Available to book
James Timpson
Emotional Intelligence
Empathy
Happiness
Transform workplace culture with James Timpson OBE, speaker and retail innovation expert. James works with organisations to implement employee empowerment and upside-down management, delivering proven strategies as CEO of the thriving 2,000-location Timpson Group.
Professional Development
Visionary
Entrepreneur
Thought Leader
Author
CEO
Executive
James Timpson OBE, CEO of the family-owned Timpson Group, manages over 2,000 UK high-street retail locations, including Timpsons, Snappy Snaps, Max Spielman, and The Watch Lab.
Beyond his business role, he chairs the Prison Reform Trust and offers guidance in both private and public sectors.
Alongside his colleague, Will Lankston, MD of Timpson Direct, James' leadership has seen Timpson thrive against the decline of the high street, prioritising employee happiness and customer service.
His book, The Happy Index, reveals the company's strategy of empowering employees, such as offering free dry-cleaning for job interviewees, birthday leave, and autonomy in store management.
James also invests in employee well-being, providing holiday homes and appointing a Director of Happiness, fostering a culture of kindness and trust.
His approach to business, focusing on empathy, employee empowerment, and community contribution, offers a model for creating a successful, inclusive company culture.
James's insights into building a future where companies genuinely care for their teams have made him a respected figure advocating for upside-down management and a more compassionate business world.
Topics, sessions and talks
James Timpson's The Happy Index reveals the secrets of upside-down management and doing the right thing. While it may seem straightforward to CEOs, managers, or directors, traditional top-down approaches often result in countless meetings and hours lost on emails and project approvals. This mindset reduces team members to mere cogs in the machine rather than valued colleagues. The Happy Index provides tools and tactics to help you and your team reevaluate business management. James shares insights from his experience running the family business, demonstrating how an upside-down mindset can enhance both financial success and team well-being. Attendees will learn practical strategies for fostering a happier, more effective workplace.
James Timpson offers your team insights into fostering a thriving workplace through kindness, trust, and empowerment. Learn from a proven leader how to enhance employee happiness, drive business success, and create a compassionate culture that sets your organisation apart in today’s competitive landscape.
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email james.timpson@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm James's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
James Timpson structures his sessions around the framework set out in his book, The Happy Index, drawing on operational examples from running the Timpson Group to illustrate how an inverted management model — where leadership serves employees rather than directs them — produces measurable business results.
James Timpson OBE speaks on upside-down management, employee happiness and well-being, and compassionate workplace culture. He is CEO of the Timpson Group, overseeing more than 2,000 UK high-street retail locations, and author of The Happy Index.
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.
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