These speakers bring valuable insights from their respective fields, where success demands strategic thinking, teamwork, resilience, and the ability to navigate high-pressure situations.
Drawing from real-life experiences, they provide compelling lessons on overcoming challenges, adapting to change, and performing under pressure, making their insights highly relevant to the business landscape. Their storytelling captivates audiences, turning abstract concepts like discipline, adaptability, and perseverance into actionable takeaways.
Whether athletes and adventurers share their endurance strategies or military speakers emphasize leadership and resilience, these perspectives offer fresh approaches to teamwork, trust, and communication in achieving shared goals. Their stories of triumph over adversity inspire employees to adopt a growth mindset and approach challenges with determination.
Sports speakers’ passion and energy are contagious, leaving a lasting impact on audiences. Their credibility, forged through extraordinary achievements, ensures their messages resonate deeply. Whether focusing on innovation, leadership, or perseverance, these speakers can align with your company’s values and energize your workforce, fostering greater engagement, productivity, and a shared sense of purpose.
Discover our expert Sports, Military and Adventurer below, or contact the team at Great Business Speakers to enquire or book. +44 1753 439 289
Sarah Furness is a former RAF Combat Helicopter Pilot, motivational keynote speaker, and inspirational trainer.
After graduating from Cambridge University with a degree in Natural Sciences and Theology, Sarah joined the Royal Air Force, first as an air safety trainer and then as a helicopter pilot. During her two decades there, she worked on tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, commanded a 120-man team across Kabul, and planned special forces operations.
Her experience in such hostile and challenging environments led to her transition into an inspirational and motivational keynote speaker. But she still has her mission: “To share the secret to outstanding resilience, performance and courage under fire”.
Lord Chris Holmes is a member of the House of Lords, an ex-Paralympic swimmer, and a proficient keynote speaker.
Awarded an MBE at age 20 for his services to swimming for disabled people, Chris was one of the UK’s most successful Paralympians, winning an astonishing 15 medals.
As well as his swimming awards, he has been named the Midlands Today Sports Personality of the Year, and Bass Midlander of the Year in 1992, was presented the SAF Paul Zetter Award in 1996, and was named Sports Personality of the Year Variety Club of GB in 1997.
A politician with more than a bit of varied life experience, Lord Chris Holmes has knowledge of elite sport, inclusion, wellbeing and the workplace, technology, and politics, and can offer an informative but entertaining keynote speech for all clients.
An Oxford-trained lawyer, Roz Savage spent the first eleven years of her career working as a management consultant, braving nothing more intrepid than rush hour on the London Underground before an environmental epiphany led to a radical personal transformation into a world-class adventurer.
During the seven years of her ocean rowing career, Roz Savage had more chance than most to explore the far horizons of courage. Spending up to five months alone at sea on a 23-foot rowboat, thousands of miles from land and humanity, at the mercy of winds, waves and currents, she evolved from a nervous novice adventurer into the world’s foremost female ocean rower, having rowed – solo – across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
While crossing those 15,000 miles of the ocean she had to redefine her comfort zone on a daily basis and reach deep into her inner sources of strength, self-discipline, and commitment to her goal.
Roz Savage discovered the vital importance of keeping a cool head in life-endangering situations, to optimise her capacity for smart decision-making, accurate risk assessment and creative problem-solving.
In 2024, she was elected a Liberal Democrat MP for the new South Cotswolds constituency.
Roderic Yapp is an accredited coach and a specialist in developing resilience and leadership skills. He is a former Royal Marines Officer, who led Marines on combat operations including Afghanistan in 2007 and the evacuation of civilians from Libya during the Arab Spring.
Roderic also led the recapture of the 55,000-tonne MV Montecristo from pirate control in 2011, as part of a NATO counter-piracy task force off the Somali coast.
In 2012, Roderic left the Royal Marines to embark on a new career with the aim of using his experience to develop leaders in the corporate world. He joined the Urenco Group where he was responsible for assessing the level of leadership capability within the organisation and coaching leaders to create high performing teams with a focus on delivery and execution.
Given his background Roderic is well suited to developing people in sectors and situations where leadership failure can pose considerable systemic risk. He also works with clients across the world helping them to establish a more resilient human system as a driver to individual and organisational performance.
