Best known for his 1985 discovery of the TITANIC, Dr. Robert Ballard has succeeded in tracking down numerous other significant shipwrecks, including the German battleship BISMARCK, the lost fleet of Guadalcanal, the U.S. aircraft carrier YORKTOWN (sunk in the World War II Battle of Midway), and John F. Kennedy boat, PT-109.

While those discoveries have captured the imagination of the public, Dr. Ballard believes his most important discoveries were of hydrothermal vents and black smokers in the Galapagos Rift and East Pacific Rise in 1977 and 1979 along with their exotic life forms living off the energy of the Earth through a process now called chemosynthesis.

In addition to being a National Geographic Society Explorer-In-Residence and a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, Dr. Ballard is the president of the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET). 

Ballard was born June 30, 1942, in Wichita, KS but moved to California at a very young age and grew up exploring the shore in San Diego. Dr. Ballard has a Ph.D. in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Rhode Island. He spent 30 years at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where he helped develop telecommunications technology to create "tele-presence" for his education initiative, which allows hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren to accompany him from afar on undersea explorations around the globe each year. In 2001, he returned to the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island where he is presently a tenured Professor of Oceanography and Director of the Center for Ocean Exploration.

Dr. Ballard has 21 honorary degrees and six military awards. He was also a Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving in the Navy from 1967 to 1997. He received the National Geographic Society's prestigious Hubbard Medal in 1996 for extraordinary accomplishments in coaxing secrets from the world's oceans and engaging students in the wonder of science. In 2014, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Ballard has published numerous books, scientific papers, and a dozen articles in National Geographic magazine. Dr. Ballard also has been featured in several National Geographic television programs, including the record-breaking Secrets of the TITANIC.

His discoveries also include sunken remains of ships along ancient trade routes in the Mediterranean Sea; two ancient Phoenician ships off Israel, the oldest shipwrecks ever found in deep water; and four 1,500-year-old wooden ships, one almost perfectly preserved in the Black Sea. Dr. Ballard's Black Sea project seeks evidence of a great flood that may have struck the region thousands of years ago.

His 1997 best-selling book, Lost Liners, tells the story of the great transatlantic liners through memorable wrecks he has visited. Dr. Ballard was also a special advisor on Steven Spielberg's futuristic Sea Quest, DSV television show.

An explorer, discoverer and historian, Dr. Ballard's fascinating journeys can teach us a great deal about our past, and they have encouraged others to take tremendous strides in the survey of the undiscovered mysteries of the deep sea.

• World Champion Adventure Racer, San Diego Firefighter, and 2014 CNN Hero Inductee

• Expert on upgrading teamwork to “human synergy”

• Founder of Project Athena- helping survivors of traumatic injuries lead adventurous lives

• Past clients include: Allstate, Exxon Mobil, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Nestle

When the challenges are steep and the competition fierce, Robyn Benincasa provides the tools individuals and organizations need to cross their most challenging finish lines.

As a two-time World Champion Adventure racer, San Diego Firefighter, and CNN Hero, Robyn knows a thing or two about creating Human Synergy, or as she puts it, “That magic that allows ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things together.”

Through harrowing experiences in places like the jungles of Borneo and the Himalayan peaks, Robyn has studied the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty of Extreme Teamwork. Her refreshing and unique techniques build and foster impactful, inspired teams that succeed against all odds and turn setbacks into comebacks.

Robyn was named one of 2020s World’s Top 50 Keynote Speakers (Real Leaders Magazine), the #1 Female Speaker for Meetings.net, and is one of the Top 10 Speakers featured by Harvard Business Review. She has motivated countless leaders and teams for Fortune 500 companies, including IBM, Starbucks, Walmart, Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, HubSpot, Intel, and more. Her game-changing keynotes inspire us to grab life with one hand, our teammates with the other and create that special magic that makes each of us stronger together than we could ever be alone.

Did last year's speaker knock your socks off? Not sure where to go next? Let our team of experienced professionals help you find your next great speaker. 

Here's a quick guide to help you get started:

Find A Theme

Decide on a theme or topic for your event.

Going through a period of transition? Looking to shake up your creative? Building trust within your teams? We have great speakers on all of those topics.

Having trouble? Check out our IDEA GENERATOR for inspiration.

Get in Touch

Get in touch with your Event Date & Theme.

We will ask you some key questions to find the perfect speaker for your live or virtual event.

