Leadership Keynote Speakers: Get Inspired

What kind of person makes a great leadership speaker? Leaders and top leadership speakers come in myriad forms with different approaches and styles. Our leadership motivational speakers and leadership conference speakers for business come from all walks of life, from the battlefield to the board room. They get great reviews from audiences, and they are as entertaining as they are informative. These leadership conference speakers for business fuse insights with their energetic, motivational delivery to leave audiences with both the will and the way to affect positive change.

Let us know if you are interested in one of our speakers for your event.

Former Elite Military Unit Commander & Leadership & Resilience Expert

Fees
  • Local: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • US East: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • US West: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • Europe: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • Asia: Please Inquire
Ash Alexander-Cooper OBE is a former Specialist Military Unit Colonel in the British Armed Forces and a former Partner at McChrystal Group - an elite advisory services firm that builds agile teams and enables clients to adapt to their complex operating environments. Ash was a Partner in McChrystal Group's London, England office, where he focused on expanding the firm’s offerings and developing relationships with European clients. With a focus on leader development, talent management, and team-building solutions, Ash draws upon lessons learned from over 22 years of experience leading and managing diverse multinational military, civilian government and other elite teams.

World Renowned Applied Neuroscience Psychologist

Fees
  • Local: Under $10,000*
  • US East: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • US West: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • Europe: Under $10,000*
  • Asia: Please Inquire
Helena Boschi is a psychologist who focuses on applied neuroscience in the work place. Her particular areas of interest include the brain and behaviour, our emotional and rational neural networks and how to improve our cognitive abilities in order to get the best out of our own and others’ brainpower. Helena has also researched the influence of cognitive biases and corporate psychopathy across different organisations. She has recently investigated the impact of chronic, work-induced stress on brain function and has just published a book called ‘Why we do what we do’.

Former Group CEO of BMW GB, Former CEO of Porsche GB, and Former CEO of Lamborghini GB

Fees
  • Local: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US East: $35,001 - $55,000*
  • US West: $35,001 - $55,000*
  • Europe: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • Asia: Please Inquire
As CEO of four successful world class brands, and as a serial entrepreneur who has built international companies from nothing more than ‘a good idea,’ Kevin has created over $5 billion in shareholder value and yet has still found time to climb the world’s highest mountains, walk to both North and South Poles, compete in international sport and play in a rock band. His energy and leadership has helped companies including Porsche GB, BMW GB, Lamborghini GB, epyx and EurotaxGlass’s to achieve world class levels of customer service and financial performance. A highly motivational and engaging speaker, he passionately believes that ordinary people can deliver extraordinary results given the invitation to believe in the goal and the opportunity to contribute towards its achievement.

Former Prime Minister of Ireland

Fees
  • Local: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • US East: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US West: $35,001 - $55,000*
  • Europe: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • Asia: $35,001 - $55,000*
A dynamic visionary, Ambassador John Bruton has held the fate of European countries in his hands. From his success as the prime minister of Ireland who turned around the country’s economy, to his recent diplomatic relationship with the U.S. as the European Union ambassador, Bruton impresses with his insight and experience in the trenches of global politics and economic policy.

World-Class Blind Adventurer

Fees
  • Local: $55,001 - $75,000*
  • US East: $55,001 - $75,000*
  • US West: $55,001 - $75,000*
  • Europe: $75,001 and up*
  • Asia: $55,001 - $75,000*
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.

Former CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Fees
  • Local: $35,001 - $55,000*
  • US East: $75,001 and up*
  • US West: $55,001 - $75,000*
  • Europe: $75,001 and up*
  • Asia: $75,001 and up*
With a medical, scientific, and philanthropic career that spans more than 30 years, Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann has devoted her life to improving the human condition through innovation. Most recently, she was the CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, leading the organization’s vision for a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life. She was formerly the first female chancellor of University of California at San Francisco and spent 14 years at biotech firm Genentech, leading the development of a number of breakthrough medicines. An innovator and leader in life sciences, Dr. Desmond-Hellmann’s diverse training as an oncologist, scientist, and business executive leads to her endless curiosity about the world and her desire to change it for the better. In speeches, she shares her unique insights not only on revolutionizing global health, but also on effective and innovative leadership. Using lessons-learned as a trailblazing female leader of one of the world’s largest philanthropies, Dr. Desmond-Hellmann inspires audiences with her unparalleled perspective on how to foster an environment of collaboration and relentless innovation to drive disruptive solutions that make an impact.

Former Commander of US and International Forces in Afghanistan, Best-Selling Author, & Co-Founder of the McChrystal Group

Fees
    Please Inquire
General Stanley McChrystal is a four-star general, the former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan and the former leader of Joint Special Operations Command, which oversees the most sensitive counter-terrorism units. He is widely praised for revolutionizing warfare by fusing intelligence and operations and is credited with the capture of Saddam Hussein and the location and killing al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called McChrystal “one of America’s greatest warriors.” McChrystal addresses leadership, teambuilding, and geopolitics.

Life Sciences Leader, Former EVP, Chief Medical Officer, & Chief Patient Officer at Pfizer, Inc.

