Andy Lopata is an internationally recognised authority on Relationship Intelligence, trust and human-centred leadership in the age of AI. Named to the 2026 Thinkers50 Coaches50, recognising 50 of the world’s most influential executive coaches, Andy has spent nearly 30 years helping leaders and organisations strengthen the professional relationships that drive collaboration, influence and performance.
As organisations accelerate their adoption of AI, Andy’s work addresses an increasingly important leadership challenge: how to embrace the opportunities technology offers without weakening the human relationships on which successful organisations depend. He helps leaders balance AI with HI, Human Interaction, so that people continue to build trust, collaborate across silos, influence effectively and access the insight and support around them.
Andy is the creator of The Relationship Matrix, a practical framework that helps leaders identify, strengthen and leverage the relationships most critical to their objectives. His work combines strategic insight with practical tools that enable people to build trust, influence without authority and create stronger cultures of collaboration.
The author of six books, including Connected Leadership and The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring, co-authored with fellow Coaches50 honouree Dr Ruth Gotian, Andy is a regular contributor to Psychology Today and has written for Harvard Business Review, including contributing a chapter to the HBR Guide to Retaining Your Best People.
Andy is a Fellow of both the Professional Speaking Association and the Learning and Performance Institute. He has worked with organisations including Google, PayPal, Harrods, the BBC, HSBC and Saïd Business School, as well as governments and leadership teams around the world.
Through his keynotes, masterclasses, mentoring and advisory work, Andy combines thought-provoking insight, engaging storytelling and immediately applicable ideas to help people rethink the role professional relationships play in leadership and organisational success.
Andy’s approach to building professional relationships is about being a whole, authentic person. That covers sharing social information as well as professional. So here’s where you can get to know him a little better…
Outside work, Andy is an avid fan of Charlton Athletic Football Club – although he describes this as a “dubious pleasure”. He also follows other sports, including athletics, tennis, rugby union and cricket.
He also loves music. After growing up listening to The Doors, Hendrix, Lou Reed and Bowie, today his tastes range from classical to punk with everything in between. “Except Coldplay,” he stresses.
As well as attending sporting events and live music gigs, Andy often goes to the theatre and cinema.
At home, he has a passion for cooking, and claims to make a “mean chocolate truffle torte”.
He tries to keep in a reasonable shape by regularly walking, attending reformer pilates and playing padel tennis.