We pride ourselves on our personal touch. We are small team of dedicated professionals with over 20 years experience. When you call us, you speak to us directly... and quickly.

Shortlist

By now, we have a great idea of what you are looking for and will send you a shortlist of exceptional speakers.

Each speaker will be vetted with YOUR event in mind, along with our personal thoughts on how that speaker can inspire your attendees.

Let's talk

From the shortlist, you've narrowed it down to two great speakers. Let's discuss your needs to help make the final decision.

With over 20 years experience, you can trust us to provide all of the information you need to choose the right speaker.

We work with you to find the best format for your presentation, including live streams, Q&A sessions and even follow up programs to ensure maximum engagement for your key stakeholders.

The Details

We will facilitate a call with your leadership team & our speaker to do a deep dive into your business to make sure their presentation really hits home.

As trusted experts, you can rest easy knowing our experience will guide you every step of the way.

get in touch

Get in touch to book your next great speaker.

Click Here to Receive Your Customized List of Speaker Ideas

Virtual Events can:

1. Reach a wider audience
2. Offer a great experience at a much lower cost
3. Create long term impact with recorded elements that allow for content to be watched over a period of time
4. Have an increased impact over time, as viewers re-watch, discuss and connect over social media and other channels

And, most importantly: offer the ability for inspiring and impactful presentations to connect in a one-on-one way, directly to the attendee.

WHO is your audience?

Who are your virtual event attendees? Are they across a specific group within your organization, or are you serving clients across a wide range of levels? Determining who you are speaking to will help you determine a format for your event that will captivate your audience.

WHAT is your key message?

Are you focusing on change? Innovation? Leadership?

Creating a single focus or mission will allow you to hone in on the type of speaker(s) you need to engage your audience and help event producers to format the event into a dynamic program that balances inspiration with information and audience interaction.

WHAT type of event suits your audience?

• Virtual Conference
• Webinar
• Hybrid Event

Virtual event technology has come a long way over the last few months, offering a huge range of different options from pre-recorded webinars, to multi-day virtual conferences, to hybrid events with some attendees in the audience while the event is live streamed.

OUR ADVICE

A COMBINATION of live and pre-recorded elements will allow your virtual event to run smoothly and stay on time.

Many of our clients are also opting for multi-day virtual conferences with shorter segments spaced over a few days.

This allows some flexibility for attendees in different time zones and accommodates different teleworking situations for attendees, allowing them to tune in when it is convenient.

WHERE? It’s all about Tech.

Virtual meeting technology has exploded over the last few months as teleworking became the norm.

Consider your needs:

• Interactive elements like breakout rooms, polls & Q&A
• Seamless blend of live & pre-recorded elements
• Ability to replay segments
• Live tech support

If you plan for rain, it’s likely the sun will shine…

Tech isn’t perfect so don’t forget to test, rehearse and have a back up plan ready to go for your virtual event.

Pro Tip: Think of a virtual presentation like a podcast. Viewers can view the content multiple times and refer back to it.

  WHEN? A Date… or Dates?

As we have all noticed, our attention spans for meeting in real life versus meeting online are a lot longer.

When deciding on a date, consider spreading your virtual event out over a few days, with a variety of speakers, interactive elements and information.

The benefits of a multi-day format:

• Viewers watch content fresh for a short period every day
• Allows attendees in different time zones to stay on top of the content
• Attendees can review & re-engage with content

Virtual Event Checklist:

Is your event?

• Interactive?
• Informative?
• Able to be rewatched?

WHY? Pandemic 2020

Just because you are online instead of in person, it doesn’t mean you are missing out on connection.

Using the technology that we have become so accustomed to over the last few months, our keynote speakers have the ability to connect to your viewers one-on-one, in a way that was impossible in live events.

FIND YOUR WHY…

What do you want the audience to leave thinking at the end of the presentation?

Apply this question to all the presentations and segments in your event to create a cohesive, impactful virtual event.

  HOW? Virtual Event Checklist

To wrap it all up

• TECH: Find the right tech platform & don’t forget to test drive before your event
• AGENDA: Use a mix of live and pre-recorded segments, mixed with interactive elements, to ensure a smooth flow of events & audience engagement
• ANTICIPATION: Build up your event with emails, teasers and sneak peeks into what content will be offered
• NETWORKING: Create and encourage online chat functions, an event specific hashtag or even a dedicated event page to allow attendees to network virtually. Maximize the networking opportunities offered by your tech platform.
• EXTEND YOUR IMPACT: A dedicated social media page is a great place for attendees to connect after an event to discuss ideas and implement some of the learnings from the event.

