Leah Chowdhry

Leah Chowdhry is a powerful racial equality speaker, Founder and CEO of Pop up, Party & Play, and Chief Operating Officer at Savran Coaching & Consulting Ltd. Her lived experience as a British Asian woman breaking through numerous barriers fuels her passionate advocacy for inclusion and equity. Leah’s personal journey is one of courage and perseverance, most notably becoming the first British Asian woman to swim the English Channel — a feat symbolising her ability to overcome adversity. This accomplishment underpins much of her speaking work, where she delivers talks on topics such as Creating an Unshakeable Mindset; How Your Diversity is Really Your Superpower; Overcoming Fear & Daring Greatly; Dealing with Setbacks; Using Imposter Syndrome to Your Advantage; Living a Life with Courage and Confidence; and FAIL = First Attempt in Learning. Each topic reflects lessons drawn directly from her own triumphs over self-doubt, systemic bias, and personal challenge.

Leah’s early career spans global financial institutions and entrepreneurial ventures, each chapter building the resilience and adaptability she now shares with audiences. She held roles as Research Assistant at Macquarie Group, Marketing & Event Coordinator at CLSA, Asian Equity Sales at BNP Paribas, and Tax Consultant at EY. Driven by her entrepreneurial spirit, she went on to establish Pop up, Party & Play in 2016, before taking on further leadership as Chief Operating Officer of Carl Capital in 2020. Her operational expertise continued to develop through roles including Operations Manager at Organise, Operational Consultant and Coach at LRC Consultancy, Director of Operations at Emperia, and Chief Operating Officer at Pathway CTM. Alongside her professional work, Leah trained intensively for years to prepare for the gruelling English Channel swim, battling physical exhaustion, mental barriers, and cultural expectations — all of which now form core elements of her motivational message.

Leah’s achievements have earned significant recognition. After her historic swim in 2018, she was named one of the Women of the Year by The London Asian Business Awards. In 2019, she was honoured as Most Inspirational Young Person, followed by receiving the British Citizenship Medal in 2020. She authored her book, Making a Splash! in 2022, detailing her personal and professional journey. Leah’s influence continues to grow, marked by high-profile speaking engagements at The Supreme Court’s International Women’s Day Roundtable and the University of Oxford in 2024, and the House of Commons’ Empowered Voices event in 2023.

Leah’s unique blend of personal experience, professional expertise, and cultural insight allows her to deliver talks that are deeply impactful. Her Channel swim serves as a metaphor for facing and overcoming the systemic and personal challenges linked to racial inequality. Whether helping individuals harness their diversity, reframe imposter syndrome, or build courageous, confident lives, Leah offers practical tools backed by lived experience. Organisations hire Leah because she doesn’t just speak about racial equality — she embodies it, inspiring meaningful change in both individuals and organisations.