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 Their presence challenges outdated norms, opening minds to the importance of inclusivity and empowering everyone to thrive together.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
Susannah Schofield is the founder and CEO of Dice Matrix Consulting, the group who owns Sports DMM and Pitch DMM. She also owns the magazine title ‘Key Women in Business’ (KWIB.co.uk) and is the Editor-in-Chief with a readership of 120,000.
Dice Matrix Consulting is a Research and Insight business, looking at either specific clients or sector and industry insights to help business develop and understand what customers and employees need.
Measuring the perception gap and identifying strengths and opportunities whilst monitoring efficiency savings. This has been running successfully since she created the business model in 2013 as part of her published book, Mind the Gap – creating a successful business strategy.
The Group moved quickly into the Sports world to help Professional clubs and Sports groups to understand how to drive Marginal Gain to reach excellence. The Group also owns the PitchDMM App which is an App to give football fans a voice and be heard.
Yewande Akinola is an award-winning engineer and innovator, consultant, and social entrepreneur with a passion for the role of innovation, creativity, engineering, and technology in our world today.
She brings a unique and thought-provoking perspective to conversations on engineering, technology, social impact, sustainability, innovation, and diversity and inclusion.
She is able to weave her experience from working on a wide range of global infrastructure and building projects into lively and engaging sessions with varied audiences. Yewande draws on a problem- solving mind set to bring meaningful contributions to relevant subjects. Yewande adopts a conversational method in the communication of big ideas and engages her audience with powerful stories.
She has presented TV programmes and hosted events and conferences with groups ranging from creatives, media celebrities, engineers to politicians.
Stephanie Hare is a leading author, commentator, consultant, and keynote speaker on the topics of business, technology, and trends.
From artificial intelligence to technology ethics, the metaverse and cyber security, Stephanie enlightens audiences, clients and readers about the dynamic changes we are all experiencing, in both our personal and professional lives.
She has expertise in surveillance, society, security, privacy, and gender roles in STEM. Her most recent work includes research on how surveillance, biometrics, and ‘the big data’ can affect our civil liberties and rights in this digital age.
Former BBC Newsnight Economics Editor, Stephanie Flanders is an economist, journalist, broadcaster, presenter, former Senior Advisor to the US Treasury Secretary, and current Senior Executive Editor for Economics at Bloomberg.
One of the foremost authorities on economics across the globe, Stephanie’s experience and personable nature make her an impressive keynote speaker for any event.
Stef Sword-Williams is a TEDx speaker, author and founder of F*ck Being Humble – an empowering movement and consultancy dedicated to inspiring individuals to embrace their achievements unapologetically and conquer the fear of self-promotion.
Recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in Europe, Stef’s impactful talks have reached audiences in over 50 countries and have been sought after by global brands including Apple, Unilever, Google, Nike, Adidas, Microsoft, and the BBC.
Stef’s TEDx Talk on why the world needs to shed its humility has further solidified her position as a thought leader in self-empowerment and personal branding.
Named among the Top 50 Workplace Leaders in the UK, Stef Sword-Williams has cultivated a loyal online following of over 170,000. Stef’s work has been featured in Vogue, BBC World News, the Financial Times, and Forbes.
Stacey Dooley is a candid journalist known for her hard-hitting and often controversial BBC documentaries.
Her work has taken her around the world, uncovering the truth about sex trafficking in Cambodia, the fashion trade in India to all female juvenile prisons in the United States.
Sophie Williams is a bestselling author, businesswoman working in marketing and advertising, and proud anti-racism advocate.
She first came to global prominence in June 2020 when the singer Justin Bieber shared her work during the Black Lives Matter wave following George Floyd’s death.
As of September 2022, she has published two books; her debut, Anti-Racist Ally (2020), was a small book introducing allyship in the workplace and the wider community. This was followed up in 2021 with Millennial Black, a women’s business book created for black women, after Sophie realised that most business books were aimed at supporting white women.
Sophie is a top-rated keynote speaker, inspiring audiences on diversity, inclusion, equality, racism, the race pay gap and allyship.
Sophie Robinson is one of the industry’s top interior stylists and designers, regularly employed by Britain’s best-selling magazines to produce inspirational yet achievable room designs.
With over 25 years of experience, the undisputed queen of colour is regarded as an expert with a keen eye for the latest looks and high-street trends.