Fees
  • Local: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US East: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US West: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • Europe: $35,001 - $55,000*
  • Asia: $55,001 - $75,000*
A pioneer in medicine and leadership, Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall has been on the frontlines of healthcare for more than four decades as a clinician, researcher, and leader in the biopharmaceuticals and life sciences industries. Dr. Lewis-Hall is an incredible storyteller with a flair for well-timed humor who shares with audiences her powerful story and inspiring path to becoming a leader in the healthcare industry. Her talks motivate audience members to embrace pressure and determine their own destinations, just as she did on her path to being the first in her family to attend college, becoming a physician and, subsequently, a biopharmaceutical executive. Dr. Lewis-Hall’s message of perseverance, tenacity, equity, inclusion, and transparency is one that resonates with all audiences and diverse backgrounds.

Expert on Leadership and Decision-Making in High-Pressure Environments

Fees
  • Local: Under $10,000*
  • US East: Please Inquire
  • US West: Please Inquire
  • Europe: Please Inquire
  • Asia: Please Inquire
Daniel Hughes has spent the last 15 years leading and making decisions in high pressure and often environmentally hostile environments. He describes himself as a “determined problem solver, who builds teams to succeed”. He previously has been a Special Forces Instructor, Great Britain Athlete and in 2013 built a team of 268 for him to deliver the world’s highest video broadcast from the summit of Mt Everest to the BBC Newschannel. Hughes is a current 787 pilot and as the founder of Reignite Consulting, he globally delivers Management Development programmes to executive teams and helps organisations establish or reaffirm their vision and values.

Decorated Combat Leader, Trust & Leadership Advisor, & Creator of No Fail Trust

Fees
  • Local: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US East: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US West: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • Europe: Please Inquire
  • Asia: Please Inquire
A decorated combat veteran, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jason O. Harris is revered for his distinguished track record leading his air crews on successful missions and instilling a culture of trust in which each person owned his or her role in keeping the team out of harm’s way. Lt. Col. Harris brings his unique battlefield experience to his talks. Using real-world examples, he empowers audiences to unleash their untapped potential and sheds light about the invaluable talent each person brings to an organization and how this talent can be harnessed to positively impact the organization’s greater mission. His experiences served as the launching point for “No Fail Trust™,” a methodology Lt. Col. Harris created to empower executives and employees to foster an environment of mutual trust, responsibility, and productivity that uplifts organizations as they set out to achieve their goals.

NASA Astronaut, Navy SEAL, CEO and President of the National Medal of Honor Museum

Fees
  • Local: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • US East: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US West: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • Europe: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • Asia: $35,001 - $55,000*
A decorated veteran of the sea, air, land, and outer space, Captain Chris Cassidy is among the leaders of an exclusive and distinguished group of accomplished military astronauts who have made an impact on and beyond this world. Recognized for his leadership and achievements as a United States Navy SEAL and a NASA astronaut, CAPT Cassidy’s various military deployments and spaceflight missions provided the catalysts for an action-packed career where he made the most of every opportunity presented to him, even in challenging and high-stakes environments.

President and Chief Revenue Officer, Salesforce and Former Chief Executive, BT Group

Fees
    Please Inquire
Gavin Patterson is the president and chief revenue officer of Salesforce.com, Inc., leading the CRM company's global sales organization. He previously served as Chief Executive, BT from 2013-19. During his tenure, Patterson completed the UK rollout of the superfast fibre and started the deployment ultrafast fibre. He led the £15billion acquisition of EE, launched BT Sport, expanded BT’s cyber security practice and championed BT’s social purpose agenda. He joined BT in 2004 as MD Consumer and joined the board as CEO BT Retail in 2008. Prior to BT, he spent four years at Virgin Media and nine years at Procter & Gamble. Patterson is a Non-Executive Director at British Airways plc and a Trustee of the British Museum. He graduated from Cambridge University with an MEng in Chemical Engineering.

VP of Global Affairs & Communications at Facebook & Former UK Former Deputy Prime Minister

Fees
    Please Inquire
Nick Clegg MP is a Liberal Democrat politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister in Britain’s first post war Coalition Government from 2010 to 2015 and as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2007 to 2015. As Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg occupied the second highest office in the country at a time when the United Kingdom was recovering from a deep recession following the banking crisis of 2008. Despite the hugely controversial decisions needed to restore stability to the public finances, Nick Clegg successfully maintained his party’s support for a full five-year term of office. He remains an outspoken advocate of civil liberties and centre ground politics, of radical measures to boost social mobility, and of an internationalist approach to world affairs. Currently, he is the Vice President of Global Affairs and Communications at Facebook, where he helps the company navigate among the governing forces especially in the data protection sphere.

Former Chief of Police in Seattle, WA

Fees
  • Local: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • US East: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US West: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • Europe: $35,001 - $55,000*
  • Asia: $35,001 - $55,000*
The first African-American woman to hold the top policing job in Seattle, Washington, Carmen Best served with the Seattle Police Department for 28 years. In 2018, Best was promoted to Chief of Police, a job she called “a dream of a lifetime.” Best quickly began efforts to diversify the police force, which had long been less diverse than the city, recruiting more than 40 new officers of color. Chief Best speaks on diversity, inclusion, and leadership lessons-learned guiding a police department during times of crisis.

