Available to book
Julian Fisher
Transform leadership and risk management with Julian Fisher, speaker and intelligence expert. Julian works with organisations to apply espionage techniques in business, enhance strategic decision-making, and build influence, delivering unique insights from his diplomatic and intelligence background.
Julian Fisher is a private intelligence practitioner and author of Think Like a Spy, a guide to applying espionage techniques in everyday life. With over two decades of experience across diplomacy, security, and intelligence, Julian draws on his deep knowledge of international affairs and human behaviour to deliver insights into influence, leadership, risk, and much more.
Julian's story began in inner-city Birmingham, where he was raised in one of Britain’s most deprived postcodes. Early life presented profound challenges, but, while in hospital, conversations with an Iranian refugee altered his outlook on life. Her story left Julian determined to strive for academic, personal and professional fulfilment.
Julian went on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, before entering the British Diplomatic Service. His work took him across East and Southern Africa, and later into the private security sector, where he operated in high-risk environments including Somalia, Congo, and South Sudan. Julian later founded Africa Integrity Services, a private intelligence company focused on the continent.
In 2017, Julian became widely known as the lead trainer on Channel 4’s Spies, which tested civilians on their potential for espionage. His published work draws on the same experience to help readers understand and ethically apply the principles used by intelligence officers, skills such as persuasion, elicitation, and alliance-building.
Through his talks, Julian also offers commentary on international risk, privacy, and threat intelligence, while focusing on the psychology behind espionage and what it can teach us about communication and collaboration. He brings practical knowledge, hard-won wisdom, and sharp insight to each talk, underpinned by a belief that the human element remains at the heart of intelligence work. Julian's sessions blend storytelling with applicable insight, offering a rare window into a world few people experience directly.
Topics, sessions and talks
Julian Fisher explores how intelligence officers persuade people to do the seemingly impossible - sharing secrets and risking everything. Drawing from espionage psychology, he reveals the structured techniques spies use to influence, build trust and drive change. With stories from the field and personal experience, Julian offers tools for applying these skills in everyday life, from personal development to professional negotiation.
Through the lens of espionage, Julian Fisher examines how business leaders can develop sharper interpersonal awareness, navigate diverse cultural settings and grow authentic client relationships. He draws parallels between the motivations of intelligence agents and the dynamics of professional partnerships. Audiences gain practical approaches to trust-building, persuasion and communication, drawn from the shadowy world of spies.
With wit and lived experience, Julian Fisher lifts the lid on the practical skills spies use to survive unpredictable situations. From managing chaos in unfamiliar terrain to navigating power dynamics in hostile settings, this talk blends humour with insight. Behind the anecdotes lies a serious exploration of resilience, adaptability and creative problem-solving in the face of uncertainty.
Based on his work in conflict zones and volatile environments, Julian Fisher explores how intelligence professionals assess and manage risk in real time. Blending high-stakes stories with practical advice, this talk reveals how to think like a spy when facing danger or making critical decisions. With style and sharp delivery, Julian encourages audiences to reassess how they perceive threats, uncertainty and control.
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frequently asked questions
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To book Julian Fisher, email julian.fisher@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 Julian's availability and speaking fee. 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 about your audience.
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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