Open exclusively to the UCL community, we invite you to join us on Level 50 of One Canada Square on Monday 17 November for the Business Leaders Speaker Series. We are inviting Derya Matras, Vice President for the United Kingdom, Northern European, Middle East and Africa (UK and EMEA) at Meta, who will deliver a keynote titled 'Navigating life's mountains: A path to meaning and impact'.

During the evening, Derya will share her leadership expertise, shaped by resilience, purpose and overcoming real challenges. Speaking openly about her own journey through adversity, Derya will discuss the power of setbacks in driving growth and strengthening both leadership and life. She will also showcase how a clear sense of purpose can guide everyday decisions, why adaptability matters more than ever, and practical ways to balance hard work with what truly matters. Her story offers a chance to reflect, learn and connect with the ongoing journey of growth and resilience.

Derya is a highly accomplished business leader, wife, and mother of two, with a strong track record across the media, retail and management consulting sectors. Since joining Meta in 2015, she has helped to drive growth in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey markets, leading to an expansion in her roles and responsibilities, to include oversight of the United Kingdom and Northern European markets. A key player in leading the company's operations and business across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, Meta's revenue grew from $17.928 billion in 2015 to £47.52 billion in Quarter 2 of 2025.

Complementing her role at Meta, Derya serves a board member for Make-A-Wish International and a member of the Young Presidents Organisation London. Her accomplishments as a leader and a passionate advocate of women's empowerment and diversity, equity, and inclusion, has garnered recognition from esteemed global media outlets. Forbes has named her among the Top 30 Most Influential CEOs, the Top 5 Women Leaders in Tech in the Middle East, and Fortune listed her in the '40 under 40' list.