Former Chief of the Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces

Fees
  • Local: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • US East: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US West: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • Europe: $10,001 - $20,000*
  • Asia: $20,001 - $35,000*
During his time as Chief of Defence he successfully concluded combat operations in Afghanistan. He was the prime military architect of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, helping to secure the 2% GDP financial settlement for UK Defence. He was also instrumental in the strategic recalibration of UK military commitment to meet the multiple demands of ideologically inspired terrorism, a more assertive Russia and a far less stable global context. In August 2016 General Houghton became the 160th Constable of the Tower of London, but he remains closely involved in Security and Defence issues.

US Navy SEAL Rear Admiral (ret.)

Fees
    Please Inquire
Rear Admiral Scott Moore is the former deputy commander of Naval Special Warfare. From the mountains of Afghanistan to briefings in the Oval Office, he is the man our nation’s leaders trust when failure is not an option. Whether leading a group of men or interfacing with Pakistani military leaders, he directed more than 2,000 missions and was involved in the marquee moments of our nation’s history. His presentations are a nail-biting, adrenaline-pumping glimpse into what it takes to create and lead high-performing teams.

Renowned Leadership Expert and Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Fees
  • Local: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US East: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US West: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • Europe: $35,001 - $55,000*
  • Asia: $55,001 - $75,000*
Described by Dr. Brené Brown as one of her “leadership heroes and a total badass,” U.S. Air Force retired Colonel, DeDe Halfhill is a proven leader who draws from 25 years of command experience and as a senior advisor to the military’s highest-ranking officials to provide a real-world perspective on the power of embracing humanness and vulnerability in leadership. Twice deployed to Iraq, DeDe’s sought-after leadership insights are grounded in personal experiences commanding and advising organizations through challenging environments — often when lives were at risk and there were no easy answers. As a senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, DeDe was a trusted influence in developing solutions to the military’s most-pressing issues. She also served as the military’s lead spokesperson responsible for implementing plans supporting the Department of Defense’s global communications strategy.
Choose the Right Leadership Keynote Speaker for Your Event

Choose from leadership conference speakers that led military forces, steered political parties, drove corporate turnarounds, advanced scientific teams, increase employee engagement, and launched ground-breaking startup companies. Because we’re one of the largest premier leadership speakers bureaus, we represent some of the top leadership speakers available.

At Leading Authorities speakers bureau, we’re in the business of “wowing” event attendees. To find the perfect in-person, hybrid, or virtual keynote speaker on leadership, we collaborate with you. Tell us your budget, theme, and target audience, and we’ll take care of the rest. Our team helps with handling logistics and bundling extras into your event package, like a meet and greet or book signings, to ensure your event is seamless and makes you look good. 

If you are looking for a leading expert on business growth, a social entrepreneur, extreme leadership, emotional intelligence, or future trends, you've come to the right place. A motivational keynote speaker can come in the form of a founder and CEO, a Navy SEALs member, a leadership consultant, a serial entrepreneur, a bestselling author, or a national speaker. Additionally, check out the different types of leadership keynote speakers we recommend.

TYPES OF LEADERSHIP KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Choosing the right leadership keynote speaker for your event is important. Wow your audience with some one these leadership speaker types.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORS

A New York Times bestselling author is most beneficial to audiences that are looking for reading material to go along with what their speaker is sharing with them. For some, knowing that a speaker has the credibility of being on the New York Times bestselling list makes them more reputable.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT SPEAKERS

Leadership and management speakers are best suited for audiences looking for guidance in leading and managing their organization. High level managers, directors, and CEOs would benefit from the knowledge that a leadership keynote speaker or management keynote speaker has to share with real-life experience from their respective field of work.

SPEAKERS ON BUSINESS GROWTH

Speakers on business growth are perfect for any audience and event type. Every organization is interested in growing their business, and it isn’t just the CEOs that should be concerned with this. Every person within the organization has the potential to advocate for change that can lead to growth, making speakers on business growth a great fit for any audience.

MOTIVATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Motivational keynote speakers are typically the most common type of leadership keynote speakers. They are the people who can mix in the good and fun aspects of leadership with the not-so-fun and tough situations that leaders are sometimes forced to face. Motivational keynote speakers know how to engage an audience and motivate listeners to lead with gravitas.

FIND YOUR NEXT KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ON LEADERSHIP

Contact our team today if you want to learn more about the leadership experts, speakers, and authorities we represent for speaking engagements or if you have any questions we can help you address about the speaker booking process.

To get in touch with a member of our team right away about the fee range for top leadership speakers, public speakers, international speakers, or business authors, you can also fill out the form below, email us at Contact@lauthorities.com, live chat with a member of our team online, or call us at +44-7864-721-400.

If you are looking for specific keynote speakers on leadership who deliver TED Talks not listed above, we still encourage you to contact our team as we specialise in placing hard-to-find and in-demand keynote speakers from all around the world, which may not be listed on our website.