Category: Corporate Hosts

Roger Black MBE

Roger’s standard speech is designed to engage the audience in the lessons learnt throughout my athletics career, which resulted in him achieving his dream of standing on the Olympic rostrum in Atlanta in 1996.
The session includes a selection of Olympic images and archive race footage of the Gold Medal Winning 1991 World Championships 4x400m Relay. Audience members can also reflect and learn from the performance lessons of Team GB, who delivered on the greatest stage of all, the London 2012 Olympic Games, coming third on the medal table and four years later, improved their performance to come second on the medal table at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

There are many similarities between high performance in the worlds of sport and business. Topics he will address including:

• Change management
• Overcoming adversity
• Talent is not enough
• Need to achieve v Fear of failure
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Ownership/accountability
• Synergy – surrounding yourself with talent
• Pro-active vs Re-active

His particular areas of interest are:
• The space between talent and performance, the attitude and behaviours of
world class performers
• The balance between individual and team success.

Eamonn Holmes

 

Simon Callow

Simon’s first role in the theatre was working for Sir Laurence Olivier ” in the box office of the National Theatre. This offer of work came by return of post following a fan letter to Olivier. It was while watching actors rehearse that Simon realised that acting was something he wanted to do.

His films include the Merchant Ivory production A Room with a View (1985) playing the part of the Reverend Beebe.  He memorably played Gareth in Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) and the dour Master of the Revels in Shakespeare in Love (1998).

On television he starred in several series of the Channel 4 sitcom Chance in a Million, as the eccentric Tom Chance, and appeared with Saeed Jaffrey in 1994 British television series Little Napoleons.  In 2004, Simon appeared in a Comic Relief episode of Little Britain.
An acclaimed author, he has written biographies of Charles Laughton, Orson Welles and agent Peggy Ramsay.
In 1988, Simon directed the West End premiere of Willy Russell’s Shirley Valentine, starring Pauline Collins. In 1992, he directed the play Shades by Sharman MacDonald and the musical My Fair Lady. These were followed by a stage version of the classic French film Les Enfants du Paradis for the RSC in 1995.
His prolific stage career has included many other memorable performances (e.g., the solo play, The Mystery of Charles Dickens, 2000), in both actor and director roles.
He has become renowned for a series of one-man shows, which have toured the UK and internationally. These include The Importance of Being Oscar, The Mystery of Charles Dickens, There Reigns Love, a performance of Shakespeare’s sonnets, Dr Marigold & Mr Chops by Charles Dickens, Being Shakespeare by Jonathan Bate, The Man Jesus by Matthew Hurt, and Inside Wagner’s Head.
He was made a CBE in 1999.
Simon is a most entertaining after dinner speaker.

Declan Curry

Journalist, speaker and conference chair Declan Curry was one of the BBC’s most recognisable business presenters and is an accomplished after dinner and keynote speaker, conference facilitator and awards host.

Declan previously presented BBC’s Working Lunch and was the front man for the BBCs Breakfast Business News for many years. He was also the Business Presenter on BBC News 24 since the channel’s launch in 1997.

Previously he presented Show Me The Money on BBC News, and a weekly programme on business and work – On The Money on BBC Radio 5 Live and a weekend show Your Money, providing essential news and information on personal finance.

His broadcasts on Breakfast covered a wide range of stories about business, work and money, he extracted news and views from chief executives, trade union leaders, stock market watchers, private investors and individual workers.

He formerly broadcast for the BBC’s international news channel, BBC World, and he reported as the business commentator in the United States for ABC News for nearly a decade.

Also, formerly the presenter of BBC Radio 5 Live’s early morning business programme, Wake up to Money. He produced and reported for a range of programmes, including Radio 4’s personal finance flagship Moneybox, Radio 5 Live’s Financial World Tonight, and World Service Radio’s World Business Report. In the past, he has worked for the London-based commercial news station LBC, and writes for a wide range of newspapers, magazines and industry publications in the UK, the Irish Republic and the United States.

His previous speaking engagements include the Global Economic Symposium, which has become an annual event for Declan, National Business Awards conference, Retail Week Conference and the Engineering Employers Federation annual awards.

A consummate professional, Declan has brought his vast experience in the media to the speaking circuit. He can facilitate conferences, host awards ceremonies and act as an entertaining after-dinner speaker. Able to tailor his speech to any audience, Declan’s charm and knowledge makes him a sought-after speaker.

Andy Ashworth

Andy has worked in the event business for 30 years; including 11 with the BBC in the North predominantly as BBC Radio Lancashire’s sport presenter. He has fronted over 2000 events from business presentations, conferences, awards ceremonies, gala dinners, summer balls, international sporting events, competitions, sporting dinners and golf days.

