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Malene Rydahl is an internationally recognised keynote speaker and author, known for her insightful work on happiness, empathy, and psychological wellbeing. As a mental health speaker, she draws on the Danish model of wellbeing to inspire both individuals and organisations to cultivate emotional resilience, psychological safety, and authentic engagement. Her talks are engaging, research-driven, and deeply personal, rooted in her belief that happiness is not a luxury but a learnable life skill. With a warm and pragmatic style, Malene speaks regularly at high-level institutions including OECD, Sciences Po, and TEDx, focusing on wellbeing in leadership, trust in the workplace, and emotional intelligence.
Malene began her professional journey in corporate communications, spending nearly two decades with global brands such as Bang & Olufsen, WPP, and Hyatt Hotels, where she served as Director of Corporate Communications for the EAME region. During these years, she became increasingly aware of the disconnect between professional success and personal fulfilment—a realisation that fuelled her transition into wellbeing advocacy. Drawing from her Danish heritage, she began exploring why Denmark consistently ranks among the happiest nations in the world. This research laid the foundation for her debut book, ‘Happy as a Dane’, which became an international bestseller and established her as a leading voice in the field of applied happiness and workplace culture.
In recent years, Malene has expanded her impact through both publishing and coaching. Her books ‘The Happiness Without Illusions’ and ‘Je te réponds… moi non plus’ critically examine modern misconceptions around happiness and digital communication. Her recent work, ‘L’empathie, ça s’apprend’, proposes a transformative approach to emotional education, now implemented in over 1,000 French schools. As a Senior Advisor and Executive Coach at Boston Consulting Group, she works directly with global leaders to embed empathy and trust into organisational structures. She also lectures at HEC Paris and trains executives in integrating psychological wellbeing with high performance.
Malene is frequently hired for her rare ability to connect evidence-based research with relatable, lived experience. She offers more than inspiration—she delivers tools, frameworks, and cultural insights that drive real change. Organisations choose her to support employee wellbeing, improve team cohesion, and create healthier, more human leadership cultures grounded in empathy and trust.
“Malene Rydahl’s high-quality presentation highlighted that without trust, there is no happiness. This translates to the business leader – doing what he says, being reliable – and to employees – management must trust employees and vice versa. The reciprocity of trust, beyond success, generates well-being.”
“How lucky to have had the opportunity to have Malene join us! She is a sensational and luminous personality. Her intervention was very inspiring, expressed with great closeness.”
“The quality of exchanges within a team will create trust to release the energy needed to find new solutions while allowing greater fulfillment for each individual. What a great demonstration.”
The Mental Health Speakers Agency has been one of the UK’s leading bureaus for emotional wellbeing experts since 2020. We supply speakers for corporate and public events across the world, and cater to both in-person occasions and online webinars. Our roster includes athletes, psychologists, celebrities and more, to ensure that audiences of all demographics receive tailored, impactful mental health guidance.
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