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Best Public Speakers Series: Jaykumar Menon

by Kat Evans


We included Jaykumar Menon on our "Best Public Speakers" list because of his paradoxical blend of awe-inspiring scale of ambition and remarkably mild-mannered and unassuming style. His quiet confidence and comfort with conversation is striking given the scale of his hopes, ideas, and plans.


Best Public Speaker


Menon went from being a human rights lawyer, striving for justice for individuals, to seeking positive human rights gains at a global scale. He co-founded the Open Source Pharma Foundation, which seeks paradigm shifts in global health, specifically in nutrition and vaccines. He has held academic positions at Harvard and McGill, and been selected as a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a JD and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia, and completed a BA and one year of medical school at Brown.


We reviewed Jaykumar's interview with David Kirkpatrick during Techonomy 22, a conference by Worth Media Group in 2022 in Sonoma, California.



What are the main communication takeaways?


  • Calm and relaxed demeanor: Menon seems very much at ease. He is engaged in the discussion and shows no sign of stress. He could be chatting with you about the features on his new iPhone or his compression socks. Menon maintains a calm and relaxed demeanor trhoughout the entire conversation.

  • Values-based language: While the science and the finance of Open Source Pharma are staggering game changers for the world, Menon leads with values-based language-- "love," "giving" "the heart" and "goodness." It is disarming, especially in crowds expecting more technical language and data-driven insights.

  • Intentional gestures: Menon's hands and fingers move with precise gestures to emphasize his various points and go back to a 'neutral' or 'home base' position in between.



How could he improve?


  • Upright posture: Both Menon and Kirkpatrick are deeply learning forward on their arms for most of the interview, which weakens diaphragmatic breathing and looks uncomfortable. A more upright posture will ensure better tone and a healthier visual presence.

  • Top-down structure: In beginning with Values-based language and prioritizing credentials and context, Menon fails to get Open Source Pharma's agenda out clearly. Thankfully, Kirkpatrick is an excellent interviewer and asks clarifying questions or synthesizes what he just heard.


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