Championing leadership that starts with empathy and ends in action.
Trusted by
Tony McGaharan is the CEO and founder of People Playbook, an established leadership speaker, Podcast host, and a certified Coach—both on and off the basketball court.
A Belfast native and former Googler, Tony’s approach blends global experience with a deep passion for people development. He’s spent years supporting teams to connect better, perform smarter, and lead with heart.
As a Leadership and Team Development expert, Tony delivers keynote speaking in a unique and personable way.
Tony’s keynotes aren’t just lectures—they’re engaging experiences. With a gift for storytelling and a no-jargon, human-first approach, Tony brings leadership lessons to life in a way that’s refreshing, relatable, and ready to act on.
Keynote topics are delivered through an accessible approach, with Tony’s sense of humour and distinctive ability to connect to his audience.
Listeners leave with actionable steps and the confidence to turn inspiration into something tangible.
Whether you’re a start-up scaling fast or a global brand rethinking culture, Tony meets your team where they are—then challenges them to go further.
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“Tony is thoughtful, dynamic, and deeply relatable. Whether hosting or speaking, he delivers purposeful and practical content that resonates. He supports leaders with actionable insights they can apply right away. His adaptability to the crowd and situation ensures the best possible outcome every time” Lee Moore - Vice President, Google Cloud
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“I’ve been genuinely impressed by the way Tony leads — especially how he listens, collaborates, and brings a sense of levity and creativity to every interaction. Tony has a real gift for cutting through the noise to focus on what truly matters: aligning on success, asking thoughtful questions, and infusing play into the process” Monica Bi - Senior Lead, Learning & Development at Squarespace
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“I have known Tony and his work for many years, and have consistently been impressed by his professionalism, thoughtfulness, and impact. Tony and his team have a clear strength in designing events that are not only engaging in the moment but also drive lasting impact” Jasmine Fitzpatrick - Global Learning & Development Manager at Fifa
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“Tony has delivered many learning and development sessions for different levels of leaders and team members within our organisation. No matter the audience, he’s able to make the content both relevant and engaging, while also keeping it fun and memorable” Flick Williams - Vice President, People at TravelPerk
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“Tony delivered a keynote for an event we hosted for start-ups. It was energetic, fun, and informative, providing key take-aways for attendees on how to create strong start-up teams. Tony is an engaging speaker and adapted intuitively to the context of the event, to my delight, over delivering on the aims” Hannah Cummings - Program Manager at Catalyst
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“Tony McGaharan is a fantastic MC. He brings a level of energy, insight, and professionalism that truly elevates the experience. Our teams consistently describe him as engaging, well-prepared, and dynamic. He kept the crowd interested, created an interactive atmosphere, and helped to spark energy in a room full of our engineers” Paula McBrien - L&D Manager at Energia
