CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE · KEYNOTE SPEAKER & FACILITATOR
Quinton
Pretorius
Keynote speaker on cultural intelligence, inclusive leadership and team culture
Quinton Pretorius helps leaders and teams turn difference into trust, collaboration and results. He's a Cultural Intelligence (CQ) facilitator, a member of the Society of CQ Fellows and faculty at GIBS, with more than 20 years of work across corporate, NGO and education settings. His sessions are story-led, hands-on and practical.
TopicsCultural Intelligence · Inclusive Leadership · Team Culture
Based inJohannesburg, South Africa
SpeaksAcross Africa and internationally
RecognitionSociety of CQ Fellows · Professional Associate & faculty, GIBS · Clinton Democracy Fellow (2005) · Accredited LEGO® Serious Play facilitator
FormatsKeynote, Facilitated conversation, half-day or full-day workshop, Leadership Safari's
When Quinton is the right call
- Your team is diverse on paper, but people still work around each other instead of with each other.
- Your leaders manage people from different backgrounds, generations and work styles, and decisions stall or go to the loudest voice.
- Heritage Month keeps ending with a dress-up day, and nothing about how the team works together changes.
Quinton's current keynotes
The Leading Edge: What comes after CQ
The question it answers
Why do two leaders who look alike on paper lead so differently, especially under pressure?
For: Team leaders, executives, managers and emerging leaders, whether they lead a local team or work across countries and cultures.
The Leading Edge draws on global research into how leaders actually behave at work, through the PRISM workstyles assessment and six leadership archetypes, and brings a South African perspective to it. Leaders look at what shapes their behaviour, how they respond when deadlines loom or a conflict nobody names starts to build, and what that means for the people they lead. Then the team agrees the norms and behaviours that will make it work.
Your audience leaves able to:
A clearer picture of their own leadership style, including where it quietly works against them
A practical way to apply CQ to the decisions and disagreements on their team
New or revised team norms, with the behaviours that make them stick
Keynote 45 to 60 min · Workshop half & full day. Includes PRISM assessment
The Culture Code: Four human skills every great culture needs
The question it answers
How do our client-facing teams build the trust that wins and keeps business?
For: Whole organisations, Heritage Month programmes, culture and People teams.
Technology is moving faster than our ability to connect. This playful, interactive keynote looks back at where our cultures come from and forward at the culture we're building now, because today's culture is the heritage the next generation of employees inherits. It's built on four human skills: Connection, Curiosity, Courage and Commitment.
Your audience leaves able to:
A shared language for talking about culture and difference
A clearer read on their own assumptions and blind spots
The confidence to have braver, trust-building conversations
Concrete team commitments for the culture they want to be known for
Keynote · Facilitated conversation · Half-day workshop
The Architecture of Connection
The question it answers
How do we build a culture where difference becomes an advantage instead of friction?
For: Leadership teams, HR and People leaders, culture and transformation leads.
Most organisations have diversity; fewer have the conditions that let people work across it. Quinton walks leaders through six foundations of connection (Safety, Capability, Clearing, Reciprocity, Commitment and Maintenance) and what each one looks like in a real team.
Your audience leaves able to:
A way to see which foundations are strong or missing in their team
Shared language for what connection needs to work
A next step for the weakest foundation
Keynote · Workshop
Every keynote is tailored to the audience and the event's theme.
Also from Quinton
CQ Safari Learning Journey: cultural intelligence out of the boardroom and into the Eastern Cape bush, co-facilitated with Athena Rayne Anderson.
