Why Not I at the Wellbeing at Work World Summit 2025
Why Not I was invited to speak at the Wellbeing at Work World Summit in Manchester, a flagship global event bringing together business leaders, HR professionals, and wellbeing experts to shape the future of workplace health and culture.
Founder Kofi Josephs delivered a powerful fireside keynote exploring the intersection of elite sport, mental health, and corporate performance. Drawing on his background as a Team England and Great Britain international basketball player, psychology graduate, author, and mental health advocate, Kofi offered audiences a rare lens into how the principles of high performance in sport can transform leadership and workplace wellbeing.
Kofi challenged attendees to rethink the balance between performance and wellness, emphasising that the two are not in conflict but must work in tandem:
Leadership starts at the top. Employees follow the example set by their C-suite. Without action at leadership level, wellness becomes a tick-box exercise rather than a cultural driver of results.
High performance and wellbeing go hand in hand. Organisations should not fear that demanding excellence means sacrificing wellness. With the right culture, both can be achieved.
The devil is in the detail. Every individual is different, and true leadership means understanding how to get the best out of people so the team can thrive collectively.
Alongside his keynote, Kofi introduced his memoir Why Not I? and the bespoke Why Not I Journal, tools designed to inspire reflection, resilience, and personal growth. Both were met with overwhelming support from attendees, many of whom shared how the stories and resources resonated with their own journeys.
Kofi’s contribution at the summit underscored Why Not I’s mission: to deliver mental health education through inspiration and aspiration. His message to corporate leaders was clear — healthier individuals create healthier, more consistent teams that outperform the competition.
This engagement reflects Why Not I’s growing impact in the corporate space, supporting organisations to move beyond slogans and into action — building cultures where wellbeing and performance are not just possible, but inseparable.
