Andy Lopata

Andy Lopata is a business networking strategist who works with companies and shows them how to use networking tools to develop their businesses.

 

Labelled 'Mr Network' by The Sun, Andy is the co-author of 'Building a Business on Bacon & Eggs' and "And Death Came Third".

 

Andy is an energetic presenter who tells his audience that successful networking is not just about sales. Whether for lead generation, breaking down silos internally, recruitment and retention of top staff or developing future leaders, networks and collaboration have a key role to play and Andy works with clients to help recognise that role and put the strategy and skills in place to leverage it.

His core focus is now around Relationship Intelligence in the Age of AI — helping leaders and teams strengthen the human relationships that drive trust, influence, collaboration and stakeholder buy-in at a time when technology is accelerating rapidly but human connection is often weakening. The central message is simple: AI can provide intelligence at scale, but Human Interaction (HI) is what turns strategy into action.

The work combines practical frameworks around trust, influence and professional relationships with his book Relationship Matrix methodology, giving audiences both strategic insight and practical application. It works particularly well for leadership conferences, executive offsites and organisations navigating AI transformation, hybrid working, siloed teams and change fatigue. 

He has a regular column for the US magazine 'The National Networker' and has been quoted in national press, including The Sunday Times, The Financial Times and The Guardian and is a former vice-president of the Professional Speakers Association.

For eight years, he was Managing Director of Business Referral Exchange, one of the UK's leading referral-focused networking groups with over 2,000 member companies. Since leaving BRX, he has worked with companies from one-man bands to global names such as NatWest Bank, Merrill Lynch and Mastercard to help them realise the full potential from their networking.

 

He tries his hand (very badly) at golf, where he maintains that his handicap is his swing.  He also is a keen exponent of waterskiing and also swims regularly, although that's also what he spends most of his time doing when he waterskis!

Culturally, he loves music and has a very eclectic taste. As a self-confessed typically moody teenager he listened to The Doors, Hendrix, Lou Reed and Bowie while at Uni, though he hastens to add, they had all long disappeared from the scene by then!  His taste these days ranges from classical to punk, with a lot in between.

His other passions are theatre, film and cooking he makes a mean Chocolate Truffle Torte!

 

 

 

Relational Intelligence in the Age of AI

Why professional relationships quietly determine who gets traction, support, and results AI is transforming how organisations operate. 
 
But while companies invest heavily in technology, many are quietly losing the human relationships that make strategy, collaboration and change actually work.  
Hybrid working, overloaded teams and increasingly transactional cultures have weakened trust, reduced informal collaboration and made influence harder than ever. 
 
The organisations that thrive in the next decade will not be those with the most technology.They will be those that best balance AI with HI  - Human Interaction. 
 
This keynote explores why Relationship Intelligence is becoming one of the defining 
leadership skills of the AI era.
era.

Key Content 

How AI can become an obstacle to building meaningful professional relationships. 

How to develop genuine, trusted connections and AI’s role in the processes.

The opportunity for meaningful connection in a world where we embrace AI but we don’t abrogate all responsibility to it.  

 
Takeaways
 
Participants leave with:
 
An understanding of where AI and HI complement each other
  
The ability and a clear framework to build deeper, more meaningful connections.
  
Increased confidence in developing relationships that lead to support, advocacy, and insight. 

Testimonials.
 
Very thought-provoking content with a strategic approach. The team were clear on what they wanted out of the session and their learnings; it was great that all topics were 
covered holistically within the content Andy delivered. His style was approachable and adaptable whilst providing personal anecdotes to top up learning. 
 
Andy applied relevant learning and examples to our complex organisation in a way that benefitted the cohort. There was such a difference in the key takeaways from the group;  
it was great to hear how varied their experience was, showing the content was relevant and useful for their personal and professional development. 

Raj Bahara-Penfield, Talent Manager UK&I, Sodexo

 

 

 

Andy has released his new book Just Ask- Why Seeking Support is Your Greatest Strength after three years of work!

 

 

 “Our business has demonstrably grown due to the new techniques and skills learned through working with Andy."

 

"One of Europe's leading business networking strategists.

"The Financial Times

"A master of networking"

The Independent and Forbes.com