Offer a password protected, limited time recording of keynote presentations to continue the conversation long after the virtual event has ended.

Continue the conversation with post-event touch points like emails or questions based on the key presentations.

To find a GREAT Speaker for your Virtual event, get in touch.

IMPROVISE...ADAPT...OVERCOME... These three words – a mantra Paul de Gelder learned in the Australian Army as a young Paratrooper – resonated with him the first time he heard them. Paul de Gelder chased adventure wherever he could find it, from his wild ride as a teen and his whirlwind lifestyle working in clubs and the music industry to hauling his way up to the elite echelons of the Australian Defense Forces as an Army paratrooper and then Navy bomb disposal diver.

In February 2009, Paul's adventurous life took a dramatic turn when a 10-foot bull shark attacked him during a routine Navy dive, severing his hand and leg. Rather than succumbing to despair, Paul channeled his indomitable spirit, fought through excruciating pain, and reclaimed his life. Drawing on everything his eventful life had taught him, Paul left nothing to chance, conducting his own rehabilitation. He fought through excruciating pain, smashing challenge after challenge whilst excellent the medical staff and the public with his will to succeed, and returned to full-time Navy service after only six months.

His journey from trauma to triumph is extraordinary, marked by resilience and determination. His inspiring story, vividly chronicled in his autobiography "Uncaged," takes "Never Say Die" to a new level.

In the years since the shark attack, Paul's life has changed in every aspect. Having left full-time Navy service in August 2012, after continuing to instruct Navy Divers for a further three years, Paul has traveled the world as a top motivational speaker, passionate environmentalist, adventurer, and mentor to school kids. He has spoken at venues across the globe, from the United Nations in New York to conferences across the U.S., China, London, Vietnam, and New Zealand.

Paul has also been a guest on major TV talk shows and starred as a guest trainer twice on the Biggest Loser Australia. He has hosted over 25 documentaries for Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, where he learned to hand-feed bull sharks, hammerheads, and blue sharks and dive with tiger sharks and even Great Whites without the protection of a cage. Megastar Will Smith featured Paul in his Facebook series “Bucket List” as his shark diving mentor, UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey was taught how to hand-feed bull sharks by Paul, and most recently, Iron Mike Tyson became Paul’s shark diving student. Paul also became part of an anti-poaching team in Africa to film the excellent work the Rangers did for FEARLESS, which aired on NatGeo.

Paul has been touted as one of the top 15 inspirational Australians and top 10 speakers, and now, based in Los Angeles, he is preparing to film yet more documentaries. Looking to expand his repertoire, Paul completed a lead acting role for a six-part miniseries for a major cable network and has since appeared in several commercials and short films.

An incredible life and an incredible story.

For over 25 years, adventurer Jeff Evans’ global experiences as a world-class mountaineer, guide and emergency medic have helped him master the skills of servant leadership, teamwork, communication and trust - which are the cornerstone themes in his keynote and breakout sessions. Jeff’s amazing adventures and challenges have given him the tools to become one of the most dynamic and motivational speakers on the circuit today, delivering his message to tens of thousands of audience members and changing the way we approach our roles within our work and family environments.

Jeff reminds us that, in fact, that we are all guides in some capacity - professionally and personally. By utilizing real life stories, vivid images and thrilling video from his adventures around the globe, Jeff is able to extract the impactful themes that are applicable for every audience member - and weave them into memorable, humorous, thought-provoking and paradigm shifting keynotes.

Jeff’s skills have been acquired not only on the highest peaks around the world, but also through guiding blind climber Erik Weihenmayer on extraordinarily challenging objectives including the summit of Mt Everest and a 2nd place finish on ABC’s adventure series, Expedition Impossible. While filming the series Everest Air for the Travel Channel, Jeff served as the chief medic and team leader for the highest helicopter-based Search and Rescue team in the world on the flanks of Mt Everest.

Also contributing to Jeff’s expertise are his experiences as the co-founder and Expedition Leader for the injured US veteran program, No Barriers Warriors - as well as his time spent on the front lines in Iraq leading a team of emergency medics in their efforts to save the lives of injured soldiers and civilians.

He is the published author of Mountain Vision: Lessons Beyond the Summit, and is featured in the award-winning documentaries Farther Than the Eye Can See, Blindsight and High Ground.

