Dr Tarek Jomaa is co-founder and CEO of Synthosys, which specialises in bringing clarity, cohesion and high performance into the heart of teams. He is shortlisted for the Institute Advocate of the Year Award 2025.
How did you come to be doing the job you are doing today?
My career began in motorsport engineering and later in aeronautics and higher education — all highly technical fields. What I discovered is that no matter how precise the design, success depends on aligning people to work together. That realisation led me from engineering to co-founding Synthosys, where I now focus on building antifragile organisations.
If you weren’t doing this job, what would you like to do?
My journey has taken me across continents and sectors — from engineering to higher education, NGOs, and consultancy. Each step has been about unlearning and rediscovering myself, and today I feel I’m finally living my true calling: helping leaders and organisations become antifragile. At this moment, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
What is one common misperception of your work?
At Synthosys, we help organisations and leaders build antifragile cultures by creating alignment. A common misperception is to think alignment means everyone agreeing. In truth, it’s about how teams handle disagreements — that’s where real resilience and strength come from.
If you could offer a piece of advice to your 18 year old self, what would it be?
Like tyres in motorsport, life is about compromise — what you gain on one side, you lose on the other. Be wise in the choices you make, but always stay curious and ambitious about the opportunities ahead.
What is one fact about yourself that most people would be surprised to know?
This summer I wrote a children’s book for ages five to seven, to spark conversations about understanding yourself before trying to change the world. It was inspired by what I see in many leaders today — the urge to change everything around them without first understanding themselves, especially in this volatile age of AI and disruption.
How do you feel to be nominated for the Institute Advocate of the Year award?
I’ve always considered myself a strong advocate for the Institute, so to be recognised in this way was a beautiful surprise. Speaking recently at the Warwick Castle members’ event reminded me how much I value this community, and I hope the nomination helps inspire more people to connect with the Institute’s mission.
