Oliver Balch

Book a top business speaker today with Great Business Speakers!

Oliver Balch is a widely recognised expert on sustainability and the changing role of business in society, having worked in the field for more than two decades.

Driven by the belief that the private sector can – and must – serve as an engine for positive societal change, as a journalist and researcher, he has examined the sustainability debate at close quarters, interviewing thousands of business entrepreneurs, community changemakers, and policy innovators.

Oliver’s PhD from Cambridge University focused on corporate-community relations. In early 2024 Oliver became a Senior Associate at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership at the University of Cambridge.

Oliver is a popular keynote speaker, bringing his signature mix of solutions-based positivity to his public presentations. Sensitive to the complexity of sustainability, he is an expert at communicating what companies need to know, and how they should act.

For more details on how Oliver can add value to your event, contact us on 0044 (0)1753 439289

Oliver Balch currently holds two Master’s degrees and a Doctorate; the first MA came from Durham University in Modern History, whilst the second came from the University of Cambridge, also in Modern History. In 2017, he gained a Doctorate in Latin American Studies from the University of Cambridge, focussing on corporate social responsibility and Latin American affairs.

After his second MA, Oliver worked for Corporate Citizenship where he helped advise large UK-based businesses on regulation and social risk management. He stayed here until 2004, where he started up his own business as a writer, researcher, moderator, and keynote speaker.

Oliver uses his experience and expertise to demonstrate that businesses must be transformed for the world’s good as well as their own, and provides a range of ways to make it possible.

Holding three top degrees in international business, history, and anthropology, Oliver is superbly positioned to provide audiences with the latest academic thinking.

WRITER

Oliver is a regular contributor to publications including The Guardian, The Financial Times (FT), Positive News, Reuters, and The Times. He also reviews books for The Literary Review, The Spectator, the FT and The Times Literary Supplement (TLS). He is an editorial consultant for the World Bank, University of Cambridge, and the United Nations, a senior associate at the Cambridge Centre for Sustainable Leadership and a lecturer at Porto Business School.

To date, Oliver has written non-fiction books, all published by Faber & Faber:

– Viva South America! A Journey Through a Restless Continent (2009)

– India Rising: Tales From a Changing Nation: Travels in Modern India (2012)

– Under the Tump: Sketches of Real Life on the Welsh Borders (2016) conveys the daily routines of Oliver’s fellow residents.

He is currently working on his next book, entitled Out of Amazonia (commissioned by Head of Zeus).

CORPORATE

Thanks to his qualifications and 25+ years of experience, Oliver is often invited to take part in events as a keynote speaker, chair, and moderator.

He has chaired many panel discussions and roundtables – particularly for The Guardian, moderated at festivals including Hay Festival, and worked with blue-chip companies including Pepsi and Unilever. For several years he has been the MC at the Green Alley Awards (Dragons Den-style competition for sustainable business ideas).

Oliver is proficient in Spanish and Portuguese

SPEAKING TOPICS

– Sustainable Business
– Business Ethics
– The Role of Business in Society
– Net Zero/Climate Change
– Human Rights
– Reputation Management
– Circular Economy
– Social Innovation
– Ethnographic Research
– Latin American affairs
– Work and Careers
– Media and Communications
– Travel Reportage

PAST EVENTS AND CLIENTS

– University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership: Senior Associate
– Porto Business School: MBA Lecturer
– The Guardian: Chair at industry roundtables
– Web Summit, Lisbon: Moderator
– B Corp Europe: Panel chair
– Blue Earth Summit: Panel chair
– Green Alley Awards (Circular Economy): MC
– Hay Festival Festival: Moderator
– Edinburgh International Book Festival: Speaker
– Cheltenham Literature Festival: Moderator
– Oxford Literary Festival: Moderator
– Dartington Words Festival: Speaker
– Essex Book Festival: Speaker
– Henley Book Festival: Speaker
– Team Lewis (PR): Moderator at client events
– United Nations Environment Programme: Editor
– World Bank: Editor

To check fees and availability for Oliver Balch, contact Great Business Speakers on 0044 (0)1753 439289

Contact us.

Oliver Balch, a visionary speaker, guides you through navigating disruption with adaptability and innovation for success.

Business Sustainability Expert
Author of 3 Bestselling Books
Experienced Moderator, Panel Chair
Literary Fesitvals

Oliver Balch is a perfect host. He can do invisible facilitator or toe-to-toe interrogator. He’s always prepped and makes the guests shine. Hay chair MVP.
Peter Florence, Former CEO of Hay Festival and Co-Chair of Booker Prizer

Oliver has been a consistently excellent moderator of the Green Alley Awards. He presents the awards with wit, warmth, and enthusiasm and his stage management was perfect.
Nick Purser, Corporate Communications Manager, Landbell Group

Oliver is a brilliant writer and thinker. Brimming with ideas, creativity and a real grasp of the big issues of our day. His writing is sharp, opinionated and stands out from the crowd. He is supremely organised, always delivers on time, and has a “can do” attitude.
Jonny McCaig, Global Reporting Director, Unilever

Oliver is a talented and engaging writer, able to break down the complex into the accessible. He has deep knowledge about sustainability, climate, environmental and social justice issues. He is also a joy to work with.
Adele Williams, Director of Communications, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership