Shazam Co-Founder, Tech Investor, Former Head of Banking Innovation at Virgin Money & Visionary Entrepreneur
Dhiraj Mukherjee’s Biography:
Dhiraj Mukherjee is a technology entrepreneur, investor and internationally recognised keynote speaker best known as the Co-Founder of Shazam. From a simple idea conceived in 2000, Dhiraj helped build Shazam into one of the world’s most successful consumer technology platforms, achieving more than 100 billion song recognitions and over one billion downloads before its acquisition by Apple for $400 million in 2018. Today, he is a leading authority on artificial intelligence, innovation, leadership and future trends, working with corporate and government leaders to help them navigate rapid technological change. His unique perspective combines entrepreneurial success, investment expertise and practical experience scaling global businesses.
Dhiraj began his career as a consultant at Bain & Company before holding senior strategic roles across technology, media and international development. During his early career, he worked with organisations including Save the Children, Reuters, Bauer Media and Infosys. He later became Head of Banking Innovation at Virgin Money, where he developed partnerships with fintech startups and led innovation initiatives. Alongside these roles, he remained deeply involved with Shazam, helping secure venture capital funding, guiding strategic growth and serving on the board throughout the company’s journey.
Recognised as one of Europe’s Top 50 Technology Entrepreneurs by the Financial Times, Dhiraj has built a portfolio of more than 250 investments across AI, fintech, healthtech, climate technology and social impact ventures. His investment portfolio includes early backing of OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, alongside numerous emerging technology businesses. He holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and has advised major organisations including UBS, Eli Lilly, Unilever and PwC on innovation, digital transformation and future strategy.
As a speaker, Dhiraj delivers highly engaging keynotes that blend compelling stories from Shazam’s growth with insights gained from investing in hundreds of technology companies. His presentations explore topics such as artificial intelligence, workforce transformation, innovation culture, sustainability and future-proofing organisations. In recent years, he has become particularly known for helping audiences understand how emerging technologies, climate innovation and changing generational attitudes will shape the future of business and society.
Why Hire Dhiraj Mukherjee?
Dhiraj Mukherjee is hired to help organisations understand what is coming next and how to respond with confidence. Drawing on his experience building Shazam, investing in more than 250 technology startups and advising global corporations, he delivers practical insights on AI, innovation and leadership. His keynotes, including ‘How to Anticipate the Future’, ‘Tech, Green & Youth: AI and Emerging Tech’ and ‘High Stakes: Why We Are All Impact Investors’, have been presented to audiences worldwide, including major events hosted by Google, Santander, Tech Nation and leading international conferences.
Dhiraj Mukherjee‘s Career Highlights:
Here are some of the key milestones that define Dhiraj Mukherjee’s remarkable career:
- 2025 – Presented ‘High Stakes: Why We Are All Impact Investors’, encouraging business leaders to adopt long-term sustainable thinking.
- 2025 – Delivered ‘How to Anticipate the Future’ for organisations including Google, Santander and Tech Nation.
- 2024 – Expanded his investment portfolio beyond 250 startups across AI, fintech, healthtech and social impact sectors.
- 2023 – Marked Shazam’s 25th anniversary, celebrating more than 100 billion recognitions worldwide.
- 2023 – Delivered ‘Secrets of Shazam’s Success’ at the House of Lords and the Real Madrid innovation summit.
- 2023 – Became Ambassador for Tech Nation’s Climate Programme, championing climate-focused entrepreneurship.
- 2018 – Helped complete Apple’s $400 million acquisition of Shazam, one of the UK’s most notable technology exits.
- 2000 – Co-founded Shazam, pioneering mobile music recognition technology and transforming how people discover music globally.
