Chartered Civil Engineer, BBC Presenter, STEM Leader, Sustainability Advocate & Neurodiversity Speaker
Ayo Sokale’s Biography:
Ayo Sokale is a Chartered Civil Engineer, BBC Presenter and ICE Fellow, known for her ability to bring science, sustainability and inclusion to life for every audience. As a keynote speaker, Ayo combines technical depth with an engaging delivery shaped by her work in major infrastructure, broadcasting and public service. Her most recent milestone, achieving FICE status in 2025, reflects the influence she now holds across engineering and policy. She has become a trusted voice for organisations seeking clarity on the future of infrastructure, climate responsibility and the human side of leadership.
Ayo’s early pathway set the foundation for her multi-disciplinary career. She earned a Master’s in Civil and Coastal Engineering at Plymouth University where she also studied Mandarin and completed an exchange at Shanghai Maritime University. Alongside her academic work she developed her love for performance at Stagecoach Performing Arts, singing and dancing at Her Majesty’s Theatre. During this time she also became Miss Plymouth Galaxy and Miss Sussex, using pageantry to spotlight charity work and community volunteering. Joining the Environment Agency as a graduate engineer in 2016, she gained rapid recognition, signing off her training agreement early and earning a place as one of the ICE President’s Future Leaders, a programme that connected her with national engineering initiatives.
Her career since then has spanned engineering leadership, local government and media. Ayo became a Chartered Engineer in 2019, the same year she was elected as a Councillor and later appointed Deputy Mayor of Reading, a role that strengthened her commitment to community advocacy. In the Environment Agency she advanced through project management roles before becoming Project Team Manager and later Major Project and Programme Delivery Business Manager where she led transformative work on flood resilience and asset management. Alongside her engineering career she built a strong media profile, presenting for CBeebies, BBC Reel, BBC Bitesize and international documentary networks. She also expanded into entrepreneurship as Founder and CEO of her coaching-technology venture and reinforced her leadership credentials by achieving Chartered Manager status in 2025. Her recent appointment as Principal Engineering Manager in 2025 reflects her ongoing progression in major programme delivery.
Why Hire Ayo Sokale?
Organisations book Ayo because she helps people understand complex issues in practical, human terms. She speaks on sustainability, women in STEM, neurodiversity, diversity and leadership, drawing on real experience from engineering, broadcasting and public service. These topics matter for teams navigating change, culture and future planning. Ayo brings warmth, clarity and energy to every room and leaves audiences with ideas they can apply immediately.
Ayo Sokale’s Career Highlights:
Below showcases Ayo Sokale’s career in business and STEM:
- 2025 – Achieved Fellow (FICE) status at the Institution of Civil Engineers
- 2025 – Appointed Principal Engineering Manager, MOD Contractor
- 2025 – Became Chartered Manager (CMgr) and CMI Level 7 Leadership Certificate holder
- 2025 – Appointed ICE Policy Fellow
- 2024 – Patron of the Me2 Club, supporting children with additional needs
- 2023 – Finalist, Top 50 Women in Engineering: Safety & Security, Women’s Engineering Society
- 2023 – Founder & CEO, Tessellated Future Technology Ltd
- 2023 – Producer of STEM Content, Metis Communication Ltd
- 2022 – Project Team Manager, Environment Agency
- 2021 – Deputy Mayor of Reading Borough Council
- 2021 – Director & Executive Coach, Metis Communication Ltd
- 2021 – APM Member
- 2020 – BBC Television Presenter
- 2019 – Became a Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng MICE)
- 2019 – Councillor, Reading Borough Council
- 2019 – Co-Founder, Plastic Free Caversham
- 2017 – Named in The Independent’s Top 50 Women in Engineering Under 35
- 2017 – Selected as an ICE President’s Future Leader
- 2013 – Winner of Miss Plymouth Galaxy and Miss Sussex
Videos
Ayo Sokale’s Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“I want to express my thanks for your support in arranging Ayo to speak for us yesterday. The event was hugely successful and Ayo was truly inspirational! Could you please convey our thanks and appreciation to Ayo for a very engaging talk- feedback has been very positive” – Ruthline, Director of Scientific Services, Chameleon
“The most inspirational Civil Engineer I’ve met and I’m sure the pupils felt the same!” – Piggotts School
“Thank you so much for coming to our certificate presentation evening. It was an absolute pleasure to meet you and your words to our departing students hit exactly the right note in terms of inspiration and motivation.” – Langtree School
