Lorraine Heggessey.
Lorraine Heggessey is a former Controller of BBC One, CEO of talkbackTHAMES, and CEO of The Royal Foundation.
As the first female Controller of BBC One, Lorraine revolutionised British television, leading the channel to overtake ITV1 for the first time with flagship hits including Strictly Come Dancing and the new Doctor Who. As CEO of talkbackTHAMES, she delivered further success with shows like Britain's Got Talent and Take Me Out. She later founded Boom Pictures, growing it into the UK's seventh-largest independent production company before its acquisition by ITV.
Lorraine has since channelled her leadership and commercial expertise into philanthropy and cultural development. As CEO of The Royal Foundation, she helped launch major initiatives including the Heads Together mental health campaign. Today, she continues to shape the UK's creative landscape as an advisor to Channel 4's Growth Fund and Chair of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.
keynote speeches.
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Most people are promoted into leadership positions because they excel at their job. They will have spent years getting good at what they do, going on the right courses and keeping up to date with what is happening in their field. They therefore assume they can just ‘do’ leadership. However, inspirational leaders have to work hard at developing new skills to thrive, especially in a world where command and control simply does not work anymore.
Lorraine explains that the key to success is creating a straightforward, attainable strategy, that is well communicated across all channels. She encourages leaders to be themselves, use their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses, and to lead by example to make sure they get the best out of people.
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In this keynote, Lorraine shares her experiences of working in large organisations, and what to do (and not do) to ensure you attract, retain, and empower employees to achieve their full potential. Encouraging a freelance mentality (where staff seek out opportunities and feel empowered to propose ideas or initiate projects) creates a vibrant, productive, and highly motivated culture. It also helps organisations attract and retain the best talent who want to work somewhere they feel valued and empowered.
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There’s never been a better time for women to achieve their potential and to have the careers they want, but they’ve got to be prepared to seize opportunities and overcome obstacles. All too often women hold themselves back, not going for promotion because they don’t tick every single box, whilst they see people who are no better than they are plunging in.
Having risen to the very top, Lorraine looks at how identifying your potential, letting people know what you bring to the table, and asking for what you want are fundamental to building a successful career. In this highly motivational, and confidence-boosting keynote, Lorraine advocates that it’s time to accentuate the positive and recognise that it’s an asset for a company to have women in leadership roles.
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Drawing on her experience of working with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry on the “Heads Together” campaign, Lorraine talks about the stigma surrounding mental health and how this affects everyone in the workplace from the most senior executive to the most junior trainee. At any given time, at least one in six workers will be experiencing mental health problems like anxiety or depression, but many of them are reluctant to talk about it because they feel it is a taboo subject and worry that it will affect their career. The Centre for Mental Health has estimated that this costs employers in the UK almost £35bn a year so there are good business reasons to tackle this stigma and normalise the conversation around mental health, making the mental wellbeing of staff a priority.
videos.
Showreel
in the news.
frequently asked questions.
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Lorraine Heggessey’s work focuses on organisational culture, strategy, talent development, and how empowered cultures drive sustained performance, informed by senior executive leadership of major broadcasters, production companies, and national institutions. Her work also explores women thriving in business and mental health at work.
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She is typically engaged for keynote-style sessions within conferences and corporate events, addressing professional audiences at all levels of an organisation.
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Beyond keynote presentations, she can also contribute to moderated conversations and panel discussions, informed by her experience at the highest levels of broadcasting, production, and institutional leadership, including board and trustee roles.
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Her work is particularly relevant to organisations navigating leadership transition, cultural change, talent retention, and the challenge of building empowered, inclusive, and mentally healthy workplaces.
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She engages with audiences across organisations at all levels, from senior leaders and boards to professional and wider organisational audiences across corporate, public, and cultural sectors.
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Her approach is practical, insightful, and experience-led, drawing on extensive senior leadership experience across media, creative industries, and the charitable sector.
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She adapts her content to reflect organisational context and audience priorities, drawing on extensive experience across major corporate, media, and institutional environments rather than generic theory.
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Lorraine Heggessey's leadership and organisational insights resonate strongly with international audiences.
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Pricing for Lorraine is influenced by factors such as event location, format, and time commitment. Speaking Office ensures fee consistency across all enquiries, whether via speaker bureaus or direct clients, so that pricing remains aligned and non-competitive across channels. Accurate and up-to-date pricing can be provided once event details are shared, ensuring alignment with both the client’s requirements and Lorraine’s long-term positioning.
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Speaking Office aims to respond promptly to all enquiries regarding Lorraine Heggessey typically within one business day. Response times may vary slightly depending on event complexity and time zone, but all enquiries are handled with care and attention.
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Advance booking is recommended for Lorraine, particularly for peak periods and international events. While shorter lead times can be accommodated, early enquiry allows for greater flexibility and planning.
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Speaking Office exclusively represents Lorraine for speaking engagements and live events work. Details regarding availability, fees and general enquiries are managed by his speaker manager via the contact information on this page.
How do I book Lorraine for a speech?
Speaking Office exclusively represents Lorraine Heggessey for speaking engagements. To book Lorraine to speak, please contact her speaker manager Michael at Speaking Office: