Keynote SpeakersJohn Vincent MBE is Co-Founder of LEON, the naturally fast food chain.
John co-founded LEON with Henry Dimbleby in 2004 to make it easier for everyone to eat well.
Previously, John had worked as a strategy consultant for Bain & Company, where his business travels made him realise that the only available food on the go was making everyone fall asleep and wake up fat!
With the declared aim to create “a McDonalds in heaven”, and working with chef Allegra McEvedy, John and Henry opened the first LEON on Carnaby Street in 2004.
Shortly after it was awarded ‘Best Newcomer’ at the Observer Food Monthly Awards.
John took over Leon’s day-to-day operations in 2014. He led the menu innovations and has co-authored several Leon cook books.
By 2021, LEON had grown to around 70 outlets and was acquired by EG Group.
John co-authored the School Food Plan for the UK Government in 2013, which persuaded the Government to put cooking back on the curriculum and provide free school meals for all infants.
He was awarded an MBE in 2015 for his services to school food.
John is married to TV newscaster and presenter Katie Derham, with whom he has two daughters.
John Vincent is a naturally gifted presenter, bringing humour, charm and a sharp business brain to any conference or meeting.
John Vincent Speaking Themes:
Leading Through Uncertainty with Calm, Clarity, and a Bit of Humour
In a world where crisis can strike without warning, John Vincent teaches leaders how to anticipate the unexpected and respond with purpose instead of panic. Drawing from his experience leading LEON through national terror attacks, the COVID-19 lockdown, and complex government collaborations, John shares actionable principles that helped his teams stay grounded under pressure. With his sharp insights and trademark humour, John explores how leaders can navigate uncertainty without sacrificing compassion.
Wellbeing That Works: How Real Wellness at Work Protects Teams and Drives Performance
John Vincent was an earlier pioneer of workplace wellbeing. He’s led wellness retreats and other programs for his entire LEON team. In this talk, he breaks down how a truly human approach to wellbeing isn’t just nice to have – it’s essential to resilience, safety, and productivity. John makes the case that investing in wellbeing pays off in the most measurable (and unexpected) ways.
Seeing the Whole: How Systems Thinking Can Change Your Business—and Maybe the World
John Vincent has spent his life joining the dots – from philosophy and economics to fast food, government, and environmental policy. In this talk, he unpacks the power of systems thinking: the ability to see beyond silos and short-term fixes, and design solutions that actually stick. Whether he’s talking about redesigning school food across the UK, launching nature-based initiatives with big business, or challenging reductionist thinking in public health, John reveals how seeing the whole leads to better outcomes for people, profit, and planet.