“Thank you so much for coming in to speak to my year group. I have had so much positive feedback from students and teachers alike. You are so inspiring and a fantastic role model.” – Highdown School
“Ayo was an excellent speaker for DVERSTY’s Intentional Engineering series, we were humbled to have her. She represented her experiences as a Chartered Civil Engineer and Councillor extremely well. Delivering her presentation so eloquently, Ayo gave our guests an insight into the DNA of Civil Engineering. We’d like to thank Ayo for encouraging everybody to use their ‘voice’ to challenge injustices seen in their environment” – Joanna, Co-Founder & Development Director, DVERSTY
“Very interesting- such a positive force of nature… people often say that change happens because people ‘stand on the shoulders of giants’. Today, I think we’ve all just met a giant!” – NHS Network Members
“Ayo, I just wanted to say thank you very much for the talk today. Your energy and passion was incredible and you brought some very valuable insights and practical tips, for which we are very grateful. I truly don’t know where you find the time to do it all, but the talk and what you are achieving was a real inspiration both for me personally and I know for the 120+ people listening in” – Paul, CEO, XPS
“It was a fantastic session, Ayo is so passionate and inspirational, creating some thought-provoking conversations and actions for our colleagues.” – UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
“Thank you so much for your support in getting our speaker session booked and organised. Ayo was fantastic and the session went down really well. Please extend my thanks to her for such a well-presented and well-rounded session, not only touching on race but also neurodiversity – a topic we presented earlier this year.” – Monty, Clear Bank
“You were TREMENDOUS! We have had so many people saying how inspired they were by you and what you said. Also how much they appreciated you sharing your personal experience and wisdom. The feedback has been overwhelming and all positive. We had 350 people on the call at different points, which is a great turnout for Arup. Thank you very, very much for taking the time to participate in the panel discussion. I am thrilled to have met you virtually. You made a hugely important and valuable contribution to making the event a success. We really appreciate it. Thanks on behalf of everyone at Arup who attended” – Andrea, Director Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Arup
“They were amazing. It was a really uplifting and motivational session and we were so happy they were able to join us. Please pass on our thanks to them both- hopefully they enjoyed it as much as we all did. Thank you for all your help in organising” – Alex, Arup
“Please can you pass on my thanks to Ayo. She led a fantastic session and had 100 people super engaged the entire time. Excellent content, excellent presentation and facilitation too” – Oju, People Operations Manager, Beacon
“Ayo’s presentation was definitely another success. Our audience totally loved her. Very inspiring and memorable. Thank you so much for such notable speakers” – Tolu, Facilities Manager Lead, NHS
“Please forward my thank you to Ayo, on behalf of the Catalent Swindon and CWN team. She did an incredible job this morning (even in the face of Zoom sound difficulties) and we’ve all left the call with her positive energy ready to #choosetochallenge!” – Halene, Technical Proposal Lead, Catalent Pharma Solutions
“Ayo did an incredible job this morning and we’ve all left the call with her positive energy ready to #choosethechallenge!” – Catalent & the City Women Network
“It was great – really engaging and I’m sure I can speak for our colleagues when I say we learnt a lot! Thanks for your help in arranging the talk today.” – Emily, Welsh Water
“I just wanted to say thank you so much for speaking to our learners today – it was a very inspiring and interesting talk!” – Chanida, The Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd
“Ayo’s session was very well received and we had some really positive feedback from the session.” – John, Raytheon
Speaking Topics
Ayo Sokale’s Official Keynote Topics:
- Career Mapping, Coaching and Personal Development
- Diversity and Valuing Difference
- Neurodiversity and Navigating the Workplace
- Social Commentary on Identity and Leadership
- Sustainability, Climate Resilience and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Women in STEM, Construction and Technology
How Much Does Ayo Sokale Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Ayo Sokale?
The cost of hiring Ayo Sokale varies depending on your event format, location and duration of appearance. For an accurate and tailored quote, please contact a London Keynote Speakers Agency booking agent for expert guidance.