British Airways Captain & Former RAF Royal Squadron Pilot, Entrusted with Piloting HRM The Queen & TEDx Speaker
Matt Lindley’s Biography:
Matt Lindley is a highly accomplished professional known for fusing elite military service and high-level commercial aviation with pioneering advocacy in diversity and human performance. He is currently a British Airways Captain on the Boeing 777, but is perhaps most famously recognised as a former RAF Royal Squadron VIP Captain, having flown Her Majesty The Queen and the UK Prime Minister. He leverages this experience, along with his roles as founder of Propel Performance and Partner at Verpora, to translate critical, high-stakes aviation lessons into actionable strategies for corporate audiences on leadership, safety, and human factors.
Lindley’s professional career initially began in the corporate world as a Japanese Management Consultant at the Ford Motor Company in 1994, focusing on operational efficiency. He quickly transitioned to achieve his lifelong ambition, being selected as an RAF Fast Jet Pilot in 1995. Despite the official ban on LGBTQ+ personnel at the time, he rose through the ranks and was selected for the prestigious Royal Squadron in 1999, becoming a VIP Training Captain. This role saw him responsible for flying the Royal Family and the UK Prime Minister, alongside serving in high-risk deployments across Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sierra Leone.
After a decorated RAF career, Matt transitioned to commercial aviation in 2007, becoming a Boeing 747-400 Airline Pilot for British Airways. Simultaneously, he significantly expanded his influence into performance consultancy. He founded Propel Performance and became Partner & Head of Human Performance Factors for Verpora. In these roles, he applies aviation safety models and Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles to reduce human error in corporate and high-risk environments, drawing directly from his expertise flying the Boeing 777 as a current British Airways Captain.
As one of the first openly gay pilots in the RAF, Matt is a powerful voice in inclusive leadership and diversity, becoming a leading Diversity & Leadership Keynote Speaker. His personal journey of navigating a conservative environment while serving in silence is a core element of his talks, providing a compelling case for authenticity, mental health, and the importance of a ‘speak-up culture’ in all organisations.
Why Hire Matt Lindley?
Matt Lindley offers a truly unique perspective on leadership, safety, and inclusion, validated by his widely viewed TED Talk on the psychology of ‘speak-up’ culture. Fusing his experience as an elite RAF VIP Captain and current British Airways Pilot, he translates the critical “Lessons from the Flight Deck”, covering human error, decision-making under stress, and flat hierarchies, into powerful corporate strategies. As a diversity pioneer, he also delivers an essential, deeply personal message on mental well-being, authenticity, and inclusive leadership for high-performing teams.
Matt Lindley’s Career Highlights:
Below showcases Matt Lindley’s inspirational career highlights throughout the world of darts:
- 2025 – Appointed Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee for a major international aviation body, influencing global policy on inclusive workplace culture.
- 2021 – Delivered a widely viewed TED Talk on the psychology of ‘speak-up’ culture, drawing on lessons from aviation and national security.
- 2020 – Began flying the Boeing 777 as an Airline Pilot for British Airways, further expanding his commercial fleet experience.
- 2019 – Became Partner & Head of Human Performance Factors for Verpora, consulting on safety and error reduction in corporate sectors.
- 2013 – Founded Propel Performance (Director since 2012) to deliver performance training based on aviation safety models.
- 2007 – Transitioned to commercial aviation, becoming a Boeing 747-400 Airline Pilot for British Airways.
- 1999 – Selected for the elite RAF Royal Squadron, becoming a VIP Captain responsible for flying The Queen, Royal Family members, and the Prime Minister.
- 1995 – Selected as an RAF Fast Jet Pilot, achieving a lifelong dream despite the ban on LGBTQ+ personnel.
- 1994 – Worked as a Japanese Management Consultant at the Ford Motor Company, focusing on organisational performance and efficiency.
Videos
Matt Lindley’s Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“It was brilliant – he was great, super engaging and people were hanging on his every word, even on Zoom! Have had some great feedback already, so we are really pleased.” – Charlotte, Vice President, Operations Control Management, J.P. Morgan
“The delivery by Matt was exceptional, his take on his experiences in the RAF really hit the mark and his humour/story telling was appreciated by so many. From those that I have discussed this with they were extremely impressed with his presentation, there was so much contained within it that it really gave food for thought on how the RAF was then and how it is now. His range was truly amazing from his sexuality, his drive and motivation, mental health and leadership (being able to listen) everyone listening was able to take something from it. Truly remarkable and in all honesty I so glad we could have him deliver for us.” – Paul, RAFC Cranwell
“A very informative presentation – it was highly enjoyable learning about experiences from other industries and how lessons learnt elsewhere can be applied in the legal workplace.”
“I really enjoyed it. I was (honestly) quite sceptical about this topic but I found it really helpful.”
“Matt is a very engaging speaker who really knows his stuff – he uses diverse case studies across sectors to illustrate his points expertly well. I left the training as if I had really learnt something.”
“A refreshing and engaging training session dealing with some of the softer skills which are often overlooked by the industry.”
“I cannot recommend Matt highly enough. He talked to the Close Brothers community about his journey and it resonated incredibly well with all colleagues, not just those from the LQBQT community. His candour and honesty really connected with people, and the ties with wider mental wellness and resilience were incredibly topical given the current pandemic. His humour shone through and it was one of the best received external speakers we have had to date. A thorough recommendation…” – Martyn, Atkinson Group, Chief Operating Officer
“I was fortunate enough to listen to Matt speak at a recent LGBT diversity and inclusion event. Matt shared his own journey as a gay man growing up and achieving his dream to be a pilot which took him the macho world of the RAF and how throughout this time he kept his sexuality bottled. He was able to thread into this the impact that sustained stress and stressful events can have on your performance and if left unchecked the catastrophic outcomes that can result. He sincerely described how having to hide one’s sexuality is a significant source of sustained stress in one’s life providing a compelling reason why being inclusive is so essential to avoid this unnecessary situation. It also served as a reminder that each and everyone one of us faces stress and stressful situations everyday whether it be about being LGBT, a difficult family situations, illness the list goes on and reminded me how embracing diversity and being supportive of each other is beneficial to our overall well-being.” – Brad, Royal Bank of Canada
“The event went amazingly well – and Matt was brilliant! We have already received great feedback and everyone was pleasantly surprised with how broad his presentation was as well.” – Lillie, Convex Insurance
“I wanted to please express my thanks to Matt Lindley for his impactful session with our ND function, at EDF. We’ve had some really positive feedback.” – Kim, Inclusion & Wellbeing Lead, EDF Energy
“Matt delivered an exceptional and emotional talk that connected with every member of our audience.” – Sarah, Head of Learning & Development, NHS Trust
“Inspirational, insightful and thoroughly engaging – Matt’s story sparked meaningful discussions across our leadership team.” – David, Director, Mars Pet Care
“Matt was the highlight of our conference. His mix of vulnerability and expertise was truly powerful.” – Emily, HR Manager, The Home Office
“A brilliant speaker with an important message – professional, articulate, and emotionally resonant throughout.” – Tom, Senior Editor, The New York Times
Speaking Topics
Matt Lindley’s Official Keynote Topics:
- Inclusive Leadership and Authentic Self
- Human Performance & Error Reduction
- Decision-Making Under Extreme Stress
- Lessons from the Flight Deck
- Mental Health and Resilience
How Much Does Matt Lindley Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Matt Lindley?
The cost of hiring Matt Lindley varies depending on your event format, location and speaking requirements. For an accurate quote tailored to your needs, please contact a London Keynote Speakers Agency booking agent for expert guidance.