10 Unexpected Speakers That Make An Agenda Memorable

Unexpected speakers earn their place on an agenda by breaking a pattern. After three leadership sessions and a strategy update, the thing people actually remember and repeat is the one nobody saw coming. That is worth a slot, particularly in the graveyard shift after lunch.

How do you use a left-field speaker without derailing the agenda?

Place it deliberately and connect it to the theme. The strongest unexpected bookings are specialists with a real body of work whose subject touches your audience's life outside the job, so the session lands as a change of gear rather than a distraction from the day.

The graveyard slot after lunch and the final session before drinks are the two places this pays off most. Both are hard to fill with more of the same, and both benefit from a speaker who is genuinely expert in something the audience has never had explained to them. Our guide to choosing an event host covers how to place these sessions in a run sheet.

Five here can hold a full session, followed by five for a shorter slot, a panel or a breakout. For a similar change of pace with an awards or craft angle, see our award-winning creative speakers.

Vicky Silverthorn

Book Vicky for

Reducing the mental load your team carries home, with systems that survive a busy week.

Vicky Silverthorn pioneered professional organising in the UK and has spent over a decade working with clients who need discretion and results, including high-profile figures. Her Amazon bestselling books and appearances on ITV and Oprah.com have made her the recognised name in the field.

The reason she works at a corporate event is that her subject is the mental load rather than tidiness. Vicky gives teams practical systems that improve focus and cut domestic stress without demanding a lifestyle overhaul, which makes her an unusual and popular wellbeing booking.

Learn more and book Vicky Silverthorn →

Bryony Cole

Book Bryony for

A forward look at intimacy, technology and where human connection is heading.

Bryony Cole is recognised internationally as a sex futurist and created the Future of Sex podcast, running sextech hackathons globally with coverage in the New York Times and Wired. It is a serious innovation subject that almost no conference programme includes.

Her session The Future of Sex unpacks how technology is reshaping intimacy and human connection, and it works better than expected for innovation, product and technology audiences. Brief your team in advance and place it carefully, and it becomes the session everyone talks about.

Learn more and book Bryony Cole →

Anita Bhagwandas

Book Anita for

The role appearance plays in hiring, promotion and how people are read at work.

Anita Bhagwandas is an award-winning journalist and author of UGLY, working on beauty culture, identity and consumer behaviour. Her session The Beauty Bias At Work examines looks bias in recruitment and how appearance gets conflated with competence.

For DEI programmes that have covered the standard categories, this is a dimension of bias most organisations have never examined. Anita also consults on inclusive marketing, which makes her a double booking for organisations whose customer base is more diverse than their campaigns suggest.

Learn more and book Anita Bhagwandas →

Alysia Judge

Book Alysia for

Gaming as a business and cultural force, explained for people who do not play.

Alysia Judge is a BAFTA host and MCV Future 100 influencer who analyses gaming for Netflix, BBC, Disney and BAFTA. Gaming drives technological development and consumer behaviour well beyond its own industry, and most business audiences have no working model of how it operates.

She is bilingual, warm and accessible, and she makes industry developments legible without assuming knowledge. Alysia also hosts, moderates and works as an emcee, so she can deliver the session and then chair the rest of the day.

Learn more and book Alysia Judge →

Tracey Cox

Book Tracey for

An after-dinner or wellbeing slot on relationships that people will actually repeat.

Tracey Cox is an internationally known sex and relationships expert whose bestselling books have sold in 140 countries, with media appearances including Oprah and CNN. She combines humour with research-backed material, which is what makes the subject workable for a corporate audience.

Relationships affect performance at work more than most wellbeing programmes acknowledge. Tracey handles the subject with enough wit that a mixed audience stays comfortable, which makes her a strong after-dinner booking and a memorable addition to a wellbeing week.

Learn more and book Tracey Cox →

Five more specialists worth a slot

These five work well in a shorter session, a breakout or a panel where you want a perspective the audience has not heard before. For the wellbeing agenda specifically, see our employee wellbeing speakers.

Mariah Idrissi

The world's first hijab-wearing model, featured in CNN, BBC and The New York Times, Mariah works on modest fashion, inclusive marketing and authentic brand storytelling. She is a strong fit for consumer brands whose audience is broader than their advertising.

Learn more and book Mariah Idrissi →

Meghan Stevenson

A book editor and ghostwriter who has edited six New York Times bestsellers, Meghan takes audiences through how a book actually gets made and sold. She suits professional services firms and founders considering publishing as a credibility strategy.

Learn more and book Meghan Stevenson →

Kate Wills

A travel and features writer for The Times, The Guardian and Elle, Kate works on storytelling, journalism and global trends. She brings a working writer's perspective on holding attention, which suits marketing and communications audiences.

Learn more and book Kate Wills →

Maria Marlowe

A certified holistic nutritionist featured on Dr Oz and in Vogue, Maria works with busy professionals on nutrition, energy and evidence-based wellness. She is a practical alternative to a generic wellbeing session.

Learn more and book Maria Marlowe →

Nicole Crentsil

A cultural producer, TEDx speaker and Forbes 100 Female Leader, Nicole works on inclusion, cultural representation and workplace equity. She has featured on BBC Woman's Hour and brings the conversation somewhere most DEI agendas do not go.

Learn more and book Nicole Crentsil →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should an unexpected speaker sit on the agenda?

The slot after lunch and the final session before drinks are the two hardest to fill and the two that benefit most. Both are points where attention drops, and a change of subject recovers the room more reliably than another business session.

Will a left-field speaker work for a conservative audience?

It depends on the speaker and the briefing. Vicky Silverthorn and Maria Marlowe suit almost any audience, while Bryony Cole and Tracey Cox need a brief and some advance framing. Tell the PepTalk team about your organisation and we will be honest about fit.

How long should an unexpected speaker's session be?

Thirty to forty minutes usually works better than a full hour. The point is a change of pace, and a shorter slot keeps the energy high and leaves the audience wanting more rather than checking the schedule.

Can these speakers connect their subject to our theme?

Yes, with a proper brief. Most will build a bridge to your agenda theme if you tell them what it is. Share your programme and the session titles either side of theirs when you book.

💡 Looking for the right speaker for your next event? Let us know what you need and we will find the perfect PepTalk expert for your organisation. Email us at hello@getapeptalk.com or send us a message via the chat. You can also call us on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US). Remember, it's always a good time to get a PepTalk!