Maryam Moshiri is a Chief News Presenter on the BBC’s global news channel BBC World News, broadcasting to over 100 million viewers a week. She presents many of the flagship programmes, including Impact, The Briefing, Global, Newsday and World News Today.
Maryam is both a main news and business news specialist. She worked as a Lead Business Presenter on BBC News for 16 years, presenting all the BBC’s flagship business programmes, including World Business Report, Talking Business and the Business Briefing.
Marnie Swindells is a boxer, entrepreneur, and winner of the BBC reality show The Apprentice (2023).
Since winning, she has undergone a life-changing year after becoming business partners with Lord Alan Sugar and is the proud owner of The Bronx Boxing Gym. She has appeared on various media channels, and in advertisement campaigns for brands such as Colgate and and Sports Direct.
Now an inspiration to novices and professionals alike, Marnie is a popular keynote speaker on the topics of entrepreneurialism, female business leaders, sport, power, resilience, and how sport – boxing specifically – can bring you so much more than ‘just’ fitness; it can give you a place to belong.
An advocate for artists since a young age, Marine Tanguy managed her first gallery at age 21 and opened her first art gallery in Los Angeles at age 23.
After seeing the restrictiveness of the traditional gallery model, Marine launched MTArt Agency in 2015.
She is an in demand award-winning international entrepreneur and inspirational business speaker.
“The only science I know is business management. That is the science I used in order to plan my world-run and deliver it, throughout. There is no secret. If you use the right methodology, if you are consistent and committed, there is no reason you will fail.”
Marie Leautey is a record-breaking runner who, in 2022, became the fastest woman to run around the world, running an incredible 698 marathons in just 825 days. But she hasn’t finished yet. In 2025 she aims to run across Africa, leaving Asia and Antarctica the only continents left.
Just one of seven people who have completed a run round the world, her journey epitomises the values of adaptability, commitment, integrity, passion, and resilience, and it is this combined with her corporate know-how that resonates with audiences.
She is also an experienced Chief Financial Officer with over 20 years’ experience in the corporate world, an author, and inspirational keynote speaker, and conference host.
A finance professional by trade, Marianne Abib-Pech trained with Arthur Andersen before joining General Electric where she honed her business, finance and leadership skills to become the Global CFO of Shell Aviation – a 20B$ turnover business – before turning 35.
A writer by passion, she is the recognised author of ithe Financial Times Guide to Leadership: How to lead effectively and get results.
An entrepreneur by conviction, Marianne founded her own boutique advisory firm in Merger and Acquisitions – specialized in growth-oriented cross-border transactions in Emerging Markets. She has successfully closed transactions in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Maria Ramos is a leading international journalist and TV News Anchor at TRT World London. Anchoring the flagship news programme News Hour, she delivers breaking news and global headlines; her recent coverage includes Trump’s tariffs, the U.S. presidential elections, the Gaza conflict, and the Russia–Ukraine war.
Ramos’ journalism career spans global outlets including BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Bahrain TV, and UNICEF. She’s reported across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Latin America.
As well as English, Maria speaks French, Italian, Spanish, and basic Arabic.
Marga Hoek is that rare combination of a successful business leader who is also a visionary on sustainable business.
Her experience, knowledge and passion have seen her operating at the highest level, working with presidents and political ministers, and speaking at G20, G7, and Cop 23. She was also ranked by Thinkers 50 as one of the top 30 new management thinkers in the world.
Mandy Hickson stands as a beacon of determination and excellence in aviation, having carved a path where few women had ventured before. As the second female pilot to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line with the Royal Air Force (RAF), her journey is both inspiring and instructive for audiences across the UK.
She was awarded an RAF flying scholarship aged just 17 but initially failed the computer-based tests taken by all RAF pilots. Undeterred, her self-belief and determination persuaded the RAF to take her on a test case, thereby overcoming insurmountable hurdles.
Since hanging up her flying goggles in 2019, she now shares her experiences of working within an elite team with audiences of all sizes, including her online following of over 24,000. Her keynote speeches often cover risk taking, decision making under pressure, and the critical role of the human in the system.
In today’s high-pressure business world, companies can often struggle to maintain resilience, teamwork, and peak performance; they can struggle with decision-making in times of uncertainty, while teams can break down due to bad communication and distrust.
Mandy Hickson brings unmatched expertise from one of the most critical environments imaginable—the cockpit of a fast jet. Her insights are particularly valuable to corporate audiences, where parallels between the cockpit and the boardroom offer fresh perspectives on leadership and crisis management.
