The challenge for conference organisers

Whether you're kicking off a conference, running a leadership retreat or wrangling a room full of humans who’ve had too much coffee, there's a lot to manage.

I’m a speaker, author, leadership coach, and recovering lawyer who loves challenging smart audiences to get to the heart of what really matters.

People describe my talks as authentic, practical and light-hearted.

3 topics I regularly speak about


Leading in Complexity: 
Why Smart Leaders Ask More and Talk Less

In a world full of noise, pressure, and constant change, it’s tempting to lead by jumping in with answers. But that approach comes at a cost.

In this keynote, Paul McGregor explores the hidden cost of answer-driven leadership - from bottlenecks and burnout to disempowered teams and missed opportunities. Through stories and smart frameworks, he shows why asking better questions isn’t a soft skill but a survival skill.

If you’re leading in uncertain territory, struggling to align a busy team, or carrying the mental load of always needing to “know,” this session is your permission slip to lead differently. Expect clarity, lightbulb moments, and a better way to lead through the mess.


Stepping Up:
From Expert to Manager to Leader

You were great at your job: that’s why they promoted you. But no one told you the hard part wasn’t the work… it was the people.

Shifting from expert to manager to leader is one of the hardest moves to make. The skills that made you great in your field - knowing the answers, solving the problems - can start to work against you when you're leading others.

In this keynote, Paul McGregor unpacks why the transition is so tough (and so common), and what to do about it. You’ll walk away with a fresh take on leadership, practical tools to make the shift smoother, and a few “oh wow, that’s me” moments along the way.

Ideal for new managers, reluctant leaders, or anyone still trying to shake the urge to fix everything themselves. 


The Curiosity Advantage: 

How Questions Create Impact

Curiosity isn’t just for kids; it’s one of the most underrated tools in leadership today.

But somewhere between meetings and metrics, our curiosity gets buried under all the busyness. We stop asking, start assuming, and wonder why things get stuck.

In this story-filled keynote, Paul McGregor explores the power of curiosity at work. You’ll hear stories about grumpy crocodiles, toddler tantrums, and bullying workmates... but really this is about how to listen, connect and build understanding in a world where we're all talking, but hardly anybody's listening.

Whether you’re leading people or projects, or just trying to keep up with change, you’ll leave this session with a simple toolkit for asking your way to better outcomes.


Or perhaps you need an MC to bring your event theme to life

MCs play a critical role in the success of your event. When a speaker is dull (it happens), they can help lift the energy up. When the audience is confused, they can extract key messages in a way that resonates. 

I take the role of event MC quite seriously. We'll prepare together beforehand, thinking about how you want to bring your theme alive, and what role you want each session to play.

On the day, I arrive early, keep things moving, and keep the energy up - lifting the experience for everybody.

I think of the role like a lighthouse: shining my light brightly so everybody can have a safer and more enjoyable passage through your event.

What people have said about me

Paul was recommended as a really engaging speaker for our Granicus Digital Engagement Roadshow. He did not disappoint! He got the audience interacting and engaging right from the start. He was able to share a complex message in a simple way that people could really grasp hold of. There was a mixture of stories, data and models, which worked really well. You could hear people still talking about the model over lunch, which was awesome. And we got lots of requests for access to the practical tools he shared too.

Marina Moroney

Client at Granicus

On behalf of the entire team, I wanted to extend our heartfelt thanks for your work as the MC at our recent conference. Your professionalism, positive vibe, and ability to engage the audience contributed significantly to the event's success. Your time keeping, insightful introductions, and the way you kept the energy high throughout the day were appreciated by both the attendees and the organising team. Over the two days we received so much positive feedback from participants who specifically mentioned how they enjoyed your presence and how it enhanced their overall experience.

Grant Davidson

CEO, Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network

There's a good reason why we're getting Paul to MC our Tourism Summit again this year. His professionalism, charisma, and ability to engage with our diverse audience was exceptional. His skill in facilitating the panel discussions was particularly impressive. He asked insightful questions, managed the conversation with ease, and ensured that each panellist had the opportunity to share their expertise. His ability to connect with the audience and create meaningful conversations contributed greatly to the success of the summit.

Jade Mahuika

Project Manager at Development West Coast

Paul is an exceptional MC and really extracted the most out of the event and the presenters for our Tourism Summit. He has a superb way of engaging both the audience and presenters - I am so grateful to have been part of an event that included him as a master of ceremonies! The pre-planning was led with confidence and strategic intent, Paul understood our objectives and delivered an event that exceeded our expectations! Thank you Paul! Can’t wait to work with you again!

Patrick Dault

GM, Love Taupō

Paul was an outstanding MC for the recent Manaakitanga ki te Tai Poutini Hui. Despite a packed agenda, he masterfully kept things on track and energised. He even averted the usual post lunch slump. I loved his energy, enthusiasm and sense of humour.

Jessie Creedmore

Creedmore Communicate

Paul recently MCed our 2-day New Zealand Symposium and he was just brilliant. We had so much positive feedback. Whenever he was on stage, you could just feel the energy increase. Basically, he just kept things running smoothly and this just made my job so much easier. From an audience perspective, bringing the light-heartedness up in between sessions was so good. It wasn't just "this is happening next"; he was listening and bringing things back to the conference theme, and really getting people excited about what was next.

Katie Healey

IAP2

Recently enjoyed Paul's facilitation of the IAP2 Symposium held in Christchurch. He was an engaging and confident MC who brought a lot of authenticity to the role. He was quick to adapt to any issues and got more than a few laughs from the group. Would highly recommend Paul as your next MC!

Rachael Shiels

ChristchurchNZ

I had the pleasure of being one of the speakers at an event where Paul was the MC, and he was absolutely brilliant. He has a calming presence that instantly put everyone at ease, yet he energised the room, keeping the event lively and engaging throughout. He was masterful in keeping the flow of the event running smoothly, ensuring that everything stayed on schedule while being empathetic and flexible. He struck the perfect balance between humour and professionalism, helping make the day both enjoyable and interesting.

Julia Roberts

The Marketing Club

Paul was the MC at a two day IAP2 Symposium recently and what a fantastic MC he was. He knocked it out of the park. His energy and charisma kept the energy consistently high and he used a number of tools from his diverse and varied toolbox to assist him as well. Paul came across as his genuine self.

Nicky Astwood

Plat4m