Andy’s wealth of experience ensures he can adapt comfortably to every situation and under pressure takes a calm, flexible approach. He appreciates the attention to detail and protocol required, events run to time and itinerary, allowing clients to relax and entertain their guests.

A very composed and confident presenter, Andy is not a comedian, however he ensures every event is enhanced by its unique entertaining style. He holds audience attention, his professionalism and spontaneity guarantees the evening flows throughout. If you are fund raising look no further; recognised as on of the best auctioneers in the business. Go on exceed your expectations!

Mark Jones

Mark Jones is the perfect host for awards and sportsmen’s dinners; he is entertaining, professional and experienced. He works across the UK and worldwide.

Mark has hosted Manchester United’s Player-of-the-Year awards every year since 2002. He was live MC for all Sky Sports’ Masters Football, hosting all their televised UK arena tournaments, plus those in Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Brunei and Macau, China, he presented the live TV interviews too.

“Thank you for doing a great job, the awards were a huge success. How you managed to keep us on time still amazes us! See you next year!  #TopMC”
Mark Duggan, Managing Director, The Pallet Network
“They were a difficult crowd to please, you did an exceptional job! Well done!” 
HRH Sophie, Countess of Wessex [Mark hosted the official opening of Aquavale Leisure Complex, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire]

 

 

Alan Davies

Alan Roger Davies is an English stand-up comedian, writer and actor.  He has played the title role in the BBC mystery drama series Jonathan Creek since 1997,  and has been the only permanent panellist on the BBC panel show QI since 2003,  outlasting hosts Stephen Fry and Sandi Toksvig who took over after Fry’s exit.

Alan is also a talented writer who co-wrote and starred in the radio sitcom, The Alan Davies Show and going on to prove how versatile he is, took on a less comedic role starring as Henry Farm in the drama The Brief.

He has gone on to present documentaries including Alan Davies’ Teenage Revolutions, Alan Davies Apres-Ski, The Dog Rescuers and also co-hosted the Brazilian Banter podcast for ITV with Tom & Dom from Bantams Banter which was a satirical look at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Adger Brown

Introducing one of the South’s leading and most sought after mainstream comedians. A veteran of the after-dinner circuit and a consummate professional. He has performed with many sports stars and celebrities at events up and down the country. Now in his 30th year in show-business, Adger works mainly on the Corporate and Sporting dinner circuit along with Corporate and Charity Golf Days. He is an active member of The Variety Club Golfing Society, A Barker with The Variety Club of Great Britain and a proud member of the Grand Order of Water Rats.

Adger Brown is one of the most versatile comedians on the mainstream circuit of cabaret and variety. If you have a sense of humour then you must simply listen to Adger. Adger is a naturally funny man who can supply a stream of laughs on just about every topic while successfully raising funds in an auction. For a versatile performer who can adapt his act to suit your requirements, you need look no further than Adger Brown for your event.

Barrie McDermott

One of our most versatile Speakers who is inspiration, humorous and entertaining. A former rugby league prop-forward for Leeds Rhinos where he is now Head of Player Welfare after a successful stint as Head of Youth Development. Barrie played in 12 finals including Grand Finals Challenge Cup Finals and a World Club Challenge. He was the first player in Rhinos History to win League Leaders, Challenge Cup, World Club Challenge and the Super League. Barrie played 283 games for Leeds scoring 40 tries including 1 hat-trick.

A Great Britain international with 18 caps Barrie went on to represent Ireland at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup and went on to earn 15 caps over the years as well as being on the coaching staff for the 2008 World Cup.

 

With a glittering Rugby League career, playing over 400 games in 16 years for Oldham, Wigan, Leeds and Widnes scoring 56 tries in total – winning every domestic honor. Retiring in 2006 Barrie, with his good friend Terry O’Connor became a pundit and summerisers for Sky Sports Super League

 

His autobiography, Made for Rugby was published in 2004; it became the best selling RL book of all time. He has worked in every aspect of his sport at the highest level be it as a player or working with top performers as a coach or manager he has a story to tell. He has  is one of the most respected and entertaining speakers on the circuit. After Dinner, Corporate Presenting or Hosting, Motivational or Business Speaking

Roger Dakin

Roger is an professional and versatile MC, who has entertained audiences all over the UK. Being his passion, he is particularly well known across rugby circles and is one of the best on the circuit.
Roger played hockey for England in the 1970’s and coached the team just before they became successful. Despite his honesty at being slightly overweight, cricket is still on the active agenda, as is golf. At cricket as a non-turning off-spinner and a bandit off 24 at golf, he has enjoyed some success at both and enjoys speaking and making people laugh – sometimes at his cricket and golf! Having spoken at functions of all types for over 25 years, he finds he is now ready for anything.

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"Chippings", 2 The Old Sawmills, Ripponden, HALIFAX, HX6 4EN