Yossi Ghinsberg’s business adventures include: a tech entrepreneur in the heart of Silicon Valley, VP of a groundbreaking medical corporation and the visionary behind Chalalan the most celebrated eco-resort in the Bolivian Amazon. A world explorer and epic & inspirational storyteller, he is a graduate of philosophy and business administration from Tel Aviv University.

His book ‘Jungle’  has sold millions of copies globally, aired as a docudrama on Discovery Channel and has been produced as a major motion picture starring Daniel Radcliffe, entitled Jungle.

Yossi has met with world leaders, bringing his Amazon survival skills to institutes and organizations worldwide. He knows survival like no one else, and he knows why it is important for businesses to learn and embed these survival principles. Yossi advises leaders and teams worldwide on how to awaken their ‘Day to Day Hero,’ following a set of natural survival skills we have all forgotten that we possess. His unique insights are counter-intuitive, motivational, mind-bending and nothing short of transformational for individuals and organizations today.

Yossi knows that the old Darwinian approach is wrong, limiting and dated, and yet so prevalent. There is a new way of thinking about leadership and business with new science behind it. Fascinating and enlightening, Yossi is an epic storyteller who has shared the stage with luminaries such as Bill Clinton, Richard Branson and Wayne Dyer.

Click Here to Watch Mile's Virtual Presentation

Miles Hilton-Barber is one of the most widely sought-after motivational speakers on the world circuit today, having had the privilege of speaking at over 1,400 corporate events in 74 countries to date.

Despite losing his sight in his early 20's, his quality of life and level of success was radically transformed at the age of 50, not through sight restoration, but through changing his attitude to his blindness.

“Potential for growth and ongoing success for individuals, companies and organizations is not primarily dependent on a change in the economy or their circumstances - but a change in the attitude of their management and leadership towards their current circumstances” he says.

Since the age of 50 Miles has set numerous world records undertaking extreme endurance events across all seven continents of our world in the fields of mountaineering, desert and polar ultra-marathons, power-boat racing, scuba-diving, motor-racing and long distance, aerobatic and supersonic flying amongst other achievements.

His presentation outlines a radical yet simple set of life principles that will enable companies, individuals and organizations to become more successful today, despite facing unprecedented global change - all of this wrapped up in a fast-moving, colorful and humorous presentation with photos and video clips from his many expeditions and adventures.

Miles will challenge you to look again at who you are, and inspire you to achieve so much more than you think you can - in both your personal and business life, because "the only limits in your life are those you accept yourself."

Rob Lilwall is an adventurer, author, and keynote speaker whose accomplishments include independent adventures by bicycle and foot across 50,000 miles (80,000 km) of the world.  Rob's inspiring and motivational stories are first-hand accounts of his travels through Siberia, Tibet and Mongolia in winter, as well as Papua New Guinea, Australia, China, Iran and Afghanistan. He has two TV series with National Geographic and has written two books.

In his speeches, Rob takes the audience with him on his journey, bringing to life the mindsets that are needed to succeed in today's uncertain, high-pressure and high-opportunity business environment. He weaves in powerful takeaways to empower the audience to thrive amid change, embrace challenges, and achieve great goals.

Rob has given speeches in over 50 cities around the world, to organizations including Microsoft, Symantec, Gemalto, IBM, ADP, ABB, Swire Properties, CBRE, Ayala Land, Stokke, MEC, Nike, adidas, P&G, Mars-Wrigley, Ferrero, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, HSBC, UBS, Deutsche Bank, Alliance Bank, Permira, Prudential, Manulife, AIA, Sun Life, Randstad and Thomson Reuters.

Rob’s keynote speeches are an ideal fit for conferences, town halls and off-sites where, alongside industry experts and company updates, you are looking for an out-of-the-box story to add value and give “wow” to the event, and which will provoke a deep, positive change in attitudes and habits.

Colonel Mike Mullane was born September 10, 1945 in Wichita Falls, Texas but spent much of his youth in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he currently resides. Upon his graduation from West Point in 1967, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force. As a Weapon Systems Operator aboard RF-4C Phantom aircraft, he completed 134 combat missions in Vietnam. He holds a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology and is also a graduate of the Air Force Flight Test Engineer School at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Mullane was selected as a Mission Specialist in 1978 in the first group of Space Shuttle Astronauts. He completed three space missions aboard the Shuttles Discovery (STS-41D) and Atlantis (STS-27 & 36) before retiring from NASA and the Air Force in 1990.