Workshops: Leveraging Diversity · Managing Unconscious Bias · Psychological Safety in Diverse Teams · Allyship Masterclass · Culture Matters
Watch Quinton speak
Read the transcript
When I originally started thinking about these Global Learning Journeys I was in a place of really difficulty understanding why I was doing the work that I was doing I was frustrated by the slow pace of change I was frustrated that I wasn't seeing things happen I was beginning to feel disillusioned with the work that I was doing and all it needed for me was one to connect with other like-minded people in my industry an opportunity to disconnect and really think about why I started doing this work in the first place when I did those two things I had a new energy a new kind of Engagement a new kind of way of of being in this work and so through these learning Journeys particularly this first Learning Journey I want to create a space where individuals like myself and you can reconnect to why we started doing this work in the first place cultural intelligence is the ability to function in any multi cultural situation that you find yourself in whether that's working cross borders working within your own country working across generational or just working from one Department to the next cultural intelligence is the ability to be effective in any Multicultural situation there are four components of cultural intelligence Drive knowledge strategy and action and through these immersive experiences we use those four capabilities to create a safe container for us to have the conversations that are needed to rejuvenate our cultural intelligence and our ability to bridge cultural gaps
Organisations Quinton has worked with
“It struck the right balance of external stimulus and debate among the team.”
The session Quinton ran for us was really great. Some of the concepts he introduced have already found their way into our daily discussions. I am sure it will mark the beginning of a new, more inclusive style of leadership for Unilever’s business in Africa.
Alan Jope, President, Unilever Africa, Middle East and Russia
“He has this unique ability to very quickly pivot his facilitation style and content.”
Rather than applying a generic training model, Quinton took the time to understand our organisational culture, leadership challenges and strategic objectives. His sessions moved beyond awareness-raising and gave our leaders practical tools they could use in their teams straight away. His facilitation is collaborative and adapts to the group as the session unfolds. Highly recommended!
Graham Keatley, Head of People, Discovery
“A rare combination of cultural fluency, psychological safety awareness and business acumen.”
Quinton handles complex organisational dynamics with sensitivity and precision. His programmes are both evidence-based and emotionally resonant. His ability to engage diverse audiences, challenge assumptions and inspire inclusive leadership has made him a trusted advisor to MTN.
Charlene Lawrence, Senior Manager: Talent Optimisation, MTN South Africa
“One of the most skilled facilitators I have had the pleasure to work with.”
Quinton is guided by his values and his belief in a transformed society. He supports workshop participants on their journey of healing trauma while inspiring them to take accountability for their role in society.
Lesley Donna Williams, Founder and Managing Director, HUB JHB
About Quinton
Quinton Pretorius is a Cultural Intelligence (CQ) facilitator and keynote speaker based in Johannesburg, and Director of Cultural Intelligence Africa. He is a member of the Society of CQ Fellows and a Professional Associate and faculty member at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). His work started in the 1990s as a youth worker in schools across South Africa, and in a diverse drama team that told the country's story from apartheid to freedom. In 2005 he was a Clinton Democracy Fellow. For more than 20 years he has worked across corporate, NGO and education settings, with clients including Unilever, Discovery, MTN and Volkswagen. He is an accredited LEGO® Serious Play facilitator and uses PRISM and CQ assessments in his work.
Booking Quinton Pretorius
What does Quinton Pretorius speak about?
Cultural intelligence and leading across difference: team culture, inclusive leadership, trust and psychological safety. See his talks above for the full list.
Can Quinton Pretorius run a workshop, not just a keynote?
Yes, Quinton facilitates interactive half-day and full-day workshops, learning journeys, and executive sessions alongside or independently of keynotes.
Can Quinton Pretorius include a leadership assessment?
Yes, Quinton is certified to administer and debrief PRISM brain mapping and Cultural Intelligence (CQ) assessments as part of team or leadership interventions.
Does Quinton Pretorius speak outside South Africa?
Yes, Quinton speaks and facilitates globally across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and internationally.
How do we book Quinton Pretorius?
Use the inquiry button below or contact form to share your event date, location, and objectives. We will confirm availability and discuss options.
Can Quinton Pretorius speak at a virtual event?
Yes, Quinton delivers dynamic virtual keynotes and interactive remote workshops tailored for global teams.
How far ahead should we book Quinton?
We recommend booking 2 to 4 months in advance, though short-notice availability is sometimes possible depending on travel schedules.
Thinking about Quinton for your team?
Send us the date, the city and what's going on for your people. We'll confirm whether he's free and come back with a fee.
Profile last updated: Oct 2026
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