Videos
Dhiraj Mukherjee’s Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“Dhiraj’s inspiring stories and authenticity resonated really well with this senior audience. The feedback from guests was incredible; his friendliness, humour and humility were especially highlighted.” – Jonathan Groom, Product Marketing, Google
“Dhiraj delivered an exceptional presentation on the role and potential of generative AI in the financial services industry. Dhiraj explored the transformative impact of generative AI with both clarity and vision, sparking thought-provoking discussions and inspiring fresh ideas. From the moment he took the stage, he captivated the audience with his dynamic and energetic delivery. His deep expertise, combined with a natural ability to simplify complex concepts, kept everyone engaged and left a lasting impression. We received amazing feedback from his session, being the preferred one amongst all the audience.” – Elena Martinez, VP Mastercard Europe, Mastercard
“Dhiraj’s insights were incredibly useful especially where every business is having to think differently and embrace technology like never before during this unique time.” – Alex Wicks, Global Head of Partnerships, Real Madrid FC
“It was an absolute pleasure to host Dhiraj Mukherjee at our event in Paris! He brought a wealth of insight, experience and authenticity to the room, with a thought-provoking keynote that was not only engaging but truly inspiring – sharing his story of building Shazam from a bold idea into a globally recognized tech success was both fascinating and deeply motivating. Dhiraj has a rare ability to connect visionary thinking with real-world application. His reflections on the evolution of technology and the role of AI left a lasting impression on our audience. We are incredibly grateful for his time and insights, and look forward to seeing how he continues to shape the future of tech!” – Sophie Cooley, BCG
“At our recent annual Connect25 conference, Dhiraj’s session stood out as a clear highlight for attendees. While the backstory of Shazam was a great hook, it was Dhiraj’s insights on AI as an evolving space that really resonated. Given his investment in OpenAI we knew that he could credibly speak to this topic, and he didn’t disappoint. His ability to relate to the audience and challenge us to stay curious and adaptable landed particularly well, sparking conversations long after the session ended. Thanks Dhiraj for a great session!” – Naomi Pedlaw, Marketing Communications Manager, CarTrawler
“We invited Dhiraj as a keynote speaker for the Google App Academy, an online learning program for small app developers from Central and Eastern Europe. Dhiraj shared his very own story of building a Shazam that was truly inspiring and motivating for the small developers wishing to reach such success one day with their own apps. His story was a great kick off for the whole program and was very well received and generated lots of questions from the audience. On the personal note, I’d like to highlight how easy it was to communicate with Dhiraj and how flexible he was given the very short notice we were in. Definitely recommend him as a keynote speaker for any big conference or event!” – Orest
“Common challenges do cut across industries. Dhiraj’s insights on models, platforms, app economics, innovation, timing, and resilience, greatly boosted us in our own digital transformation journey!” – Marc Fontaine, Chief of Staff, Airbus
“We invited Dhiraj as a keynote speaker for the #GEN2021 event which is a business and digital event. Dhiraj shared his story about creating a Shazam, which was a real inspiration for all the participants. All visitors were delighted to hear his speech and interact with him. As an extra challenge, he gave his talk entirely in French, and it was a real success. On a personal level, Dhiraj is very accessible, extremely humble and smiling. He was a real revelation to all of us, both personally and professionally. I strongly advise you to invite him to your event, you won’t be disappointed!” – Alix
“Dhiraj gave the keynote speech at our 25th UK Technology Fast 50 awards dinner, to a crowd of 100+ founders of high-growth VC-backed companies. Great speech – engaging, great storyteller, fascinating look-back over the Shazam days, and very personable. Would highly recommend.” – Ducann Down, Partner, Deloitte
Speaking Topics
Dhiraj Mukherjee’s Official Keynote Topics:
- Leadership In the Age of AI
- How to Adapt to the Future
- Building the Workforce of the Future
How Much Does Dhiraj Mukherjee Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Dhiraj Mukherjee?
Dhiraj Mukherjee’s speaking fees typically reflect his exceptional career and international demand. Engagements vary depending on location, format, and duration; keynote appearances, conferences, and international events may command higher fees due to travel and preparation requirements.