The Ikigai Expert
Helping leaders create workplaces where people feel they belong, matter, and do meaningful work
Nick Kemp is an international keynote speaker, author, and corporate facilitator who works at the intersection of leadership, employee wellbeing, and life meaning.
Drawing on more than a decade of living and working in Japan, Nick brings the ideas of ikigai (meaning), ibasho (belonging), and rolefulness (feeling useful and needed) into practical organisational settings. His keynotes help leaders build healthier cultures, stronger teams, and more sustainable performance by addressing a challenge many organisations still miss: people do their best work when they feel connected to purpose, place, and contribution.
In a world full of burnout, disengagement, and surface-level culture talk, Nick offers a more thoughtful and actionable approach to leadership and employee wellbeing—one that resonates with modern organisations looking to create lasting impact.
For conferences, leadership events, and organisational offsites, Nick delivers keynotes and facilitation that leave audiences thinking differently, connecting more deeply, and leading more intentionally.
KEYNOTES
Nick offers keynote topics informed by his deep engagement with Japanese psychology and years of lived experience in Japan, perspectives that are rarely found in mainstream leadership speaking.
IKIGAI
Does your team want to come into work?
This keynote introduces ikigai as a practical leadership lens for understanding what sustains motivation, meaning, and engagement at work. It is designed for organizations seeking clarity, resilience, and long-term performance grounded in human values.
IBASHO
Is your work environment 'a place to be?'
This keynote explores ibasho—the Japanese idea of psychological and social “place”—and what it takes to create workplaces where people feel accepted, valued, and able to contribute. A powerful framework for building purpose, reliable social relationships, and optimism within teams.
ROLEFULNESS
Do your people feel that they contribute?
This keynote explores rolefulness, the ongoing sense of role satisfaction, and how feeling needed, useful, and clear about one’s contribution shapes performance. Leaders learn how role clarity, responsibility, and recognition support engagement, wellbeing, and long-term results.
A YEAR OF IKIGAI
New Book – February 17 Release
Published with The Quarto Group, A Year of Ikigai brings together my work on Japanese psychology into a practical, grounded daily format. Drawing on research, lived experience in Japan, and conversations with people across generations, the book introduces ikigai as it is understood and experienced in everyday life.
Across 365 short reflections, prompts, and real-life examples, I explore the Japanese concept of ikigai in ways that invite steady reflection and gentle action. Rather than offering slogans or quick answers, the book encourages readers to notice what gives life depth, meaning, and a sense of contribution over time.
At its core, A Year of Ikigai helps you engage with one essential question:
What makes life worth living for you?
I hope the book becomes a meaningful companion as you explore your own sense of life meaning, offering clarity, perspective, and a deeper sense of fulfillment each day.
CONTACT US
Reach out to discuss your event or book a call with Nick.
Nick can help you with:
- Keynotes that introduce a different perspective on purpose, contribution, and well-being
- Virtual workshops designed to engage teams across locations and time zones
- Facilitated sessions that support reflection, dialogue, and practical application
- Ikigai Coach Certification equipping leaders, internal coaches, and practitioners with culturally grounded, evidence-informed frameworks and practical coaching tools
Nick has worked with:
