On 27th February, we gathered at Major Players London, to celebrate an inspiring trio of neurodivergent trailblazers—Dr. Nancy Doyle, Adah Parris, and Kevin Chesters.

Each speaker shared their powerful journey, offering raw insights into the challenges they’ve faced and the unique strengths that have propelled them forward.

After a short introduction by The Future is ND founder Lucy Hobbs, the evening was compered by the quick-witted and effortlessly charming Charlie Hart, aka Ausome Charlie, whose humor and delightful ND awkwardness made for a truly engaging night.

Charlie first introduced Dr. Nancy Doyle, a chartered occupational and coaching psychologist and founder of Genius Within, a social enterprise employing predominantly neurodivergent people. Nancy is also the co-founder of the Centre for Neurodiversity Research at Work and co-author of Neurodiversity Coaching.

Charlie introduced Dr. Nancy Doyle, a chartered occupational and coaching psychologist and founder of Genius Within, a social enterprise employing predominantly neurodivergent people. Nancy is also the co-founder of the Centre for Neurodiversity Research at Work and co-author of Neurodiversity Coaching.

Nancy reflected on her personal journey—her experiences growing up, her decision to work with autistic adults and individuals with learning disabilities, and her later diagnosis of ADHD at 38.

A pivotal influence in her life came from her grandfather, who once told her:

“Your job is to go where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Nancy credited this advice—shared over a gin and tonic—as shaping her resolve to carve her own path, even if it meant stepping away from convention.

A key theme in Nancy’s talk was the importance of developing an internal locus of control, particularly for neurodivergent people, who often encounter external criticism from an early age. Reflecting on her younger self, she remarked:

“I am actually quite proud of myself for not going to school, because it was me exercising that locus of control, going, ‘You know what? This place is not okay for me. I’m not going anymore.”

Nancy also challenged the audience to reflect on the nature of allyship, stating:

“The way you know someone is a real ally is by what they do, not what they say.”

She highlighted her own learning curve in identifying genuine support, reminding us that allyship is about action, not just intention.

Next, Kevin Chesters, a strategic consultant, trainer, and keynote speaker, took the stage. Formerly Chief Strategy Officer at W+K London, Dentsu, and Ogilvy, as well as Head of Consumer Planning at BT, Kevin shared his personal story of being diagnosed as autistic at 48. His son’s earlier diagnosis helped him unlock a deeper understanding of himself.

Kevin’s talk explored creativity as a defining asset for neurodivergent leaders and thinkers. He described creativity as a “cheat code” in life—an ability that helps people navigate challenges and uncover new possibilities:

“I think there is a cheat code to life, okay. And I think the cheat code is this word: creativity.”

He argued that creativity is foundational to progress:

“Without creativity there is no progress, to life, okay. And I think the cheat code is this word: creativity.”

For Kevin, divergent thinking isn’t just helpful—it’s critical for innovation, both in business and beyond.

He also explored how society sometimes misconstrues creative thinking as being unreasonable. He encouraged neurodivergent individuals to embrace this label as a strength:

“Creativity is essentially one word—unreasonableness. Society will tell you you’re being unreasonable. Just because you’re the only person who thinks something doesn’t make you wrong.”

His message? Creativity requires challenging societal pressures to conform—being different doesn’t mean being wrong.

He reinforced the global importance of creativity, citing that both the World Economic Forum and UNICEF have identified creativity as the most vital skill for the future workforce.

Finally, Adah Parris—futurist, storyteller, and cultural strategist—delivered a deeply personal and emotionally resonant talk about identity, unmasking, and embracing neurodivergence later in life.

Adah spoke candidly about the moment she realised she was neurodivergent and how it unraveled years of hidden struggle:

“I realized that the biggest, deepest hurt, the biggest, deepest mask, was that I was neurodivergent. I didn’t know.”

This revelation, while illuminating, initially sent her into emotional freefall, as it reframed many of her past experiences:

“I suddenly went into free fall, because it was like, ‘Oh God, now I understand where my imposter syndrome comes from—because I’ve been measuring myself against everybody else.”

A key theme in Adah’s talk was pattern recognition—a skill many neurodivergent people naturally possess and one that is invaluable in leadership:

“We need the people who recognize patterns, who see things differently, who can connect. Pattern navigator—that’s exactly it.”

Adah also reflected on leadership and emotional intelligence, emphasizing the importance of listening to emotions as data points:

“Emotions are a warning. You trust them, but you interrogate them. I feel like this for a reason.”

She stressed the liberation of unmasking and rejecting societal expectations:

“It’s okay to be the weird one.”

Drawing from her personal journey, Adah spoke about how she had spent years trying to fit in, before realizing the importance of recognizing and celebrating her unique way of perceiving the world.

Her message was a powerful rejection of ableist assumptions—she urged neurodivergent people to unmask and define success on their own terms, rather than conforming to narrow societal standards.

The evening was a compelling reminder of the power and complexity of neurodivergent leadership.

• Nancy called for self-trust and action, emphasizing the importance of an internal locus of control.
• Kevin championed creativity as a “cheat code”—a necessity for progress and innovation.
• Adah delivered raw and profound reflections on identity and pattern recognition, urging radical self-acceptance.

Together, their insights challenged us to reimagine leadership—not simply as a pursuit of results, but as a practice rooted in self-awareness, authenticity, and the courage to challenge the status quo.

Words by Lucy Hobbs, pictures by Guy Walsh