Doug doesn’t just talk about collaboration — he creates it live, in real time. For nearly three decades, he has helped organizations and teams across the globe discover what it truly means to connect, collaborate, and thrive together.
His journey began behind the camera as a BBC documentary producer, filming elephants, big cats and the wild beauty of the mother continent. Those years gave him a front-row seat to Africa’s vastness and depth — and planted the seeds of a relationship that would shape his life and work.
That connection deepened the day a djembe drum entered his life. What started as a casual workshop in Oxford became a calling. Drawn by a rhythm he couldn’t ignore, Doug began traveling to rural West Africa, where he lived and studied alongside master drummers and villagers. There, he discovered that rhythm is far more than music — it’s communication, belonging, and a way of being in harmony with one another.
Those lessons became the foundation of his life’s work. He realized that what allows a village to move as one — awareness of self, awareness of each other, and trust in the collective — is exactly what drives high-performing teams and organizations. Blending rhythm, storytelling, and experiential exercises, Doug began creating programs that moved people from passive observation to active participation — and from “me” to “we.”
Over the years, those programs evolved. Doug created the award-nominated stage show Do You Speak Djembe?, which toured internationally, inviting thousands to experience the power of shared rhythm. Today, his upcoming documentary Beats As One continues that journey, exploring how rhythm and collective purpose can help heal the modern crisis of loneliness and isolation.
This unique ability to bridge artistry and business has made Doug a trusted partner for IMD, Harvard Business School, the World Economic Forum, and countless Fortune 500 companies. Whether leading an intimate leadership retreat or electrifying a global conference, his work consistently creates what he calls “collective synergy” — that rare moment when individuals feel fully connected to each other and to something larger than themselves.
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At the heart of it all is humility and gratitude. Doug often says, “Africa is the teacher; I am just the messenger.” His NGO, Lighting Up Lives, reflects that spirit of reciprocity — supporting education, healthcare, and community-led initiatives in the same villages that have given him so much wisdom and joy. For Doug, this isn’t about charity or saviorism; it’s about honoring relationships and doing his best to give back to the communities that continue to shape him.
Today, Doug splits his time between the Swiss mountains, Miami, and the villages of West Africa that still feel like home. Whether on stage, on screen, or sharing a simple meal in a remote village, his mission remains the same: to help people remember that they belong, that they are not alone, and that when we find our rhythm together, anything is possible.