Sharif is a writer, curator, workplace inclusion consultant and singer-songwriter. He is the author of the critically acclaimed books Straight to Normal: My Life as a Gay Man (2019) and Queersapien (2022).
A TEDx speaker, Sharif has addressed numerous global and local forums on communications, inclusion and multiculturalism hosted by the Canadian High Commission, the British High Commission, Public Relations Organisation International, International Communications Consultancy Organisation, Open For Business, the American Centre and corporations such as Johnson & Johnson, Bank of America, Adobe, Barclays, Microsoft, Stryker, WE and Cognizant.
The Festival Director of the award-winning Rainbow Lit Fest and Founder, The Rainbow Awards for Literature & Journalism, Sharif is also the frontman of Friends of Linger. His band’s track, ‘Head Held High’ is India’s first dedication to the LGBT+ community.
A believer that communications through discussions, talks, art, literature and music are key to influencing change, he brings together over 30 years of experience in the fields of journalism, research, PR and image management in all he does. He has worked with organizations such as The Pioneer and The Economic Timesin the media, and was the CEO and, later, chairman of Integral PR. Under his leadership the firm rose to the top 250 in the world!
Sharif has been on the PR Week Global Power List (2015) and was IPRCCA PR Person of the Year (2013). He is an advisor to the Global PR Trust and part of the Global Advisory Council for the London-based Diversity Economics Institute.
