Doug Manuel

Doug Manuel is a British keynote speaker and social entrepreneur with a passion for Africa. As a performer and corporate trainer, his work focuses on business processes and dynamics. He uses stories, music, and rhythm to engage, inspire, bring people together, deepen connections, and foster collaboration.

Manuel is the creator of Djembe! The Show (aka Do You Speak Djembe?) and the founder of Doug Manuel International sàrl and Doug Manuel USA, Inc.

Early life

Manuel was born in London and attended Colet Court Preparatory School, the City of London School, and Davis’ College before learning French at the Collège International de Cannes. He found his passion for business processes and dynamics after an 8-year career of working as a Production Manager, Production Coordinator and Associate Producer on documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4, a journey that began when working as a runner at the Cannes film festival in 1993.

Career

Manuel’s love for Africa began in 1995 while working as a Production Coordinator on a BBC documentary entitled Africa’s Forgotten Elephants. During that time he attended an African drumming workshop. Attending the workshop inspired him to travel to West Africa and study the music of djembe. In the late 1990s, after taking several trips, he quit his career working on documentaries and established Sewa Beats International in 2000. Sewa Beats International is an international management training company that delivers interactive management learning by combining music and rhythm with twenty-first-century training techniques.

For more than two decades, Manuel led the company prior to rebranding under his own name. At its height, Sewa Beats was headquartered in Switzerland and enjoyed representation in France, Italy, and Latvia, as well as franchise partnerships in Spain and North America.

His methodology was featured in IMD’s book Mastering Executive Education (published by FT Prentice Hill).

In April 2013, he gave a keynote about his methodology in collaboration with Seckou Keita at TEDx Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne, Switzerland.

Building on his methodology, in parallel to his corporate keynotes, Manuel created a stage show in 2007. In 2012, he produced and performed in the show in Geneva to raise funds for UNICEF under the high patronage of Sir Roger Moore. After several performances in France and French-speaking Switzerland, Manuel led the show to a 3 month run at the L’Alhambra theatre in Paris prior to a tour of France. The show soon grew to bigger stages, like TEDx Hollywood and Oprah’s SuperSoul Sessions.

In November 2016, he delivered a TEDx Talk, Do You Speak Djembe? at TEDx Hollywood at UCLA in Los Angeles.

In May 2017, Manuel collaborated with Oprah Winfrey opening her 3rd Super Soul Sessions at UCLA in Los Angeles.

In 2019, Manuel renamed his show Djembe! The Show. This new iteration was co-written by Manuel and West Hyler. It was a high-energy production that took the audience on a lively interactive musical journey. The production was nominated for 2 JEFF awards in different categories.

Manuel has been featured on several podcasts, including the Explorer’s Mind Podcast and Premier Rendez-Vous.

Philanthropy

In January 2017, Manuel founded Lighting Up Lives, a charity that gives back to Africa. Its pilot project partners with the villagers of Abéné in Senegal, inspiring and supporting local action to solve local problems like health, energy, education, and sanitation. Lighting Up Lives focuses on strengthening connections between Africa and the occident.

Recognition

Djembe! The Show has been nominated twice for Jeff Awards.

Personal life

Manuel is the nephew of Michael Manuel, English Opera Director. He has one son, and as of August 2021, he resides between Miami, USA, Crans Montana, Switzerland, and at his home in Abéné, Senegal.