With more than a decade working at the heart of the technology industry, Dex Hunter-Torricke has managed communications for some of the most-influential and admired Silicon Valley leaders and corporations of our day. In his daily work, Dex plays a critical role in writing the next chapter on science, tech, the economy, and society across the globe, and spearheads efforts to bring the stories of how the world is being moved forward to light. From 2012-2016, he led the executive communications team at Facebook and served as personal speechwriter for Mark Zuckerberg. He then went on to join SpaceX as senior director of communications. He later served as the VP Global Communications & Public Engagement for the Oversight Board for Meta, the independent body that makes decisions on Facebook and Instagram’s most challenging content issues. Dex takes audiences into Facebook’s boardroom, Musk’s open-concept cubicle, the famed Googleplex, and finally to the UN itself to share lessons on what it takes in today’s environment to build highly effective internal teams, how to use storytelling in modern communications, and what to make of the steady transition from local to global that’s unfolded over the past decade.

Polar explorer, TED speaker, and record-breaking long-distance skier Ben Saunders fuses the spirit of adventure with impressive technical ingenuity. He has five North Pole expeditions under his belt and is best known for leading one of the most ambitious expeditions in a century. Humble and self-effacing, he is an explorer of limits and his message is one of inspiration, empowerment, and boundless potential. He explores the dichotomy between ideas and action and urges audiences to consider carefully how to spend the “tiny amount of time we each have on this planet.”

Erik Weihenmayer is a world-class adventurer, the first blind man to summit Mount Everest, and one of only 150 mountaineers to climb the Seven Summits. His latest and most demanding adventure is kayaking the 277 miles of the Grand Canyon. One of the most exciting and well-known athletes in the world, he never let his lack of vision interfere with his quality of life. Weihenmayer’s feats have earned him incredible press coverage and dozens of awards. He is also the author of two books and addresses leadership, teamwork, overcoming adversity, motivation, and inspiration.

Maurice Ashley made history in 1999 when he became the first African-American chess grandmaster. He is a three-time national championship coach, author of Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens, ESPN commentator, iPhone app designer, puzzle inventor, and motivational speaker. Maurice is well known for providing dynamic live tournament coverage of world-class chess competitions and matches.

Multimedia presenter whose presentations feature funny video clips and a high degree of audience interaction. Ross Shafer has the most intriguing Comedy & Business background of any speaker on leading through change, reinvention, and resilience. Ross’s funny and energetic style was honed as a headlining comedian and host of TV’s Match Game (ABC), The Late Show (FOX), Almost Live! (NBC and Comedy Central) and Love Me, Love Me Not (USA). Embracing his humorous world view explains why Ross risked buying and selling 23 companies (each rescued from bankruptcy) and earning the savvy to author ten insightful business books. Ross’s fresh takeaways are fun and sticky … and he delivers the creativity to ignite and inspire front line staff as well as senior executives.

Reggie Rivers is a renaissance man whose talents and achievements have spanned many different disciplines. He’s a former NFL running back, a media personality, a business owner, an author and a motivational speaker, master of ceremonies, and auctioneer. He entered the NFL as a classic underdog—an undrafted rookie free agent and a longshot to make a team. But he managed to win a roster spot with the Denver Broncos and stayed with the team for six seasons. In speeches, Reggie shares the lessons he’s learned from the NFL that translate perfectly to the business world and enable peak performance. His message will reinforce the ideas that organizations are already preaching to their teams – providing that “aha” moment by presenting these strategies in the context of football.

David is one of the country’s most successful post-alternative comedians and is responsible for some of the most memorable and groundbreaking comedy achievements of the last twenty years. In 1992, he performed to 12,500 people with Rob Newman in the UK’s first ever arena comedy show and was credited as turning comedy into "The New Rock’n’Roll" long before arena comedy gigs became commonplace. This followed the hit TV shows The Mary Whitehouse Experience and Newman and Baddiel in Pieces.

Greg Davies is perhaps best known as the psychotic Head of Sixth Form Mr. Gilbert in The Inbetweeners on Channel 4 and in The Inbetweeners Movie, The highest grossing British comedy of all time. He is currently starring in Channel 4's Man Down, which was written by Greg himself, alongside Roisin Conaty and Rik Mayall. The series has also been commissioned for a second series.

Frank hosts Absolute Radio’s Sony Award winning Saturday morning flagship show, whose podcasts have been downloaded 6.5 million times. Frank’s television work includes The Frank Skinner Show (BBC One, ITV 1), which is widely credited as setting the tone for the modern comedic chat show and ran for nine years, attracting 11 million viewers at its peak. He has written two books, the first of which was Frank Skinner by Frank Skinner, the top selling autobiography of 2002, spending 46 weeks in The Sunday Times Bestseller List.

Chris Addison is a critically acclaimed stand up renowned for his versatility, his pacy, energetic routines and faultless delivery. Some of his previous solo Edinburgh shows have enjoyed sell out runs and were nominated for the prestigious Perrier Award. After starring in BBC Two's multi-award winning comedy 'The Thick of It', for which he received a British Comedy Award nomination for Best Newcomer, Chris made his big screen debut in Academy Award nominated 'In the Loop', an exciting, fast paced political comedy that looks at what happens when the people in power realise their careers are on the line.

Al is one of the most recognisable and successful comics in the UK with his alter-ego, The Pub Landlord. His latest TV series, Compete for the Meat (Dave) saw teams battle it out to win the coveted prize of a frozen chicken. His British Comedy Award Winning ITV1 series Al Murray’s Happy Hour has delighted both viewers and critics alike with his no nonsense treatment of his celebrity guests.

Winner of the 2010 Chortle Student Comedian of the Year Award and Comedy Central's Funniest Student Award 2011, Phil Wang is rapidly making a name for himself as “a very promising up-and-comer” (The Independent) with clever lines and a trademark laid-back style. In 2011 Phil featured in the Edinburgh Festival's longest-running stand-up showcase, The Comedy Zone, and has since appeared on Fresh From The Fringe (Radio 4),** The Comedy Live Lounge** (Radio 1), Three at the Fringe (BBC 3), and featured as a stand-up guest on The Rob Brydon Show (BBC 2). In 2012 he toured the UK and America with the Cambridge Footlights as a writer and performer in their International Tour Show, Perfect Strangers. "Phil was the highlight of my evening. From his opening joke... everyone was hooked... it’s remarkable that his individual brand of cynical and devilishly sharp humour is already so sophisticated." Parliament