An inspirational female speaker can motivate your team, drive innovation, and highlight the benefits of a diverse workforce. Female business leaders, particularly those in less-female-oriented roles (such as STEM fields), serve as invaluable role models, showcasing the impact of diversity and the importance of representation within the workplace and society.
Furthermore, female speakers are not just for female audiences; they offer valuable insights that can inspire all genders. By sharing their experiences and perspectives, female speakers discuss a myriad of topics, including challenges women face in the workplace and society. They can guide organisations to support gender equality, respect women’s voices, better understand women’s health and promote diversity in leadership roles.
Through their stories and expertise, female speakers encourage personal and professional growth, fostering an environment of mutual respect and collaboration. Their presence challenges outdated norms, opening minds to the importance of inclusivity and empowering everyone to thrive together.
Female speakers also play a significant role in events like International Women’s Day (8th March), which celebrates women’s achievements and advocates for gender equality in the workplace and women’s health.
At Great Business Speakers, we specialise in connecting you with the perfect female speaker for your event, whether virtual or in-person. Our selection of experienced and influential speakers will inspire, engage, and drive meaningful conversations, helping your business embrace diversity and empower women in leadership.
Discover our leading Female Business Speakers below, or contact the team at Great Business Speakers to enquire or book. +44 1753 439 289
Jo Fairley is a serial entrepreneur, best known for co-founding the luxury chocolate brand Green & Black’s. Leaving school with just six O Levels, Jo became the UK’s youngest-ever magazine editor at Look Now.
Today, Jo continues to make influential contributions to Green & Black’s, as well as to the wider industry. She has founded several businesses across industries, but always themed around the senses.
Jo is a highly sought-after speaker, sharing her experiences, invaluable expertise, and advice for fellow entrepreneurs. Jo was once awarded the World Aware Award for her influential entrepreneurship, a testament to her dedication to ensuring all she works on is environmentally friendly.
Susie Wolff MBE is a former motorsport driver, Managing Director of the F1 Academy, and a motivational keynote speaker.
She began her competitive motorsport career over 20 years ago, starting out on the karting track. After cutting her teeth in karting, Formula Renault, and DTM for Mercedes-Benz, she made history at the 2014 British Grand Prix by becoming the first woman to take part in a Formula 1 race weekend in 22 years.
After retiring from driving in 2015, and as part of her commitment to fostering positive change within the sport, she launched Dare To Be Different, an initiative aimed at driving female talent by inspiring the next generation and increasing female participation in all aspects of motorsport.
Her hard work was awarded in 2017 with an MBE for her services and contribution to women in sport.
Debra Searle MVO, MBE, is a unique and inspiring individual. A businesswoman, professional adventurer, and motivational speaker, Debra is convinced that learning to choose the right attitude, can transform our personal and professional lives.
Debra has launched five companies, presented over 40 programmes for the BBC, won Gold World Championship medals for Team GB, was the youngest ever trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, and successfully rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Once voted World #1 Female Motivational Speaker in the Global Gurus ranking, Debra has been honoured twice by the late Queen, an MBE in 2002 and an MVO in 2014.
She is a successful author, and has spoken at over 1,300 events across 40 countries about her incredible achievements. In fact, the movie of her solo Atlantic row is currently in development in Hollywood!
Sedge Beswick is an entrepreneur, business founder, consultant, advisor, and speaker, helping brands and people grow without losing their edge. Sedge has built a career at the intersection of brand, culture, and real life.
Sedge Beswick has built her career by challenging convention, pushing boundaries, and breaking new ground. From pioneering social at ASOS to growing SEEN Connects into a £24 million global agency, she knows how to scale businesses and grow audiences.
Whether it’s start-ups or global giants, Sedge brings a no-nonsense, sharp approach to navigating the chaos of scaling in today’s world. She’s a go-to expert on marketing, influence, and brand-building, backing up her opinions with experience, no buzzwords.
She is regularly featured on BBC News, Sky, and The Financial Times, is a two-time author, lecturer, and has led workshops for No. 10 Downing Street and Google.
Deborah Meaden is a businesswoman, entrepreneur, TV personality, writer, and inspirational business speaker. She is best known for appearing on BBC’s Dragons’ Den (2006-).
She champions ethical and fair practices in both her personal life and her business investments, believing that caring for the environment is crucial for our wellbeing.
She is a popular keynote speaker, offering talks on business, the environment, investing, selling and retail, and other financial matters.
Yasmine Mahmoudieh is a multiple award-winning architect and interior designer, renowned for her pioneering work in multi-sensory and sustainable design.
She is deeply committed to sustainable practices in her field, and demonstrates her devotion by speaking at forums around the world, but also through her actions.
Yasmine Mahmoudieh is the founder of Impact Design Now, a company that produces high-quality, sustainable future using 3D printing technologies and recycled materials, maintaining the integrity of high-quality design while promoting sustainability.
She also explores the future of architecture and the role of technology in her discussions. She is at the forefront of technological innovation in design, with projects including a 3D printed furniture line from recycled plastics and a pioneering virtual real estate project in the Metaverse.
Through her talks, Yasmine Mahmoudieh educates audiences worldwide about the importance of sustainability in architrave and design. She discusses how careful selection of materials can lead to healthier alternatives to toxic substances like plastic and concrete, resulting in designs that are both attractive and eco-friendly.
In addition to being an impactful keynote speaker, Yasmine Mahmoudieh is a guest lecturer at universities and colleges in London, New York, Los Angeles, Monte Carlo, Lausanne, Shanghai, and Moscow. She serves on the BLLA board and has been a visiting professor at EHL for nine years. For the last 10 years, she has taught at the Institut Paul Becuse in Lyon and Paris, and she is a mentor at the Royal College of Art in London.
With her influence and expertise in sustainable architecture and design, Yasmine Mahmoudieh has been featured in several high-profile publications. Her work and insights have been highlighted in Architectural Digest, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, ELLE, Business Insider, and Digital Journal.
Beyond her speaking engagements, Yasmine Mahmoudieh serves as a global ambassador for sustainability in architecture and design, delivering lectures at prestigious forums like the World Economic Forum in Davos, and COP28 in Dubai.
Cassandra Stavrou MBE is the founder of food company, PROPER Snacks, who make the bestselling PROPERCORN and PROPERCHIPS.
Spearheading the healthy snack boom, Cassandra built the business into Europe’s largest independent snacking company, reaching over £100 million in sales!
Her products are sold around the world in over 20 countries, and are for sale in every major UK retailer. PROPER Snacks were also the first ever B Corp snacks company – certified as a company that meets “high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability”.
In 2020 she was awarded an MBE from the late Queen for services to the food industry.
Beatrice Kabutakapua is an inspiring Business Storytelling Coach who works with businesses and organisations, helping them utilize storytelling to enhance employee engagement and enable leaders to be more authentic, ultimately creating a happier, more inclusive workplace culture.
She has worked with companies such as Aviva, Booking.com, Netflix, and Save the Children to drive communications and leadership transformation across their teams.
Allyson Stewart-Allen is an expert in leadership, development, and internationalisation. Allyson helps leaders, brands, and businesses successfully expand internationally by giving them the tools to be more effective globally.
Sky News once dubbed her the “Muse of Marketing”. She has collaborated with companies, media channels, and publications worldwide, including BBC News, CNN, and The Financial Times. She has also appeared on BBC1’s The Apprentice, and has created one of LinkedIn Learning’s most popular courses on leading international growth.
She has worked with over 260 organisations across 26 countries, including Burberry, Cadbury, Chanel, HSBC, and Shell. She is also one of the original mentors for the Mayor of London’s International Business Programme.
Zoe Kleinman is one of the UK’s most prominent technology journalists, with a career spanning nearly two decades.
Known for her insightful reporting on some of the most significant technological developments of our time, Zoe has established herself as a trusted voice in the tech world, breaking down complex topics for a broad audience.
Covering everything from cyber-security breaches and hacking scandals to the latest developments in AI and autonomous vehicles, Zoe brings cutting-edge tech stories to millions worldwide. Her reports feature across a wide range of platforms, including BBC News, BBC World News, BBC World Service, and Radio 4’s Today programme, making complex tech topics accessible to a global audience.
In 2021, Zoe was appointed Technology Editor at the BBC. In this role, she leads the BBC’s coverage of tech developments, reporting on everything from cybercrime and social media trends to the impact of AI and the ethical dilemmas surrounding emerging technologies. As part of her work, Zoe explains how technological innovations are influencing industries, shaping economies, and altering the fabric of society.
Her reporting is often distinguished by its accessibility. Zoe has a gift for making even the most complicated technological advancements understandable to the average person, demystifying complex concepts like blockchain, quantum computing, and the metaverse. Her style is approachable, informative, and engaging, which has earned her a loyal following both in the UK and internationally.
Zoe is a familiar face not only on the BBC but also at technology conferences and events. She is a regular speaker at industry panels, where she discusses Artificial Intelligence, innovation and trends in technology, as well as the role of the media in informing the public about the complexities of technological advancements.
A confident and entertaining speaker who is in demand as a host, chair, panellist and lecturer, Zoe’s expertise and knowledge of the tech sector is brought to life by her engaging style.
Recognised as a leading voice in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Toju Duke is an influential speaker, author, thought leader, and advisor on Responsible AI.
