Gilbert Enoka

Leadership and mental skills coach

Overview

Gilbert Enoka is a leadership and mental performance coach whose work connects elite sport with the challenges of leading people. In April 2026, New Zealand Rugby announced his return to the All Blacks as Leadership and Mental Performance Coach under Dave Rennie. His speaking explores how people prepare for pressure, build trust and create a strong team culture. His book Become Unstoppable brings together lessons from that work, giving conference audiences a starting point for conversations about the behaviours behind sustained performance.

Who is Gilbert Enoka?

Gilbert spent his early childhood in an orphanage, from 18 months until the age of 12. He has spoken openly about how that experience shaped his sensitivity to others' emotional states, a quality that became central to his work with elite athletes and leaders. He joined the All Blacks in 2000 alongside Wayne Smith and spent 23 years with the team before stepping away in 2023. In April 2026, he returned to the role under Dave Rennie, once again shaping the mental and cultural foundations of the team.

Career Highlights

• Reappointed All Blacks Leadership and Mental Performance Coach, April 2026

• 23 years with the All Blacks (2000–2023) — longest-serving member of the team's management group

• Over 300 All Blacks Test matches and back-to-back Rugby World Cup wins (2011, 2015)

• One Laureus Award for World Team of the Year

• 21 consecutive Bledisloe Cups, three Grand Slams, multiple Tri Nations and Rugby Championships

• Mental skills coach for the Crusaders, Silver Ferns and Black Caps

• Author of Become Unstoppable (Penguin, 2025).

• ONZM for services to rugby

Key Speaking Themes

• Leadership under pressure in high-stakes environments

• Building and sustaining high-performance cultures

• Red Head vs Blue Head: managing the brain under pressure

• Mental resilience, mindset and emotional control

• Trust, accountability, and team standards

• Translating elite sport into business leadership

What Your Audience Will Gain

Gilbert's keynotes leave audiences with frameworks they can apply on Monday morning: how high-performance cultures are built one hard conversation at a time, how to recognise and manage pressure responses, and how to lead teams through both winning and losing seasons.

Ideal For

• Corporate conferences and leadership events

• Executive teams and senior leadership groups

• CEO conferences and chair offsites

• High-performance and culture programmes

• Strategy sessions and team offsites

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Gilbert Enoka speak about?
Leadership, high performance, mental resilience, team culture, trust, accountability, and performing under pressure.

Is Gilbert Enoka currently with the All Blacks?
Yes. He was reappointed as the All Blacks' Leadership and Mental Performance Coach in April 2026 under head coach Dave Rennie, returning to the role he held from 2000 to 2023.

How long was Gilbert Enoka with the All Blacks?
23 years, from 2000 to 2023, before his April 2026 reappointment. He was the longest-serving member of the team's management group and was involved in over 300 Test matches.

Has Gilbert Enoka written a book?
Yes. The New Zealand trade paperback edition of Become Unstoppable was published by Penguin on 19 August, 2025.

Does Gilbert Enoka speak internationally?
Yes. Recent international engagements include Tenneco's Global Leadership Conference in Miami and consulting work with Chelsea FC.

How long is a typical keynote?
45 minutes is standard with Q&A optional. Shorter and longer formats are available.