Rick Kelsey is a presenter for Times Radio, BBC Business and Spotify, focussing on sport, finance and energy. He has also covered breaking stories including UK and US elections, Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout the pandemic, Rick was involved in editing the BBC’s podcast Newscast and increased its audience by over 30%.
With a professional working proficiency in French, Rick is a popular keynote speaker and event moderator on an international level.
Challenger, Entrepreneur, Record Breaker, Motivational Speaker & TV Presenter Richard Noble is a British entrepreneur who has achieved six world speed records, including breaking the Sound barrier on land which has never been equalled or beaten.
Specialising in high technology engineering startups, Richard is perhaps best known as The Project Director of ThrustSSC, the first-ever supersonic land speed record programme producing the vehicle which holds the current land speed record, set at the Black Rock Desert, Nevada in 1997.
“The World’s Greatest Living Explorer” – Guinness World Records
Sir Ranulph Feinnes is one of the most famous explorers and adventurers in the world, having led more than 20 expeditions to all corners of the globe. He reached the summit of Mount Everest in 2009 – becoming the oldest person at the time to do so – was the first man to cross both polar ice caps and climbed the North Face of the Eiger, a mountain in Switzerland.
His expeditions have raised vast sums of money for various charities, so not surprisingly, he was awarded an OBE in 1993 for human endeavour and charitable services. Thanks to the money he has raised, in 2010 he was named as the UK’s top online fundraiser by JustGiving.
Extreme dedication and determination have enabled him to become one of the most prolific explorers in the world, qualities he hopes to share with his audiences. He is inspirational, educational and humorous, and always manages to motivate delegates to achieve their goals.
Ralf Schumacher is a former racing driver from Germany and younger brother of Michael Schumacher, the seven-times Formula One World Champion. Ralf and Michael Schumacher are the only siblings to each win Formula One races.
Ralf first drove in Formula One with Jordan Grand Prix for the 1997 season, winning his first Grand Prix in 2001. In a racing career that lasted 11 years, Ralf drove for Jordan, Williams and Toyota teams wining a total of six grand prix races.
After leaving Formula One, Ralf joined the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) in 2008 and later retired from motorsport at the end of 2012 to enter a managerial role within DTM, mentoring young drivers.
After his retirement from racing, Ralf went on to become a commentator for Sky Sports Germany, open a restaurant and make his own wine brand.
Phil Holdcroft is a former combat pilot whose 20-year career saw him dodge bullets on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan and extend to executive senior leadership of Defence, shaping Britain’s future on the global stage.
With an inspiring story like no other, Phil Holdcroft triumphed over adversity in every chapter of his remarkable life. He has made it his mission to share his powerful and transformative lessons, equipping others with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to achieve extraordinary results.
Phil is committed to pushing the limits of what is possible; he has tested his mind and body through record-breaking feats, as an elite endurance athlete and extreme adventurer, including rowing unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean.
The most daunting challenges have been thrown at him by life itself. Phil talks openly about ‘unravelling’ when his youngest daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia. An event he describes as “more harrowing than the terrors of battle or the fiercest of ocean storms”.
Perry McCarthy is quite simply unique. He is an ex-Formula One driver, a bestselling author, and he was the original secret racing driver from BBC’s Top Gear – The Stig.
He is now a popular keynote speaker, and has carried out over 1,500 appearances, combining his famous sense of humour with his experiences in motor sport.
His attitude and his story has been inspirational; the 1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill once said of Perry, “I have constant admiration for how he turns a no hope situation in to some sort of triumph”.
Paul Cowland is a man with a lifelong passion for all things automotive. His small talk includes anything to do with the internal combustion process and the Wankel rotary engine which means he is rarely invited to parties.
Thankfully, his boundless enthusiasm for the industry has given him a career spanning over three decades, writing, selling, tuning, restoring, photographing, and creating almost every kind of car known to man – as well as being the go-to guy for many of the UK’s leading automotive publishers when they need an authority on such matters.
Paul Cowland is widely in demand for presenting, speaking, and hosting a wide range of international automotive events.
