A Speaker You Can Trust
International keynote speaker
75,000+ people addressed
In brief
The journey
At 17, Ali Ahmadi was smuggled out of Iran. He arrived in Australia with no language, no plan and no certainty about what came next.
Professional credibility
A senior engineer and leader with years of experience leading teams through restructures and transformation, and a Board Director with the Australian Refugee Association.
Speaks on
Resilience, change, leadership, burnout and engagement
Audiences
75,000+ people worldwide
Availability
Available internationally
The journey
It started with a decision he did not get to make
At 17, Ali Ahmadi was smuggled out of Iran with no guarantee that he would survive the journey.
He arrived in Australia without the language, without a plan and without any certainty about what came next. What followed was not a story of sudden transformation. It was years of small decisions made without a map: learning English, finding work, choosing what to study, and slowly rebuilding a sense of direction from nothing.
That period is the foundation of everything he speaks about today. It is also why he treats resilience, change and the way people show up under pressure as things that are built, rather than traits a person either has or does not.
Beyond the story
A rare combination of three worlds on one stage
Ali's story is the foundation of everything he speaks about. It is not, however, the only thing he brings to a room.
He is a senior engineer and leader with years of experience leading teams through restructures, transformations and the difficult conversations that come with them. That experience taught him something his own story could not. Resilience is not only personal. It is built into how organisations set direction, how leaders behave under pressure, and whether people understand where they fit.
That work has been recognised outside his own organisation. Ali has been named in Force Forty by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, in 40 Under 40 by Engineers Australia, as a Young Utility Leader by the Water Services Association of Australia, and as a finalist for Young Water Professional of the Year by the Australian Water Association.
As a Board Director with the Australian Refugee Association, he also understands the strategic challenges organisations face in an ever-changing environment.
He is not describing his audience's pressures from the outside. He has worked under them.
Speaking
An award-winning speaker
Ali was a finalist for Speaker of the Year in 2024, was named Impromptu Speaker of the Year in 2025, and in 2026 won the Emerging Speaker Scholarship from Professional Speakers Australia. He is a TEDx speaker and a member of Professional Speakers Australia.
He has been described as a natural storyteller: articulate, relatable, thought-provoking and entertaining. It is a craft he has spent years learning and honing.
On stage
What that combination does in a room
It is this combination of the lived story, the leadership experience and the craft of speaking that lets Ali hold a room and speak directly to what his audience is actually dealing with.
He has spoken to more than 75,000 people worldwide on resilience, change, leadership, burnout and engagement.
He is known for his ability to connect quickly with an audience, make complex ideas relatable, and leave people with both a shift in perspective and practical insights they can apply the following week.
A Speaker You Can Trust
TEDx speaker
2026 Emerging Speaker (Kerrie Nairn) Scholarship Winner, Professional Speakers Australia
2025 Impromptu Speaker of the Year, South Australia
Finalist, 2024 Speaker of the Year, South Australia
Force Forty, Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Young Utility Leader, Water Services Association of Australia
Certified Practitioner in Asset Management
Board Director, Australian Refugee Association
Member, Professional Speakers Australia
Trusted By
"You don't just listen to Ali speak. You feel engaged, understood and inspired."
Payble
"Ali held the audience fully engaged for the entire hour. Practical, honest and empowering."
Revenue Professionals SA
"Awe-inspiring and heartfelt. A story of strength, courage and resilience."
Department of Treasury and Finance
"A lesson for people to push their boundaries and believe in something greater for themselves."
Determined 2
"Inspiring, entertaining and thought-provoking. Excellent stage presence and an endearing manner that connects with the audience."
Local Government Professionals South Australia
"Powerful, polished and inspiring. The way he owns the room is expert level."
Legal Services Commission
"Incredible to listen to."
Department of Human Services
"Inspiring."
Traffio