complex environments.

Why Hire Felix Riley?

Felix Riley is hired as a speaker for his ability to translate complex, high pressure experiences into practical insights that drive performance. Drawing on careers in comedy, global finance and negotiation, he delivers engaging talks on decision making, risk and human behaviour. His storytelling is grounded in real events, making his sessions both compelling and credible. Felix has contributed to major broadcast platforms and his thought leadership reflects the depth of his experience, offering audiences clear, actionable strategies to think more effectively and perform with confidence in uncertain environments.