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Simone Heng Keynote Speaker and human connection specialist

Simone Heng

Human Connection Expert & Certified Speaking Professional | Author, Let's Talk About Loneliness | Harvard, SXSW, TEDx & UN Speaker | Ex-Virgin Radio, HBO Asia, CNBC

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Simone Heng is a leading authority on human connection and the loneliness epidemic, and one of the youngest female Certified Speaking Professionals in the world. She has spoken for Google, Amazon, Meta, Harvard, SXSW, TEDx, and the United Nations, and her Hay House book, Let's Talk About Loneliness, won six international awards in 2024. She pairs a broadcaster's warmth with solid research, giving leaders practical tools to build cultures of real connection.

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    Simone Heng biography

    Simone Heng is a global authority on human connection and one of the most sought-after voices on the loneliness epidemic reshaping how we live and work. A former international broadcaster for Virgin Radio Dubai, HBO Asia, and CNBC, she spent fifteen years learning to build rapport with audiences across cultures, continents, and formats, on air, on stage, and face to face. Motivational speaker Simone Heng now channels that craft into helping Fortune 500 organizations build cultures where authentic connection drives performance, retains talent, and sustains engagement.

    She is one of the youngest female Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in the world, a designation held by fewer than 800 speakers globally and awarded strictly on demonstrated skill and track record. Heng has addressed thousands of people across six continents for organizations that include Google, Meta, Amazon, ByteDance, KPMG, Spotify, Salesforce, SAP, and Lucasfilm, and she has taken the stage at Harvard University, SXSW, TEDx, and the United Nations. Her TEDx talk, “How to Connect Authentically to Anyone,” and her SXSW address on the four pillars of connection carried her framework to audiences worldwide.

    Her book Let’s Talk About Loneliness, published by Hay House and distributed globally, turns her own experience of loss, caregiving, and isolation into a practical, research-grounded guide to meaningful connection. It collected six international honors in 2024, among them the Silver Nautilus Book Award in Social Change and Social Justice, a prize whose past recipients include Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra, and the Gold eLIT Award for Best Audiobook in Self-Help. Heng has also created a LinkedIn Learning course on connection in hybrid and remote teams and advises the Foundation for Social Connection in Washington, D.C.

    Human Connection in the Age of AI

    As artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace and loneliness climbs to record levels, Heng’s message has taken on new strategic weight. She has been featured on CNN and in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Vogue, Al Jazeera, BBC Radio, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar, and in 2025 she founded Thought Leaders Now, a consultancy that helps leaders communicate with impact on the page and the stage. She holds a communications and cultural studies degree from Curtin University of Technology, studied in Switzerland, grew up in Australia, and is based in Singapore.

    As a speaker, Simone Heng pairs genuine warmth and broadcaster-honed presence with evidence-based insight, a combination that regularly earns standing ovations from diverse global audiences. She speaks on easing loneliness at work, forging real connection in hybrid and remote environments, treating technology as a bridge rather than a barrier, and why human connection has become a competitive advantage organizations can no longer overlook. Her talks are immediately actionable, and audiences leave with a framework they can apply the next day.

    Simone Heng Speaking Videos

    Simone Heng
    Simone Heng - How to connect authentically to anyone

    Simone Heng Keynote Topics

    Loneliness has moved from a private struggle to a measurable organizational problem. Drawing on her award-winning book and years of research, Simone Heng shows how remote work, digital communication, and constant screen mediation are quietly eroding connection at every level of a company, and what that erosion costs in productivity, retention, and culture. She then lays out a clear, practical framework for leaders who want to reverse the trend. Audiences leave understanding why connection is a business imperative, along with specific strategies they can put to work right away to build teams where people genuinely belong.

    As AI automates more of what we do, the ability to connect authentically with other people is fast becoming the defining human skill for individuals and organizations alike. In this keynote, Simone Heng shares the framework she built over more than fifteen years as a broadcaster and global speaker, grounded in current research on belonging and social health. She names the four pillars that support lasting connection, shows how modern work patterns wear each one down, and hands audiences concrete tools to rebuild them, whether in the boardroom, across a hybrid team, or inside a customer relationship.

