Donna Fraser

Former Olympian and Inspirational Speaker.

Donna has become a leader in equality diversity and inclusion with over 10 years of corporate experience within business, sport, leadership, well-being and PMA for both start-ups and established companies.

In 2021 she was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for services to equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and has served as a Trustee, advisor and Board member for multiple organisations such as the London Marathon Charitable Trust, Women’s Sports Trust, British Athletes Commission, International Women’s Group and Her Spirit to name a few.

Donna Fraser is a 4x Olympian and former 400m sprinter for Great Britain, with a successful athletics career which spanned over 20 years and has a host of European, Commonwealth and World medals.  Donna, unfortunately, retired in 2009 due to being diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  She was recognised with the Freedom of the Borough of Croydon in 2018 for services to sport and continues to be enthused to help inspire a generation through education by ‘giving back’ and sharing her knowledge and experience with young people aspiring to achieve their goals.

Donna is now an international speaker, strategist, and charity ambassador, and dedicates much of her time to working in Business, Sport, and the charity sector to inspire and embed inclusive and diverse cultures.

• 2011-2015 President, South of England Athletics Association
• 2013- 2015 Chair of the BAME Network (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) at EDF Energy
• December 2015 Donna became Vice President of UK Athletics Members Council
• 2017 Equality, Diversity & Engagement Lead, UK Athletics
• 2017 Organising Committee, IAAF World Athletics Championships and World Para Athletics Championships in London
• 2018 Freewoman of the Borough
• 2021 OBE

SPEAKING

From the athletics track to the Boardroom, Donna has over 20 years’ experience as international athlete, a successful businesswoman and is a breast cancer survivor.

Her journey within these spheres has inspired her to share her story which coupled with her warm and charismatic style captivate diverse audiences from a young aspiring athlete to a CEO who is driving for organisational success to ‘believe and achieve’.

The Olympic and Paralympic values of Respect, Excellence, Friendship, Courage, Inspiration, Determination and Equality, helped shape Donna’s career from athlete to businesswoman. These values were prevalent through the highs and the lows of her athletic career and resonate in her business career and in everyday life, which make her keynotes versatile and relevant.

Her stories are filled with drive, resilience and compassion and she has the ability to tailor make her speeches to highlight key messages to suit the client, taking them on a roller coaster of emotions filled with motivation, elation and inspiration.

• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion**
• Leadership
• Overcoming adversity
• PMA – Positive Mental Attitude
• Teamwork
• Wellbeing

** Equality, Diversity & Inclusion – Announced in the Queen’s New Years Honours List 2021, Donna becomes an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Equality, Inclusion and Diversity in the Workplace.

Donna chaired the award winning BAME Network at EDF Energy for 3 years and spearheaded a number of key ED&I partnerships including Microsoft and Breast Cancer Now.  She has been a judge on the renowned Black British Business Awards and has been included in the Ethnic Minority Future Leader lists in 2019 and 2020.

The EMpower Ethnic Minority Role Model Lists supported by Yahoo Finance, showcase business leaders who are breaking down barriers at work and working hard to smash the ceiling for ethnic minorities in the UK, Ireland, Europe, and people of colour in the United States and Canada.  Donna has been included in the Ethnic Minority Future Leader lists in 2019 and 2020.

Donna has led key activities in the ED & I area for UK Athletics and other organisations in recent years and led on the ground-breaking COACH exhibition which was housed in City Hall and the Houses of Parliament.. She has also been a key figure within UK Athletics ‘Let’s Talk About Race’ programme which recently culminated in a sport-wide commitment to tackle issues of racial inequality.