Paul Adamson is a visionary business leader, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker who transformed his love for the seas into a remarkable business journey.
Following his career as a professional sailor, Paul began his remarkable transformation by becoming a pivotal figure in the revival of Oyster Yachts, an iconic British luxury yacht manufacturer. Faced with administration, he led the business into a period of exceptional growth, securing £185 million of new sales, despite the challenges of a global pandemic. This growth put Oyster Yachts back on the map and secured the business for the long term.
Paul’s expertise extends beyond the marine industry. He has supported a number of global businesses develop transformative change and performance programs, with clients including Valeo Foods Group, The Shed Distillery and Henri Lloyd.
In 2022, Paul Adamson’s life journey took an unexpected detour with the diagnosis of Follicular Lymphoma, an incurable blood cancer. The diagnosis, while a test of his fortitude, did not hold him back in any way. Demonstrating resilience, leadership skills and optimism, Paul bravely faced the challenge and is now in remission.
Nick Fry is the Former CEO and co-owner of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 and was responsible for building the teams that won the 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 F1 Drivers and Constructors Championships.
Nick Fry played a key role in one the most remarkable success stories in world motorsport when, together with Ross Brawn, he bought the Honda Formula One team for £1.00 in a management buyout.
Against all odds, they then won the 2009 drivers’ and constructors’ world championships under the Brawn GP banner with Jenson Button at the wheel.
Double Formula One World Champion Mika Hakkinen scored back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999 as lead driver for the all-conquering McLaren-Mercedes Benz team, achieving unprecedented success in a career almost ended by a serious accident crash at the Australian Grand Prix in 1995.
With 20 Formula One race victories and 51 top-three podium finishes to his credit, he ranks among the most successful drivers of all time and is widely regarded as one of the fastest drivers of the modern era.
He remains a much-admired member of the McLaren Formula 1 team, is an official ambassador of the Formula 1 World Championship and is a familiar face to fans in Europe through his broadcasting work on Viaplay.
Today Mika is a globally sought-after keynote speaker able to inspire audiences with real-world lessons gained from his Formula One career.
Michael Owen is an icon of English football, considered one of the greatest strikers of his generation. A prolific goal scorer, Owen was highly regarded for his pace, his technical ability and his powerful and accurate finishing.
During his 16 year career, Michael made 473 club appearances and scored 222 goals, and was capped 89 times for England, scoring 40 times at International level.
Michael is best remembered for his time at Liverpool FC where he helped win the treble, as the team won the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup in the 2000–01. He was awarded the Ballon d’Or that season for recognition of his part in the treble.
In 1998 at the age of x, Michael made his senior England debut, making him the youngest-ever England player at the time. His performance at the 1998 FIFA World Cup with an impressive solo goal against Argentina, brought him national and international acclaim as well as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.
Michael McGrath made history in 2004 by becoming the first disabled person to lead expeditions to both the north and south poles – what makes this achievement all the more remarkable is that in 1984, aged just 18yrs, Michael was diagnosed with the muscle wasting disease muscular dystrophy (MD).
The journey gave rise to a new life plan, inspiring Michael to embark on a career as an internationally recognised motivational business speaker. He has built an enviable list of clients, providing carefully tailored speeches for organisations including HMRC, PwC, Shell, Hilton Hotels and the NHS.
Leadership, courage, and trust combined with resolute self-belief, confidence, teamwork and a singularly focused obsession towards achieving desired outcomes were critical success factors – Michael McGrath draws on these experiences, giving wider business and life lessons.
Michael was made an MBE in the King’s first Birthday Honours List in 2023.
Matthew Syed is one of the world’s most influential thinkers in the field of high performance and cultural change. He is an author and highly acclaimed speaker in the field of high performance.
He has written six best-selling books on the subject of mindset and high performance – Bounce, Black Box Thinking, Rebel Ideas, The Greatest, and his celebrated children’s books, You Are Awesome and The You Are Awesome Journal – and has worked with many leading organisations to build a mindset of continuous improvement.
He is also a multi-award-winning journalist for The Times and a regular contributor to television and radio.
