Riaz Meghji

A friendship changed the trajectory of Riaz Meghji’s career. At 22, with a secure path in investment banking laid out in front of him, a friend challenged him to spend one year pursuing something different: storytelling.

That single conversation set Riaz on a path that would span two decades of television hosting, a bestselling book, and a stage career built around one core idea: human connection is a skill, not a personality trait, and it can be taught.

Building Extraordinary Relationships

Riaz is the author of “Every Conversation Counts: The 5 Habits of Human Connection That Build Extraordinary Relationships,” and his insights have been featured in Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and Financial Post. As a broadcaster with 17 years of experience hosting CityTV’s Breakfast Television, MTV Canada, CTV News, and TEDxVancouver, he has interviewed figures ranging from Tom Cruise to Salman Rushdie, developing a rare ability to draw out authenticity in any conversation.

From Camera to Stage

That same skill now shapes his keynotes. Riaz translates two decades of on-camera interviewing experience into practical, research-backed habits that help leaders and teams combat isolation, build trust, and create real engagement at work. He holds a business degree from Simon Fraser University and studied leadership communication at Harvard Extension School.

Meeting planners book Riaz Meghji as a keynote speaker for organizations ready to move beyond small talk and build a culture rooted in genuine connection.

What does Riaz Meghji speak about?

Riaz Meghji delivers keynote presentations on innovation, human connection, and business transformation. His talks focus on how intentional communication practices drive organizational change, strengthen team dynamics, and build extraordinary customer relationships. Drawing from his award-winning research and bestselling book Every Conversation Counts, Riaz teaches audiences the five core habits of human connection that measurably improve business outcomes, employee engagement, and leadership effectiveness.

What is Riaz Meghji’s background?

Riaz Meghji is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, author, and strategic advisor who has spent two decades studying how organizations build cultures of genuine human connection. His research on conversation practices and relationship-building has informed strategy for Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and government agencies. He is the author of Every Conversation Counts: The 5 Habits of Human Connection That Build Extraordinary Relationships, a bestseller that translates behavioral science into actionable frameworks for leaders and teams. Riaz combines academic rigor with practical storytelling to make complex organizational psychology accessible and immediately applicable.

Who books Riaz Meghji to speak?

Meeting planners book Riaz Meghji for corporate leadership conferences, sales kickoffs, team offsites, and association events where building high-trust cultures and intentional communication are strategic priorities. He is particularly sought after by technology, financial services, and professional services firms navigating rapid change or transformation initiatives. His talks resonate with audiences focused on employee retention, customer experience, and sustainable business growth through human-centered leadership.

Human Connection & Leadership:  Every Conversation Counts- Building Extraordinary Relationships in our Changing World of Work

In an age of polarization, disconnection, and shallow substitutes for real relationships, every leader needs to know how to build and maintain meaningful relationships with clients and teams alike in our changing world of work.

Drawing from Riaz’s years of broadcast experience interviewing established leaders in business, entertainment, and innovation, audiences will gain the following insights:

• Spark real, authentic conversations to make meaningful connections, personally and professionally
• Earn trust and build inclusive cultures, as you listen without distraction and make your small talk bigger
• De-escalate conflict and collaborate effectively by leading with assertive empathy
• Craft and tell compelling stories that will motivate your audience to take action
• Explore the questions that create breakthrough moments in any conversation

Sales: Relationships First– How to Use Authentic Connection to Grow Sales

It’s no wonder that sales often get a bad rap. In a world of dwindling authentic connections, it’s easy to see sales as the least authentic interaction of all. But this doesn’t have to be the case.

By transforming the way they and their teams interact with customers, sales leaders can forge more human connections that lead to dramatically improved sales and outcomes.

• Spark real, authentic conversations to make meaningful connections, personally and professionally
• Earn trust and build inclusive cultures, as you listen without distraction and make your small talk bigger
• De-escalate conflict and collaborate effectively by leading with assertive empathy
• Craft and tell compelling stories that will motivate your audience to take action
• Explore the questions that create breakthrough moments in any conversation

Human Connection: Your Competitive Advantage in Customer Service

Customer service isn’t just about fixing problems. It’s about forging relationships with your customers that go beyond an initial transaction. Great products help launch companies. Great customer service sustains them for long-term success.

Discover Riaz’s secrets to customer service that forge lasting passion, and engagement with your brand.

• Discover how every customer interaction is an opportunity for connection
• Teach customer service leaders how to listen without distraction, banish directionless small talk, and more
• De-escalate customer conflict and drive effective collaborations
• Lead with assertive empathy in every customer service exchange

The Connected Leader Workshop: Keynote Add-On

This workshop is an immersive experience giving leaders and teams permission to get connected in a safe space. Drawing from the communication tools delivered in the keynote, attendees are given prompts to practice empathetic curiosity, active listening and are inspired to get vulnerable, as they discover who their teammates really are outside of work.

The reflections shared by audiences are inspiring, moving and ignite stronger collaborations that break through silos, allowing organizations to win as one unified team.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• Deepen workplace relationships with openness and vulnerability
• Learn key questions to ask to lead with empathetic curiosity
• Observe the non-verbals that convey the meaning behind personal messages
• Share personal discoveries, victories and breakthroughs by holding space for your peers
• Create an unforgettable team building experience that will inspire a more collaborative culture