With an extensive career spanning over 18 years across advertising, retail, non-profit, and tech industries, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience.
For 10 years, Toju worked at Google where she played a pivotal role as a Programme Manager for Responsible AI and spearheaded various initiatives focusing on the integration of Responsible AI practices across Google’s product and research teams.
Toju offers expert consultation on Responsible AI practices to organisations seeking to implement ethical AI frameworks.
Her insights have been featured in prominent media outlets such as the BBC, Sky News, El País, La Nación, and Sifted.
Toju has been recognised as one of the top women in AI by several notable publications, including Daily AI and Xantage. She actively participates in high-level AI policy discussions and contributes to major governmental events.
Launched in 2016, Sophia the Robot is Human Robotics’ most advanced human-like robot.
Since her creation, Sophia has captivated the imagination of global audiences, personifying our dreams for the future of artificial intelligence. With a unique combination of artistry, engineering, and science, Sophia is simultaneously a science-fiction character, and a technology platform for AI research and advanced robotics.
Her ability to not only make an impact on the technology world, but also the creative world is impressive; in 2019 her own self-portrait sold for nearly $700,000 at auction.
Unbelievably, in 2017 she was granted Saudi Arabian citizenship, becoming not only the first robot to receive legal citizenship of any country, but she was also named the United Nations Development Programme’s first Innovation Champion, becoming the first non-human to be given a UN title.
Shakaila Forbes-Bell is a qualified Fashion Psychologist, author, and presenter.
She became the first black person in the world to earn a Master’s degree in fashion psychology; her focus was the underrepresentation of black models in fashion media, the impact of that on consumer behaviour, and the idea of self-concept. Her Master’s paper would go on to be published in the International Journal of Market Research.
Since qualifying, she has collaborated with a range of high-end and high-street fashion brands, delivered workshops to industry professionals, spoken at keynote events, and been featured in publications including Marie Claire Magazine, Grazia Magazine, and The Times.
She is also the founder of Fashion Is Psychology, and released her bestselling book, Big Dress Energy in 2022.
Rob Forkan and Dr Roisin O’Regan are the co-founders of Preveo, where they revolutionise the approach to corporate wellbeing.
Dr Roisin is a former Urgent Care Physician and GP, and is currently the Chief Medical Officer of Preveo; Rob is also the co-founder of Gandys alongside his brother Paul, and together they sell travel clothing in order to help fund life-changing projects across the world.
Renowned as a trailblazing mental health leader, Petra Velzeboer is a TEDx speaker, CEO of mental health consultancy PVL, and author of Begin With You, and Digital Wellbeing.
With PVL, Petra and her team help businesses to cultivate mentally healthy cultures that prioritise employee wellbeing, aligned with business goals, in order to drive peak performance. Raised in a religious cult, Petra knows first-hand what living in a toxic culture can do to people, and is on a mission to help people thrive at home and at work.
She is a very popular keynote speaker, and has spoken at many events. Her talks are known to be down-to-earth, relatable, engaging, practical, humerous, empowering, and inspiring, offering practical insights that help organisations navigate rapid change and create meaningful, lasting success.
Perla Bloom is a dynamic global marketing strategy leader.
Passionate about the intersection of tech, creativity, and culture, she builds brands and creates connected experiences for audiences that solve a problem to reach specific objectives.
She is currently the senior global comms manager for Expedia, responsible for planning content, editorial and entertainment for the company. She is also the WELL London Chapter Lead, Expedia’s internal women’s organisation.
She is also a much sought-after international keynote speaker at industry events and on podcasts.
Nicole Bearne has been at the forefront of Formula 1 for over 25 years, contributing to the success of the Brawn Grand Prix and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 teams.
Her extensive motorsport experience includes executive and technical operations, internal communications, employee experience and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Nicole’s career achievements include nine Constructors’ World Championships and eight Drivers’ titles, which underscore her instrumental role in driving success both on and off the racetrack.
As a pivotal member of renowned teams such as Brawn GP and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One, her journey is a testament to excellence, leadership, and innovation in one of the most demanding industries.
In 2023, Nicole founded The Comms Exchange, a consultancy dedicated to enhancing internal communications, employee engagement, and leadership strategies for organisations across various industries. Armed with a master’s degree in Organisational Behaviour, as well as professional certifications from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the Institute of Internal Communications, Nicole brings unparalleled expertise to her current role.
Nicole’s unique blend of real-world F1 business acumen and academic expertise makes her a compelling speaker for various audiences. She is frequently invited to speak at conferences in the UK, USA and Europe.
Naomi Kerbel is a communications expert with over 12 years of experience working in TV Journalism for Bloomberg, CNBC, and Sky News.
