Jim is lucky enough to have clocked up over 30 years of polar expeditioning; thousands of miles mostly on skis and dragging his world with him, which has given him a huge breadth and depth of experience in surviving and working in extreme environments. In 2001, he founded the “Ice Warrior Project” that gives “ordinary” people the chance to become polar explorers, achieving extraordinary feats of endurance for the betterment of humankind.
His aim is to develop people, discover change and deliver it to global audiences in a way that engages others; fostering a better understanding of the world we live in.
Kevin Keegan is a Liverpool and footballing legend. With his crazy hair styles and fantastic football, Kevin is never without something to talk about in his after dinner speeches.
Kevin started out playing for the town of Scunthorpe and got his lucky break with Liverpool under Bill Shankly. Kevin has been both England Player of the Year and European Player of the Year. He is also one of the very few players who has both captained for and managed England. After an impressive football career and taking the managerial position at both Newcastle and England, Kevin retired from management.
He now shares his enthusiasms and experiences through his coaching and his after dinner speaking. He has the ability to tailor his presentations to his audience and is an undeniable gentleman on all occasions. A truly fantastic speaker and character.
One of the country’s best loved comedians, Gary has been a professional comedian for over 25 years.
As the second child in the UK to be born damaged by the deadly thalidomide drug, which was administered to expectant mothers in the 1960’s, Gary’s life was destined to be difficult and challenging, as the drug impaired his physical development. Expected not to live, let alone to achieve much, Gary is living proof that there is nothing you cannot achieve if
Naomi Riches MBE was only 8 weeks old when she was diagnosed with a visual impairment, but this was not going to stand in her way.
Throughout school the only interest she showed in sport was her participation in her local disabled swimming team. It was in 2004 when Naomi was offered the chance to join Great Britain’s Adaptive Rowing Team that she found her real passion for sport and seized this opportunity. Finally, this was something she could do because of her visual limitation rather than being told she couldn’t because of it.
Over the next ten years Para-rowing developed into a full time Lottery Funded Paralympic Sport. Naomi competed in the Mixed Coxed Four winning six World Championship Gold Medals, a Paralympic Bronze Medal in Beijing and at the London 2012 Games she became Paralympic Champion. As a result of the success in London, Naomi and her crew were awarded MBE’s in February 2013.
It was then that Naomi decided to retire from her International career. She now spends time motivating and inspiring others to push themselves and cease any opportunity that life throws at you.
James describes himself as ‘an historian of the future’ with a close interest in key trends and strategic challenges facing current and future business up to Horizon 2020 and beyond. He also has a professional academic background in international relations, defence strategy and emerging patterns of global political change.
He is a regular choice as a speaker at high level conferences around the world, has published a number of books and special reports on the world of tomorrow and has worked within high-level consultancy teams on projects with a future perspective. He was the first British staff member of the US-headquartered futurology ‘think tank’ the Hudson Institute, taking a senior role at the Institute’s European division based in Paris.
He focuses on such issues as: the emerging new balance of world economic and political power; the impact on business strategy of new technologies and the wireless and connected world; new business ‘eco-systems’ — the shape, style and psychological characteristics of tomorrow’s company; the future of work and the workplace; the ‘New Normal’ new economic and social realities; life and work in the digital age; the global demographic revolution and its future impact; tomorrow’s people; building the post-carbon economy; the business challenges of the green agenda …
He also acts as moderator at major events across Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. Recent clients for speaking and moderating engagements include leading corporate names such as HP, Novo Nordisk, Somfy, BAE Systems, IBM, Axa, Barclays, Microsoft, HSBC, Oracle and Unisys as well as international professional associations, EU and UK government agencies and major non-governmental and non-profit organisations.
He has more than twenty-five years experience as an award-winning TV broadcaster, presenting The Money Programme for BBC TV for three years before moving to Newsnight and Panorama and then to ITV. He was subsequently a newsreader at Financial Times Television and Sky News for seven years, heading up their financial and business coverage.
James has a Masters in law and history from Cambridge and a PhD from the London School of Economics. He is a Fellow of the World Innovation Foundation, founded by Nobel Laureate Glenn Theodore Seaborg.
Steve Cram is a legend on the track, breaking records in the 1500m, 2000m and mile distances. He was winner of 6 Gold medals at the Commonwealth, European and World Championships, as well as winning Silver at the Los Angeles Olympics.
Since his days as a successful Olympian Steve has taken his career into journalism, he is the BBC’s chief athletics commentator, as well as writing extensively for the national press.
Steve’s knowledge and experience of the sporting landscape, from individual athletic success to over a decade in broadcasting, makes him an ideal role model and ambassador for any brand.Steve was also a key character in the bid for and the running of the London 2012 Olympics. His experiences make him an engaging and motivational speaker, suitable for any event.
Geoff is an internationally recognised key-note speaker and business guru. A self employed author and business expert, Geoff is the winner of Business Communicator of the Year Award 2011. Geoff’s unique and hilarious outlook on all manner of business topics has made him the most prolific of speakers in the market.
His flair for life and for all matters of business shows through in Geoff’s entertaining and informing speeches. Being a successful businessman himself he speaks first hand on how to break into business, adding the odd funny anecdote.
