Ian Hawkins

Ian Hawkins has worked closely with the world’s most influential speakers and biggest brands for over 20 years. His unique background gives him unrivalled insights into how leaders use communication to meet the challenges of AI, business transformation and engaging others. His own story starts with a serious heart condition that historically had a 90% mortality rate. He survived and began a lifelong passion for understanding how personal narratives, storytelling and advocacy shape our lives. Ian's career began at the UK’s largest speaker bureau, where he collaborated with prominent figures from politics, business, sports, and entertainment. In addition to his work in the speaking arena, Ian has worked extensively in the comedy industry both as a writer for BBC comedy shows, including The News Quiz and Loose Ends, as well as working on projects for headline comedians. He has also performed as a professional stand-up comedian across the UK and at prestigious venues such as the Edinburgh Festival and New York City's UCB Theatre. Ian's abilities as a storyteller saw him become Head of Content at an award-winning production company. His role allowed him to travel globally, making films for the BBC and CBS about subjects from pharmaceutical labs in Gothenburg to water purification efforts in Nicaragua. His experiences have equipped him with unique insights into how communication and audience engagement are used to solve business problems from staff turnover to change management, digital transformation and protecting your reputation in a crisis. Ian's keynotes and workshops go beyond “tips and tricks” for better speaking asking deeper questions about what makes a leader and how the stories we tell shape the world we live in. Ian dedicates his expertise to coaching a wide range of clients, including CEOs, Olympic athletes, entertainers, and politicians. Most recently, he has taken on a new role as the speaking and storytelling coach for Netflix, sharing his expertise with executives and teams on the power of narrative, audience engagement and effective communication. As the author of three books on speaking and storytelling, Ian continues to work as a moderator, presenter and storyteller at a huge range of events is a respected figure in the field.