Before working on TV News, she worked as a Corporate Access Originator for Goldman Sachs, bringing together investors and corporate clients in the FTSE100. She also worked as an International Investor Access Consultant for Edison Investment Research.
Naomi is also a successful podcast host, award judge, ambassador, advisor, and BAFTA member.
Lucy Edwards is a blind social media influencer, content creator, radio broadcaster and presenter, disability speaker and the first ever blind ambassador for beauty brand Pantene.
In 2013, at the age of 17, Lucy Edwards lost her vision and had to learn how to navigate her life again. Whilst a frightening time, it was also the beginning of an extraordinary journey to find self-acceptance and joy again. Her honest down-to-earth style has since made her a popular face on social media and an admired campaigner for disability and equality. So much so, that in the years since she went public with her disability, Lucy has grown a huge following across platforms, with over 190,000 on Instagram, 807,000 on YouTube and over 1.8 million on TikTok
These large followings mean her message is reaching countries as far and wide as the UK and USA, to Australia and Canada.
Lucy’s motto in life is that she is ‘blind, not broken’.
Lizzy Burden is UK correspondent and anchor on Bloomberg TV, hosts Bloomberg Radio and Bloomberg UK Politics Podcast.
Lizzy Burden has interviewed big names from the world of politics, business and economics, including the UK Chancellor, Foreign Secretary, Bank of England policymakers and FTSE 100 CEOs, as well as Nobel Laureate economists.
She previously worked as a reporter for The Times and The Daily Telegraph. In 2020, while writing for The Telegraph, Lizzie was named one of MHP’s 30 journalists to watch.
Lizzy Burden has reported from Downing Street, Buckingham Palace, the Band of England and the Élysée Palace, covering monetary policy decisions, the careers of multiple UK prime ministers, the death and funeral of Elizabeth II and Brexit, and chronicled the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine on the British economy.
She also hosts events, including recently at Conservative and Labour Party conferences, the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, the CBI’s annual conference, Chatham House and Founders Forum.
Letty Gordon-Furse, CEO of The Spring Back Guide, offers a unique blend of passion, corporate acumen, and a global perspective on why supporting working mothers and parents in general in returning to work should be integral to all diversity programmes.
With a background in people and organisational change at Ernst & Young and a track record of leading large-scale transformation projects for national and international charities, Letty brings enormous enthusiasm and depth of knowledge and insight to her role as a trusted maternity coach – running her own business for the last five years as well as raising two small children.
Her holistic approach combines cutting-edge technology with personalised coaching to support organisations in keeping this brilliant segment of the workforce using five years’ worth of maternity leave data. Letty also hosts a successful podcast, Returnity, which is rated 5.0 stars across all platforms and is listened to in 23 countries.
Letty is a popular speaker with an important message. She has recently spoken at Bloom PR, the Music Publisher’s Association and The Village.
“Laura Bates is showing us the path to both intimate and global survival.” – Gloria Steinem
Laura Bates is the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, a popular keynote speaker, and a bestselling author. Her books include Everyday Sexism which was shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year, and the Sunday Times bestseller Girl Up. She regularly writes for publications including The Guardian and is a frequent consultant for TV productions around gender inequality.
Laura is also the Vice President of the Hay Literary Festival, and an Honorary Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge.
Laura is a frequent media commentator across TV and Radio, and has appeared on BBC Breakfast, Newsnight, Today, CNN, Channel 4 News, Loose Women, Woman’s Hour, and Lorraine.
She was awarded a British Empire Medal in 2015 from the Late Queen for her work around sexism and gender inequality; she participated in President Obama’s White House Summit on the United State of Women, and has been named Woman of the Year by many publications including Cosmopolitan.
Katty Kay is a Washington DC-based Special Correspondent, award-winning journalist, and bestselling author.
She has given global perspectives on American politics and global affairs, and has experience working in Europe, Japan, the Middle East, South Africa, and the U.S throughout her career. She has worked for the BBC for over three decades, and has covered everything from financial crashes to world trouble spots, sex scandals, global affairs, politics, and six U.S Presidential elections.
She is currently a contributor to MSNBC, and U.S Special Correspondent for BBC Studios, and frequently works from the U.S and Europe.
Katty Kay has co-authored a number of books, four of which have been New York Times’ bestsellers. She is also a popular and engaging keynote speaker, moderator, interviewer, and event host.
Jill Scott MBE is a retired professional footballer who was part of England’s 2022 Euro win, amongst other high-level competitions.
Over her 16 years of experience, and 161 England caps, Jill has seen women’s football grow to the level that saw a record crowd of over 87,000 watch their Euro win.
Alongside her football interests, she co-owns a high-profile coffee shop in Manchester with Shelly Unitt called BOXX2BOX.
She is now a popular media personality and soccer pundit, in demand for various corporate panels and Q+As.
