Social entrepreneurs are change-makers who tackle pressing societal challenges through creative and sustainable business solutions. Their experiences navigating the intersection of business and social impact offer valuable lessons on resilience, problem-solving, and the power of purpose in driving meaningful change.
Our speakers can inspire audiences to think beyond traditional business metrics, encouraging them to integrate values like social responsibility and community impact into their work. By sharing compelling stories of overcoming obstacles, building partnerships, and making a difference, social entrepreneurs motivate individuals and organisations to embrace innovation and contribute positively to society. Their message resonates with diverse groups, fostering a sense of purpose and sparking conversations about how businesses can be a force for good.
Discover our Social Entrepreneur Speakers below, or contact the team at Great Business Speakers to enquire or book. +44 1753 439 289
Shazam founder Dhiraj Mukherjee is an international keynote speaker on AI, leadership, and adapting to emerging technologies.
He helped grow Shazam from the original idea to over 100 billion uses, and was also named one of Europe’s Top 50 technology entrepreneurs by The Financial Times. Since Shazma’s sale to Apple, he has invested in over 250 leading AI and technology startups, including OpenAI (creators of ChatGPT).
He has also held senior roles in financial services, technology, media, and entertainment. Dhiraj’s expertise is in helping leaders to build adaptable organisations, combining practical experiences building and iconic company with first-hand foresight of a technology-driven future.
Dhiraj has a degree in Mathematical Economics from Dartmouth College, USA and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He advises corporate leaders to build organisations that embrace adaptability as a core competency. He guides executives to systematically create companies that learn, evolve, and reinvent themselves, rather than reacting to disruption after it occurs.
Paris Norriss is not just an adventurer – he’s a living testament to the power of grit.
An extreme athlete, Dubai-based TV personality, and keynote speaker, Paris has built his career on mental resilience, relentless drive, and the ability to push beyond limits. From navigating high-risk filming environments to conquering some of the world’s toughest endurance challenges, he had mastered the art of thriving under pressure. He is best known for hosting and producing high-adrenaline adventure shows, including Guy in Dubai, and Guy in the Sky.
Paris Norriss determination knows no bounds. In a remarkable feat, he completed the Pacific Row Challenge in 39 days, firmly establishing himself as one of the select few to conquer the arduous 4,800km journey. He also ran seven marathons across seven continents in seven days, completing the World Marathon Challenge in a record-breaking five days and 22 hours.
Paris now delivers a thrilling keynote speech decoding ‘grit’, offering practical actions to develop perseverance, whilst applying proven methods to accelerate career and financial success.
Mary Portas is one of the most influential voices shaping the future of retail, branding, and customer experience. Known for her bold thinking, deep commercial insight, and passion for transforming businesses, Mary Portas is a highly sought-after keynote speaker for conferences, leadership events, and corporate gatherings worldwide.
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With more than three decades of experience advising global brands and helping organisations navigate changing consumer behaviour, Mary delivers keynote presentations that challenge audiences to rethink how businesses operate in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
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As a broadcaster, bestselling author, and founder of the consultancy Portas Agency, she combines strategic business insight with an inspiring belief that companies must reconnect with customers, communities, and purpose.
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Event organisers looking to book Mary Portas as a keynote speaker can expect a presentation that is energetic, thought-provoking, and packed with practical insights for modern organisations.
Lorraine Wright MBE is a multi-hyphenate leader; a British-Ghanian entrepreneur, Oxford Executive MBA Graduate, and strategic advisor, with over 15 years of experience in education, tech, real estate, and social impact. Blending corporate strategy with cultural fluency, Lorraine helps professionals and organisations to turn their bold ideas into tangible results, delivering talks that are powerful, practical, and punchy.
She is currently the Head of Patronships at Amicable Divorce, leading the strategy to scale across the UK’s leading separation and divorce support service. Lorraine works at the intersection of business strategy, societal impact, and workplace wellbeing, partnering with corporate, professional networks, and wellbeing platforms to embed Amicable as a workplace benefit and community resource.
Lorraine was recently named as a Top 25 Black Entrepreneur to watch by HSBC and the UK Black Business Show, and was named an MBE in 2022.
Toni Kent is a visionary voice in social mobility and social equity. A powerhouse, Toni doesn’t just talk about social mobility, she defines the conversation.
She is the founder of The Common Good Network, building a platform connecting service users, providers, corporate partners, and supports to dismantle barriers and drive meaningful change towards greater social equity.
With decades of experience feeding into her journey, Toni offers sharp, unique insights into one of the most misunderstood areas of modern society. Her ability to blend lived experience with deep expertise makes her an unforgettable presence on stage, challenging her audiences to rethink what inclusion, equity, and opportunity really mean.