Sophie Morgan has been paralysed from the chest down since the age of eighteen when she was injured in a car crash.
After leaving the hospital and adapting to life as a wheelchair user, she joined the Fine Arts Degree at Goldsmiths Art College, London. During her degree, a second career opportunity arose, as she was asked to participate in a groundbreaking expedition across Nicaragua (‘Beyond Boundaries BBC 2004) and since then Sophie has gone on to establish a diverse and successful portfolio career; spanning across various creative industries.
Sophie is a regular columnist for Conde Nast Traveller and co-founder of the Rights On Flights Campaign.
Maggie Alphonsi is arguably one of the most popular and well-known faces of international women’s rugby and women’s team sports in general. Before announcing her international retirement in 2014, she represented her country an impressive 74 times, scored 29 tries, won a World Cup and helped England win a record-breaking seven consecutive Six Nations crowns.
Maggie Alphonsi is also a household name in the media, commentating on live rugby matches and featuring in a range of media outlets including Stella magazine and The Telegraph newspaper, as well as Children in Need, The Wright Stuff, Good Morning Britain, and A Question of Sport.
Establishing a reputation as a successful woman in a male-dominated sport is no easy feat, and combined with racial discrimination, gave Maggie the toughest of challenges to face. When booked as a speaker, her extensive anecdotes provide inspiration in the world of elite sports, leadership, pressure management and diversity.
Sian Gabbidon is a renowned British businesswoman, motivational speaker, business consultant, and the first black female winner of BBC’s The Apprentice, following her series 14 success.
She started her business, Sian Marie, from her bedroom and built it into a global brand with seven-figure retail partnerships, demonstrating her ability to turn a vision into a thriving business. She also co-founded Twenty Twenty Digital, one of the UK’s fastest growing e-commerce agencies.
She now shares her story as an in-demand speaker and presenter on all aspects of business stat-ups to a wide range of audiences. Sian is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners, sharing her journey and expertise to help others achieve their business goals.
Shona Hirons is an award-winning resilience coach and motivational speaker with years of experience in law, physical wellbeing, mental health, and business coaching. She was awarded the Future Fit Training Inspired Award in 2019 for her achievements in fitness and nutrition and was named the Best Mental Health Provider in Somerset just two years later.
Working in law for two decades ended suddenly when she had a work-related breakdown. This stressful period led to a life-changing accident, leaving her with brain damage and needing major facial reconstructive surgery. This was shortly followed by a cancer diagnosis. The combination of these terrible things gave her the wake-up call she needed.
Feeling low, Shona used her recovery period to rebuild her resilience and self-belief, consider what she valued in life, and think about what she wanted to do with her career. First developing strategies to help herself, she now runs Mindset in Motion Ltd and has helped clients in over 55 countries.
Her aim? “To improve the wellbeing of people and businesses throughout the world”.
Broadcaster, journalist, speaker and author Lucy Siegle is a regular commentator and opinion leader specialising in climate and sustainability.
She has been invited to speak on BBC Breakfast (2000-) and Newsnight (1980-), as well as being a regular contributor to The One Show (2006-).
Female Broadcast Journalist Shiulie Ghosh is an award-winning journalist with a career spanning more than 20 years.
She has worked for some of the best known television news broadcasters in the world, including the BBC, ITV News, Aljazeera and TRT World.
Shiulie is an experienced host and moderator who has worked with high-profile clients and industry leaders around the globe.
Shappi Khorsandi established herself as one of the country’s finest comedians in 2006 with her sell-out Edinburgh show, Asylum Speaker.
This show lead to the publication of her childhood memoirs, A Beginner’s Guide To Acting English, her best selling literary debut.
In typical Shappi style, this show told the story of how her family were forced to flee Iran and gain asylum in the UK. Her father’s popularity as a satirist attacking the regime has ensured they cannot return to Iran.
As Shappi says, “obviously there’s free speech in Iran, but little freedom after you’ve spoken.”
Louise George is a multi-talented, passionate, and creative entrepreneur. She has been an actor and broadcaster for over 20 years and is currently writing her first screenplay for a TV series.
She’s also been an entrepreneur for over 15 years and a transformational speaker and certified coach for over a decade, specialising in and practising mBIT (multi-brain integration), Meditation, Self-Concept and the law of Assumption, Neuroscience, and Transformational Coaching. These are all woven into Lou’s programmes under Manifestation FREQ, which have been featured in publications such as Vogue and on the covers of Forbes and LA Magazine.