    Real connection is a skill, not an accident, and it can be learned. In this energetic and personal keynote, Simone Heng shares the techniques she developed over fifteen years connecting with audiences in Dubai, Singapore, Australia, and beyond, on camera, on microphone, and face to face across deep cultural differences. She covers how to build genuine rapport in virtual and hybrid settings without settling for shallow substitutes, how cultural background shapes the way people relate, and how to treat technology as a lifeline to connection rather than a replacement for it. A practical, memorable session for any organization working across borders, time zones, and screens.

    The most successful organizations share one trait: the people inside them feel they truly belong. In this keynote, Simone Heng makes the strategic case for belonging as a driver of performance, innovation, and retention, and spells out what leaders must actually do to create it. Drawing on her own story of loss and displacement alongside organizational research, she explains why belonging cannot be bought with perks or policies, what authentic connection asks of leaders, and how a company can wire connection into its culture from the top down. An emotionally resonant talk for leadership teams ready to invest in their most human competitive advantage.

    Speaker topics

    Motivational SpeakersKeynote SpeakersMedia SpeakersTED SpeakersVirtual Keynote SpeakersWomen Speakers

    FAQs on Booking Simone Heng

    Why Simone Heng?

    Booking Simone Heng brings one of the world's most compelling voices on human connection and loneliness to your stage, a speaker who combines a broadcaster's instinct for engagement, a researcher's respect for evidence, and a storyteller's gift for making big ideas feel personal. As one of the youngest female Certified Speaking Professionals in the world, she has spoken for Google, Amazon, Meta, Harvard, the United Nations, SXSW, and TEDx, consistently earning standing ovations and lasting cultural impact. With remote work, digital overload, and AI transformation intensifying the loneliness epidemic, her message is not only inspiring but strategically essential for any organization serious about retention, team performance, and wellbeing. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to check her availability and speaking fees.

    What is the loneliness epidemic, and why should organizations care?

    The loneliness epidemic is a global public health crisis in which a large and growing share of people, including working adults, report chronic disconnection, isolation, and a lack of meaningful belonging. Research consistently ties loneliness to lower productivity, higher turnover, more absenteeism, and poorer mental and physical health. It predates the pandemic but was sharply amplified by remote work and digital communication. Simone Heng helps organizations treat loneliness not as a personal failing but as a structural challenge that leaders can address through intentional culture design, better communication habits, and a renewed commitment to authentic connection at every level.

    What is Simone Heng's book Let's Talk About Loneliness about?

    Published by Hay House, Let's Talk About Loneliness is Simone Heng's guide to understanding and overcoming the global loneliness epidemic. Drawing on her own isolation while caring for her mother, along with the science of connection, the book examines why loneliness has become so widespread, how to tell authentic connection from superficial substitutes, how family trauma shapes our ability to relate, and the types of connection research shows we need for genuine social fulfillment. It won six international awards in 2024, including the Silver Nautilus Book Award, whose past recipients include Deepak Chopra and Eckhart Tolle, and the Gold eLIT Award for Best Audiobook.

    What topics does Simone Heng cover as a keynote speaker?

    Simone Heng speaks on human connection at work, easing loneliness and isolation in remote and hybrid teams, authentic communication and relationship-building across cultures, using technology as a tool for connection rather than disconnection, and why belonging is a measurable driver of organizational performance. Her keynotes are regularly tailored for leadership summits, HR conferences, company kick-offs, and sales and customer experience events where the human side of performance is a strategic priority. To bring her to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.

    How to book Simone Heng as a keynote speaker?

    Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Simone Heng as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Simone Heng's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Simone Heng or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.

    How much is Simone Heng speaking fee?

    Simone Heng speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Simone Heng to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Simone Heng.

    How can I contact Simone Heng?

    We only work with Simone Heng on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Simone Heng and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Simone Heng speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Simone Heng for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.

    Can I book Simone Heng for a virtual keynote?

    Yes, Simone Heng is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Simone Heng for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.