Liz Johnson is one of the UK’s most well-known Paralympic swimmers, winning an impressive 13 medals at various events over her career.
Since retiring in 2016, Liz has become a popular contributor to sporting broadcasting on Channel 4 and the BBC and a familiar face on entertainment shows, including Celebrity Masterchef (2016) and The Last Leg (2021).
She is the Managing Director and Client Ambassador of The Ability People, a specialist employment company which aims to encourage employment for those with disabilities.
She is also a popular motivational and sports speaker, offering an insight into her competitive past, her broadcasting experience and her disability, aiming to inspire the next generation of sporting stars.
Matt Lindley was an RAF Pilot, specialising in flying VIPs such as The Queen, members of the Royal Family and Government Ministers, as well as flying missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and Sierra Leone. He is now a commercial long haul pilot.
Matt was one of the first ever gay pilots in the Royal Air Force, and is now a very influential military figure. Matt had dreamt of being a RAF pilot ever since he was a child, and he wasn’t going to let something like LGBTQ+ prejudice stand against him. His brave journey has paved the way for change in the Armed Forces and to ensure all sexualities are represented.
Matt now runs workshops and keynotes based on lessons he has learnt whilst flying, aimed at reducing human error in the workplace. He uses fascinating case studies of aircraft accident, applies basic psychology and provides lots of ‘take homes’ for any audience.
Matt Dawson is one of England’s best-loved former rugby players, and is now a prominent sport commentator, journalist, and presenter.
He played for Northampton Saints, London Wasps, and the British & Irish Lions. He won 77 caps for England and made his mark on rugby by being part of the England team who won the 2003 World Cup.
Since retiring in 2006, he has become a national TV personality, appearing on BBC’s A Question of Sport (2004-2021), Celebrity Masterchef (2006) – which he won, and Strictly Come Dancing (2006).
Matt Dawson also works as a health ambassador for Sodexo, an international food and facilities provider, and in 2014 he was appointed as Director for Business Development.
Jenson Button MBE is a celebrated British racing driver best known for winning the Formula One World Championship in 2009.
In his on-going motor racing career, spanning 26 years, Jenson has competed in nearly 20 different racing championships, with 18 years spent in Formula One. While racing in Formula One career, he achieved 50 podium finishes, and finished the Championship in first, second and third place.
Jenson retired from Formula One in 2017 and the following year made the move to sportscar racing, winning the Super GT – GT500 Championship. More recently, Jenson has competed in the 2024 FIA World Endurance and the IMSA SportsCar Championships.
He was appointed an MBE in the 2010 New Year Honours for services to motorsport and was inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame in 2017.
Jasper Taylor is one of the world’s most experienced TV presenters under the age of 30, having presented thousands of hours of live TV for Sky Sports.
He has covered the biggest sporting events on the planet, broken countless stories live on air and interviewed hundreds of famous sporting faces.
Jasper is an engaging, charismatic and knowledgeable speaker, particularly for businesses who are looking to inspire and motivate their workforce. His passion is speaking about speaking and he uses all of his TV experience to transform the way his audience views the art of public speaking.
Jacques Villeneuve is one of the most widely renowned Formula 1 stars, a World Champion who achieved meteoric success and founded the team which is today the all-conquering Mercedes Benz F1 team.
Canadian-born Jacques won the 1997 Formula One World Championship for the Williams-Renault team, a remarkable feat given that he achieved it in only his second full season of Formula One motor racing, and against arch-rival Michael Schumacher.
In his first season in Formula One, he finished 2nd in the World Championship, an astonishing achievement in only first season at the pinnacle of world motorsport.
He is the last driver to have won a World Championship for the Williams Formula 1 team, adding his name to an impressive list of champions including Alan Jones, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and Damon Hill.
It all comes down to one single moment. After only two weeks working in professional New Zealand rugby, Henry Cheetham felt a deeper sense of belonging to the team and community than anywhere he had worked or lived over the past 24 years.
Was this one of the ‘secrets’ underpinning the mythical New Zealand All Blacks, he thought.
Needless to say, this kick started his journey to uncover the universal principles underpinning the world’s best teams. Since then, he has led human performance departments in some of the most successful teams and cultures in the world.
