Culture & Collaboration Keynote Speaker | Celebrated Documentary & award nominated Stage Show Producer | Inspiring 1M+ People Worldwide.
5.00 of 5
Top rated!5 of 5
Doug’s work is an excellent way to bring people together, enhance awareness, develop emotional intelligence and explore agility and leadership behavior.
PROFESSOR JAMES DOWD, Managing Director of Executive Education
Harvard Business School
For over 25 years Doug Manuel has transformed teams with the living wisdom of West Africa. Blending powerful storytelling, live drumming and immersive exercises his keynotes ignite empathy break silos and unite people into connected tribes. From Fortune 500s to TED Global Doug inspires and equips audiences with rhythm resilience and purpose.
Doug Manuel doesn’t just talk about collaboration—he creates it live, in real time.
For over 25 years, Doug has lived, worked, and drummed alongside villagers in rural Senegal—where collaboration isn’t taught, it’s lived. Drawing on the timeless wisdom of these West African communities, he delivers unforgettable keynotes that spark purpose-driven engagement, ignite empathy, and turn disconnected teams into connected tribes.
A former BBC documentary producer turned globally sought-after speaker, performer, and humanitarian, Doug has inspired audiences at Fortune 500 companies, TED Global, and even shared the stage with Oprah. His interactive keynotes blend powerful storytelling, live drumming, and embodied group exercises that get people out of their silos and into rhythm—both literally and metaphorically.
Doug’s award-nominated stage show Do You Speak Djembe? toured internationally, captivating audiences from Paris to Chicago. He is now returning to film with his documentary Beats As One—a moving exploration of how ancient African wisdom can heal the epidemic of loneliness in our modern world.
From intimate executive retreats to arenas of thousands, Doug’s sessions are immersive, energising, and unforgettable. His work leaves people not only inspired but equipped with a deeper sense of connection to themselves, their teams, and the world around them.
If your event is ready for more than a keynote—if it’s ready for a heartbeat—Doug Manuel delivers.
5 of 5
Doug’s work is an excellent way to bring people together, enhance awareness, develop emotional intelligence and explore agility and leadership behavior.
PROFESSOR JAMES DOWD, Managing Director of Executive Education Harvard Business School
5 of 5
Doug has gone from wanting to share a passion for Africa and the djembe drum, to a consultant and social entrepreneur. Today he is dedicating his life to the discovery of what leadership is all about.
PROFESSOR GILBERT PROBST, former managing director The World Economic Forum
5 of 5
The event was extraordinary. It helped reinforce team spirit, and generate synergies.
JUAN CARLOS PRIETO SAPLA, Accenture Resources Partner
5 of 5
I have been impressed by Doug’s ability to deliver on promise and drive an audience of over 600 people to team up and achieve what seemed totally impossible to everyone of them before.
MICHEL CLEMENT, Senior Director Oracle EMEA
5 of 5
An excellent experience and demonstration of teamwork and cohesion, he also helped us address the importance of clear communication.
PETER VAN BLADEREN Nestlé Research Centre
5 of 5
Doug’s sessions break down barriers and help us to look at business issues from a different angle.
SEAN MEEHAN, Dean of Faculty IMD International
5 of 5
Doug enabled us to really work at being a team, providing immediate benefit to our business.
MARTYN BALE, Director Shell International
5 of 5
So much energy was created as Doug did what he does best. Created a room full of achievement, success, creativity and love.
SALLY FIRTH Novar plc
5 of 5
The participants from the Management Group Seminar really appreciated your performance.
ANTONIN FOTSO, Training Director Total
Keynote by Doug Manuel:
A highly interactive keynote to engage and unite
In a time when disconnection and disengagement threaten organizational culture and agility, this immersive workshop-style keynote reignites belonging and collaboration—no instruments required, just people and presence.
Born during the 2008 financial crisis as a powerful metaphor for achieving more with less, The Solo distills connection to its essence: voice, body, and shared intention. Over nearly two decades, Doug has honed this format with audiences ranging from intimate groups to 3,500-strong corporate settings. Through reflective engagement and small‑group facilitation, participants rediscover purpose, build trust, and experience an immediate surge of collective energy that lasts long after the session ends.
Keynote Takeaways:
Reignite belonging and purpose in your team or organization
Connect deeply without relying on technology or props
Embrace agility and collaboration through creative simplicity
Discover shared human values that transcend roles and cultures
Keynote by Doug Manuel:
A shared experience to connect and collaborate
When teams are siloed, hybrid, or overwhelmed, it takes more than words to unite them. The Drums brings unity through the most primal technology—the drum—transforming fragmented groups into a single, rhythmic pulse.
This signature experience, which launched Doug’s career, has been delivered across the globe—from China and India to the US and Europe. When every participant holds a drum, the result is instant connection: one rhythm, one team. Even the most skeptical audience members emerge with newfound trust and a visceral reminder that collaboration is built on shared human rhythm, not talk.
Keynote Takeaways:
Shatter silos and foster immediate human connection
Build trust and communication across diverse teams
Experience the unifying force of collective rhythm
Leave energized, aligned, and ready to collaborate
Keynote by Doug Manuel:
The ultimate unifying experience
Some events demand more than insight—they require transformation. The Show fuses live music, storytelling, and participatory drumming to not just inspire—but to make every audience member a co-creator of the moment.
Drawing on the acclaimed show Do You Speak Djembe?—a favorite of Oprah at her 3rd SuperSoul Sessions—this keynote morphs your audience into the stars of a powerful, custom-tailored performance. With world-class musicians joining the stage, participants learn, play, and connect through rhythm, experiencing firsthand the power of collective spirit in motion.
Keynote Takeaways:
Forge unity among diverse groups with an immersive performance
Ignite team spirit through rhythm, story, and high-impact design
Reinforce your values through a fully customised, sensory-rich experience
Leave with shared energy, purpose, and an unforgettable memory
Watch Doug Manuel in action