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!
“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.
Courtney Holm is an award-winning senior leader in sustainable business development, and a climate change adaptation specialist with a vast network and 20+ years’ experience bringing global strategic agendas to life. Driven by innovation and a passion for a sustainable and equitable world, she is an influential voice across sectors, with significant experience in consumer goods, financial services, and retail.
She has worked as a Trustee for the IAMTHECODE Foundation, which aims to get 1 million young women and girls coding by 2030; as a Chair of the Board of Trustees for The Orchard Project, as a brand ambassador for Sustainability Squared Ltd, and as an Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter Business School in the Faculty of Environment, Science, and Economy.
Courtney Holm regularly speaks to international audiences at events and summits on topics including enabling sustainable choices along the value chain, focused strategies for scaled impact, and supply chain transparency.
Courtney’s work in the sustainability industry has seen her win numerous awards and accolades, including being named one of the top 10 women in sustainability 2024, in the top 100 global women in Sustainability 2024, and one of the top 25 sustainability consultants and leaders in 2023.
Courtney Holm has recently been appointed an Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter.
Clare Kenny is a Keynote & TEDx speaker, wellbeing consultant, facilitator, mental health expert, moderator and inspirational thought leader on the topics of addiction, ADHD & Neurodiversity, wellbeing and building mentally health cultures at work.
After working in many toxic workplaces for over two decades, Clare experienced burnout and developed an anxiety disorder and alcohol addiction.
It was following the sudden loss of her Mum in 2015 that she was given the jolt she needed to stop putting her career before her mental health. Clare Kenny then quit her high-pressure job, closed the chapter on 16-hour work days and instead set up her own business focussing on helping organisations build cultures and ways of working that are designed to help people thrive, not just survive.
Clare Kenny brings a wealth of business and personal experience. From building bespoke wellbeing strategies for organisations ranging from FTSE 100 to dynamic start-ups, to advising global leaders and embedding and measuring impact.
Her passion is to create real and lasting change in the world of work. She works with clients such Channel 4, Warner Media, KPMG, Knight Frank Promise and Medtronic. Clare has delivered TedX talks and has been interviewed on a range of podcasts.
Victor Sosanya is an award-winning educational speaker, post-graduate, and entrepreneur, who has spoken to thousands of people across the world sharing his story of how he graduated from East London to Credit Suisse, and then to Cambridge Judge Business School.
He was awarded the 9th Top Future Leader celebrating outstanding African and African Caribbean students in the UK, and the Global Undergraduate Winner 2022 in the Economics category for his published research paper – an award he judged the following year.
He is now an in-demand education speaker.
Tessa Clarke is the Co-Founder and CEO of Olio, a free app that tackles the problem of food waste and, in turn, climate change.
The app aims to connect neighbours and communities so that surplus food can be given away rather than thrown away. Since its conception in 2015, Olio has grown to over 7 million global users and has won Tessa many accolades.
She is a knowledgeable, engaging, fun, personable, and passionate speaker, talking on various subjects surrounding innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.
William Adoasi is the founder of the Vitae Group (Vitae London, Vitae Digital, Broken Chain Co and Vitae Photography), who started his first business – Starlight Academy – at age 19.
His stand-out venture is Vitae London, a watch brand that directly transforms the lives of children who have either been orphaned or live in poverty. Each purchase from the range of watches supplies a child in Africa with two sets of school uniform, a bag and footwear.
William has been named on the prestigious Future of Ghana Top 30, featured in Forbes’ 25 Leading Black British Business People to Follow and was selected as a Virgin ambassador for entrepreneurship within the UK. He has been nominated for the 2017 GUBA Awards for Business Start Up of the Year and the 2017 Best Fashion Designer at the Black British Entertainment Awards.
Jamie Crummie is an award-winning social entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and changemaker, known for empowering individuals, teams, and organisations to create positive impact and drive meaningful change. His work focuses on sustainability, social innovation, and tackling global challenges through purpose-driven action.
Originally trained as a lawyer, Jamie redirected his career to address the environmental and ethical crisis of food waste. He went on to co-found Too Good To Go, the world’s largest platform for surplus food. The popular mobile app connects consumers with restaurants, bakeries, cafés, and supermarkets offering unsold food at reduced prices—food that would otherwise go to waste.
The platform supports businesses in reducing waste while helping consumers make more sustainable choices, and has grown into a leading force in the global fight against food waste.
Jamie is widely recognised for his thought leadership in sustainability, food systems, and environmental innovation. He is a sought-after public speaker at conferences, corporate events, and academic institutions. His accolades include being named in Forbes 30 Under 30 and other international honours for his entrepreneurial impact.
Gabby Jahanshahi-Edlin is a creative consultant, social entrepreneur, female business leader, and speaker on social and cultural change, specialising in bold branding and business growth. She helps inspire teams to be bolder and braver, to work with compassion, be daring and be fun. Gabby works with founders to nurture their brands for extraordinary and sustainable growth.
In 2016, she founded the first-of-its-kind charity, Bloody Good Period, and worked as CEO until 2022. Through her charity, she changed the way we talk about periods at home, in the workplace, and on a wider national level. Her entrepreneurial skills and charitable nature has seen her named one of London’s Most Influential People by The Evening Standard, a Top 50 Trailblazer in Gender Equality by We Are The City, and one of the 100 trailblazers redefining the creative art industry by recruitment website The Dots.
She has appeared on television shows, including The Last Leg, Sky News and BBC News. She has been featured in several written publications, including The Metro, The Sunday Times, Third Sector Magazine, Vogue, Stylist, The Evening Standard, and Glamour.
She is a much sought-after keynote speaker, having worked with brands such as Adidas, Apple, Disney, The Guardian, and the University of the Arts London.
Chris Hines MBE has spent over 30 years campaigning for the environment and inspiring positive change.
He was the co-founder and director of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) from 1990 to 2000. Regarded as “some of the Government’s most sophisticated environmental critics” by the BBC and “Britain’s coolest pressure group” by The Independent, SAS helped deliver massive environmental improvements. He then became the sustainability director for the Eden Project for five years, which involved him conceiving and delivering ‘Waste Neutral’, an early version of the circular economy.
He is now the owner of A Grain of Sand, a company dedicated to saving the environment. Shortlisted for the 1999 Green Politics Award and having provided evidence to Commons and Lords Committees, Chris is now booked as a highly-popular sustainability and environment speaker.
Presenter on ITV’s Love Your Home & Garden, Property Expert, Problem Solver, and Social Entrepreneur, Kunle Barker began his business career whilst studying for an MA at the University of Leeds.
Kunle has set up several successful companies including Illustrious Homes an award winning Construction and Design Management Company.
Benita Matofska is a world-renowned keynote speaker, award-winning social entrepreneur, and future-change consultant, helping businesses and leaders thrive amid disruption. She delivers bold, actionable insights on leadership, innovation, AI, automation, smart cities, and business transformation—always grounded in people, purpose, and measurable impact.
Author of Generation Share—named by Forbes as a top read for building a positive future—Benita translates complex global trends into clear, practical strategies for resilience, sustainability, and growth. Her mission is simple yet powerful: to future-proof organisations while creating lasting social, economic, and environmental value.
With over a decade of research and innovation experience, Benita has inspired global audiences at leading events. She has also appeared on major international platforms, including TEDx, BBC World, Channel 4 News, UNESCO, Discovery Channel, CNN, and Number 10 Downing Street.
Benita’s work has been recognised with multiple accolades, including Ogunte Best Social Business Leader (UK & World), NatWest Venus Entrepreneur of the Year, Inspirational Woman of the Year, and the Cabinet Office/Nesta Innovation in Giving Award.
An RSA Fellow and influential media commentator, Benita is known for delivering more than talks—she creates unforgettable experiences that spark real change and leave audiences ready to transform their businesses and the world.
Dr Makaziwe Mandela was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and is the eldest daughter of Evelyn Mase and Nelson Mandela.
After attending high school in Swaziland, she went on to study for her BA degree in Social Work at Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape, followed by her Honours Degree in Sociology at the University of Natal in Durban.
Dr Makaziwe Mandela is an inspiration to all, a passionate campaigner and speaker for diversity and inclusion, female empowerment, social justice, economic deprivation and education.
Angeline Francis Khoo is the founder and chief executive of Rosie On Fire, a luxury kimono brand that blends high-end fashion with social impact.
Rosie On Fire is a purpose-driven fashion company that puts into practice Angeline’s combined passion for business, social impact and fashion retail.
Inspired by the challenges faced by her autistic siblings in finding work, Angeline founded Rosie On Fire in 2013 to both fill a gap in the market in creating easy, glamorous pieces for women, and stable, meaningful job opportunities for marginalised people often excluded from the workforce.
David Constantine MBE is a pioneering expert in disability design, charity founder, and independent consultant.
Initially interested in pursuing a career in agriculture, a diving accident at 21 stopped him in his tracks, and he was forced to look down a new path.
Over his 30+ year career, David has built a worldwide reputation in the disability sector and was named an MBE in 2010 for services to disability. He also won the RSA Student Design Awards and the RSA Bicentenary Medal for his contribution to design advancement in industry and society.
David is now one of the most sought-after disability speakers on the circuit, speaking at expos, summits, and to individual business owners and companies.