Mullane has been inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame and is the recipient of many awards, including the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit and the NASA Space Flight Medal.

Since his retirement from NASA, Colonel Mullane has written an award-winning children's book, Liftoff! An Astronaut's Dream, and a popular space-fact book, Do Your Ears Pop In Space? His memoir, Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut, has been reviewed in the New York Times and on the Jon Stewart Daily Show. It has also been featured on Barnes and Noble’s 2010 recommended summer reading list.

Mullane has held a lifelong passion for hiking and summited Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, on July 23, 2010.

Colonel Mullane has established himself as an acclaimed professional speaker on the topics of teamwork, leadership and safety. He has educated, entertained, inspired and thrilled tens of thousands of people from every walk of business and government with his incredibly unique programs.

Click Here to Watch Debra's Virtual Presentation

• Debra's inspiring presentation helps audiences understand how mindset can shift your momentum through even the most challenging experiences

• Audiences leave feeling inspired and with specific tools to build a resilient mindset to help leaders and teams move through change

• After 3 1/2 months spent at sea, single-handedly rowing from Tenerife to Barbados, Debra is ranked as one of the Top 30 Motivational Speakers in the world, alongside Simon Sinek & Tony Robbins, and has founded 5 companies and authored 3 books.

• Past clients include: UBS, Nike, IBM, Nestle, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Bausch & Lomb, phd.

Debra Searle MVO MBE has an extraordinary story! She first hit the headlines when she set out to row across the Atlantic with her husband – a 6’5” international oarsman. Unfortunately, he had to be rescued so Debra, a novice rower, continued alone without a support boat and rowed 3300 miles from Tenerife to Barbados. It should have taken them six weeks, but Debra ended up spending 3½ months at sea alone and unsupported, encountering 30' waves, sharks, and force 8 squalls in her 23-foot plywood boat. Since returning from this adventure, Debra has undertaken solo and team expeditions across the globe. She has also represented Great Britain at European and World Championship level in Dragon Boat Racing winning bronze, silver and gold medals.

Debra has spoken at well over 1100 events around the world, across every industry sector but she is more than your usual sports speaker. Debra has founded 5 companies including MIX Diversity, a Diversity Inclusion consultancy, so is able to speak with authenticity about what it takes to succeed in business. She has presented 40 programmes for the BBC and had 3 books published. Her spirit of adventure gained her a Member of The British Empire (MBE) from Her Majesty The Queen and she spent 10 years on the board of a charity with two members of the Royal Family, so has great board-level experience to share. Debra was further appointed a Member of The Victorian Order (MVO) for her services to the Royal Family.

In 2022, Debra was ranked no.3 in the World’s Top 30 Motivational Speakers, after Simon Sinek at no.1 and Tony Robbins at no.2, making her the highest ranking female motivational speaker in the world. In 2023, a British newspaper listed Debra as one of the World’s Top 50 Inspirational Leaders.  The movie of Debra’s solo Atlantic row is currently in development in Hollywood.

Laurie Skreslet captivates, inspires, and entertains as he imparts his remarkable wisdom, gained from a lifetime of adventure and achievement. Enhanced with spectacular multimedia visuals, his presentations convey the importance of personal commitment, teamwork, preparation, and dedication to excellence -- keys to success on Mount Everest, and keys to success in business.

On October 5, 1982, Laurie Skreslet became the first Canadian to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest. Since then, he has revisited the challenge again and again, continuing to climb from various directions and with alternate equipment. Building upon his life as an adventurer, he has also become renowned for his spectacular presentations to corporate and professional groups. Helping individuals and organizations to uncover and explore the parallels between their business environment and that of high-risk adventure and exploration comes naturally to Laurie.

In order to attempt climbing Everest, Laurie and his team spent over five years planning and raised more than three million dollars. Still dealing with the horror of four team members deaths in the infamous Khumbu Icefall, Laurie personally had to recover from three cracked ribs incurred in a fall early in the climb. Despite these and countless other adversities he had accomplished mountaineering's ultimate achievement - and made history in the process.

Laurie brings to life the principles of personal best and beating fear of failure that enabled him to reach his Everest goals, and which can be applied by anyone trying to achieve difficult goals of their own. Participants learn that achievement is not a matter of luck or destiny, but a philosophy and a process that can be applied to any situation.