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Transform leadership storytelling with Gavin Esler, speaker and geopolitical expert. Gavin works with business and public sector leaders to leverage political insights and leadership communication strategies, delivering award-winning expertise featured in his bestselling books and acclaimed podcasts.
Gavin Esler is a former BBC broadcaster, journalist, and author. He served as the BBC’s North American Correspondent for eight years, based in Washington, where he reported extensively during the Clinton presidency.
Gavin has hosted various programmes, including Dateline London and Hardtalk, and left the BBC in 2018 to pursue freelance work.
He is the presenter of the award-winning podcast The Big Steal, which focuses on Vladimir Putin. He has received multiple accolades, including a Royal Television Society award and a Sony Gold award.
His current podcast series, This is Not a Drill, addresses global stability issues from Ukraine to China.
Gavin has authored five novels and four non-fiction books, including How Britain Ends and Lessons From The Top.
Lessons from the Top draws on Gavin’s interviews with numerous world leaders, such as Bill Clinton and Angela Merkel, examining how effective leaders use storytelling to influence and inspire change. He frequently shares these insights with business and public sector leaders.
In addition to his broadcasting career, Gavin has reported from diverse locations, including China, Cuba, and Iran. He has also been a visiting lecturer at various institutions and organisations, including the British military.
After two terms as Chancellor of the University of Kent, he stepped down in 2024.
In How Britain Ends, Gavin explores the future of the United Kingdom, questioning what it means to be British in the 21st century. He discusses the potential for the UK to reinvent itself or face dissolution, considering the implications of nationalism and interdependence.
Through literature and culture, he examines whether a federal structure could preserve the union or if internal divisions would lead to its end.
Book Gavin Esler to engage your team with insightful discussions on global politics and leadership. His extensive experience with world leaders and award-winning storytelling will inspire and provoke thought, making him an ideal choice for fostering intelligent conversations that drive change and innovation within your organisation.
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frequently asked questions
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Gavin Esler draws on interviews conducted with world leaders — including Bill Clinton and Angela Merkel — to examine how effective leaders use storytelling to drive influence and change, translating these findings for business and public sector audiences.
Gavin Esler speaks on leadership and storytelling, geopolitics and global stability, and the future of the United Kingdom. He served as the BBC's North American Correspondent for eight years and hosted flagship programmes including Hardtalk and Dateline London, winning a Royal Television Society award and a Sony Gold award.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
