Kay de Gier-Formanek is passionate about diversity and how it drives societal and business performance when key barriers are removed. Having grown up in South Africa and assuming international leadership roles, Kay has first hand developed a deep appreciation of the gifts of diversity.

Kay is invited as an inspiring plenary speaker worldwide by companies who wish to untap the benefits of diversity within their organisation and deliver business performance. Kay is highly regarded for her authenticity and for delivering memorable and inspiring presentations that are characterised by the use of anecdotes, personal experience and always with a strong research basis. Kay has delivered plenary speeches on many different diversity topics, including the following themes:

• How diversity unleashes key benefits to your organisation
• Diversity and Leadership: For diversity to drive performance, leadership is key
• Unconscious Bias: the glass ceiling to diversity initiatives
• Being Authentically Me: why we feel compelled to wear mantles to work, but by doing so deny the benefits of our diversity
• Re-kindling your childhood dreams: by embracing your childhood dreams, you reconnect to your strengths

Kay de Gier-Formanek is founder of KAY Diversity and Performance B.V., a global company specialised in unleashing the benefits of diversity such as improved innovation, creativity, wellness of staff and bottom line performance (ROI, ROE et al).

For more than 27 years Kay has partnered with profit and non-profit organizations to shape their diversity programs and drive performance outcomes. Her roots are in South Africa where she was exposed to the societal and business impact of retarding diversity and studied the manner in which diversity can be unleashed to drive recovery and business transformation.

Now settled in Europe (The Netherlands), Kay conducts research on diversity and performance, has collaborated on books on diversity, is a much sought out speaker on the subject, offers executive coaching to Executive Boards and leaders, shapes leadership development programs,

and works with leadership to institute changes which will realize improved business performance.

Prior to founding KAY Diversity & Performance in 2014, Kay was managing director in Accenture leading the Accenture Life Sciences Practice in Europe, Africa and Latin America with Profit and Loss Responsibility. Before assuming this role Kay worked across a number of industry sectors such as Health and Life Sciences, Retail, Consumer Goods and Financial Services holding industry and client leadership roles for Accenture during her 24-year tenure at Accenture.

Hand-in-hand with these roles, Kay held the roles of Diversity & Inclusion lead for Accenture in NL, assumed the role of Coaching Partner in the global Accenture Leadership & Development Program and participated in the design and rollout of the Accenture Unconscious Bias Program.

The golden thread in Kay’s professional and private sphere has been her passion to unlock unique talent in organizations and to sponsor leadership and diversity. It is this unique passion and experience that Kay now brings to KAY Diversity & Performance. B.V.

Kay is based in The Netherlands, married and mother to 3 children. She is committed to the recovery of societies brutalised by war in fragile states and is Vice-Chair to HealthNet TPO. Kay is an avid sportswoman and is a keen horse riding enthusiast.